Nut butter isn’t a low-calorie food by any means. Nut and seed butters are generally high in calories because of their fat content – but which nut butter has the MOST calories?
Macadamia nut butter has the most calories among different nut and seed butters with 230 calories per two tablespoons.
We’ll review ten different nut and seed butters with the most calories below!
10 high-calorie nut and seed butters
If a type of nut or seed butter isn’t on this list, it’s because the version we looked up (calories vary among manufacturers and ingredients) contained fewer than 200 calories.
(The calories listed for all is for two tablespoons.)
Macadamia nut butter – 230 calories
It’s no surprise that macadamia butter is the highest in calories of all nut and seed butter. The reason is that it’s also the highest in fat, and fat contains the most calories per gram compared to the other macronutrients (protein and carbs).
The fact that it’s so high in calories also makes macadamia nut butter a favorite for keto dieters!
Hazelnut butter – 210 calories
Hazelnut butter is among one of the highest-fat nut butters, which again explains why it’s among the highest-calorie nut butters! You’ll also see chocolate-flavored hazelnut butter on this list soon, too…
High-protein nut butter – 200 calories
This type of nut butter has added protein, usually in the form of whey protein or another protein isolate. The addition of protein is what makes high-protein nut butter slightly higher in calories compared to plain versions.
Mixed nut butter – 200 calories
Mixed nut butter contains a blend of different nuts and seeds. The kind we looked at (Kirkland Signature) contains almonds, cashews, pumpkin seeds, chia seeds, and flaxseeds, which make it paleo-, keto-, and vegan-friendly!
Nutella – 200 calories
Wait – how is chocolate-flavored hazelnut butter that is loaded with sugar lower in calories than regular hazelnut butter?!
The reason is the addition of skim milk, which means that it contains fewer hazelnuts (and therefore is lower in calories) gram-for-gram compared to regular hazelnut butter.
Peanut butter – 200 calories
The most popular type of nut butter, peanut butter is high in calories thanks to the oil in peanuts – which are actually a legume and not a nut, in case you were interested.
Pecan butter – 200 calories
Pecan pie is a calorie-laden dessert, and not just because of the sugar! Pecans are among the highest-calorie nuts because they are also one of the highest-fat nuts.
Soy nut butter – 200 calories
While it’s not a Paleo-friendly option (soy and other legumes are paleo no-nos), soy nut butter is a good alternative if you have allergies to tree nuts or peanuts.
Sunflower seed butter – 200 calories
Another allergy-friendly option, sunflower seed butter is a popular substitute for peanut butter due to the prevalence of peanut and tree nut allergies.
Walnut butter – 200 calories
High-calorie doesn’t always mean unhealthy – and that’s especially true for plain nut butters like walnut butter. Loaded with heart-healthy fats and omega-3s, walnut butter is nutrient-dense, which means you get a lot of bang for your caloric buck!
Nutritional comparison of highest-calorie nut & seed butters
| Serving size: 2 tbsp. | Calories | Total fat (saturated) | Total carbs | Net carbs (fiber) | Total sugars (incl. added) | Protein |
| Macadamia nut butter | 230 | 24 g (4 g) | 5 g | 2 g (3 g) | 1 g (0 g) | 3 g |
| Hazelnut butter | 210 | 20 g (2 g) | 6 g | 3 g (3 g) | 2 g (0 g) | 5 g |
| High-protein nut butter | 200 | 14 g (2.5 g) | 8 g | 5 g (3 g) | 5 g (4 g) | 10 g |
| Mixed nut butter | 200 | 16 g (4 g) | 8 g | 4 g (4 g) | 1 g (0 g) | 7 g |
| Nutella | 200 | 12 g (4 g) | 23 g | 22 g (1 g) | 21 g (19 g) | 2 g |
| Peanut butter (Adam’s natural) | 200 | 16 g (3 g) | 7 g | 4 g (3 g) | 2 g (0 g) | 8 g |
| Pecan butter | 200 | 18 g (2 g) | 6 g | (4 g) ~2 g | 0 g | 2 g |
| Soy nut butter | 200 | 15 g (3 g) | 8 g | 6 g (2 g) | 4 g (2 g) | 7 g |
| Sunflower seed butter | 200 | 17 g (2 g) | 6 g | 4 g (2 g) | 3 g (3 g) | 7 g |
| Walnut butter | 200 | 19 g (2 g) | 4 g | 2 g (2 g) | 1 g (0 g) | 5 g |
FAQs:
Most nut and seed butters are ideal for gaining weight because they are higher in calories and protein. Some of the best (and easiest to find) include peanut butter, almond butter, and mixed nut butter.
Almond butter and other nut and seed butters are high in calories because they are high in fat, which provides more calories per gram than the other macronutrients (carbs and protein). One two-tablespoon serving of almond butter provides 190 calories.
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