It’s almost impossible not to like pecan butter – I mean, who could hate the rich, creamy, and buttery spread that embodies many of the good things about all nut butters?
That being said, you might also be looking at coconut butter for its delicious and unique texture, enjoying the flavors of Hawaii that it boasts so proudly.
Now, what if you could pick just one of these great spreads?
That gets a little tricky, because there are many factors involved when deciding whether a spread is good or bad. For example, we need to look at culinary uses, flavors, nutritional profiles, and more to make the most educated decision.
And that’s exactly what we’ll do in this article today! Then, you can ultimately see which one of these great spreads is better!

Let’s dive in!
Comparing pecan butter vs coconut butter
Pecan butter is made from pecans, while coconut butter is made from coconuts (I’m sure you could’ve guessed that). That means both these spreads are nice and simple, representing their respective ingredients completely! It also gives pecan butter tree nuts as an allergen, and coconut butter coconuts – which is technically classified as a tree nut, but many people with tree nut allergies can safely eat coconut butter. Check with your physician to be safe!
Both spreads are suitable for vegan and paleo diets, with coconut butter having the added benefit of being appropriate for keto diets! Pecan butter and coconut butter both have low glycemic indexes as well, making them good choices if you’re worried about your blood sugar levels spiking – talk to a physician if you have concerns here.
Pecan butter | Coconut butter | |
Taste | Rich, buttery, slightly sweet | Coconut, rich, slightly nutty |
Texture | Smooth, creamy | Thick, pasty, slightly gritty |
Allergens | Tree nuts | Coconuts* |
Vegan? | Yes | Yes |
Paleo? | Yes | Yes |
Keto? | No | Yes |
Glycemic index (GI) | Pecans=10 | Low** |
*The USDA considers coconuts as tree nuts, but many people with tree nut allergies can safely consume coconut products.
**Coconut butter is made from the flesh of coconuts, which have a glycemic index of 45, classifying it as a low GI food. Although there isn’t clear data on the GI of coconut butter, we would assume it’s the same, or very similar, to coconuts.
What is pecan butter?
Pecan butter is simply pecans ground down into a creamy and buttery spread that you won’t want to put down!
You’ll find that most brands roast or toast the pecans first, which enhances their flavor – although, you can use either raw or toasted/roasted pecans when you’re making pecan butter at home!
What is coconut butter?
Coconut butter is also very simple – it’s made by grinding down coconut meat into a thick, pasty, and slightly gritty spread. The grittiness in it is actually bits of coconut flesh, which give an extra rich coconut flavor with a fun texture!
The texture itself can be changed quickly by warming it up – coconut butter becomes thin and runny, making it perfect for drizzling! Plus, it’s quite simple to make coconut butter at home!
Differences between pecan butter and coconut butter
The biggest differences between pecan butter and coconut butter are their taste and texture.
Pecan butter has a rich, buttery flavor that’s slightly sweet, while coconut butter has a rich coconut taste to it, with some slightly nutty tones.
Looking at their textures, pecan butter boasts a smooth and creamy consistency that’s absolutely perfect for spreading on things. Coconut butter, on the other hand, has a pasty consistency that’s thick and slightly gritty due to the coconut flesh bits in it. However, coconut butter can change its texture real quick – just warm it up to turn it thin and runny!
How to use pecan butter vs coconut butter
Pecan butter and coconut butter can be used in many delicious ways.
For example, use either as a spread on basically anything, including waffles, toast, muffins, pancakes, cakes, and more! You can also add either into salads and pastas for some interesting flavor twists, as well as mix them into your smoothies and oatmeal.
Coconut butter, when warmed up, can be drizzled over basically anything (especially desserts) to add a rich coconut taste that’s absolutely mouth watering! In fact, there are many different ways that you can use coconut butter!
I recommend trying pecan butter as an ingredient in your bakes, as its rich buttery flavor really adds a nice dimension to your creations!
Nutrition: Pecan butter vs coconut butter
Pecan butter has an awesome mix of healthy fats and no sugar, with 2 grams of protein and approximately 2 grams of fiber per serving. Those healthy unsaturated fats are good for maintaining healthy cholesterol levels, and are quite different from the fats in coconut butter…
Coconut butter has a lot of the unhealthy saturated fats, which is something we recommend limiting. However, it has 6 grams of fiber and only 2 grams of net carbs per serving, making it great for keto recipes. It has no added sugar, but still has 2 grams of sugar per serving.
Serving size: 2 tbsp | Pecan butter | Coconut butter |
Calories | 200 | 210 |
Total fat (saturated) | 18 g (2 g) | 22 g (18 g) |
Total carbs | 6 g | 8 g |
Net carbs (fiber) | 4 g (~2 g) | 2 g (6 g) |
Total sugars (incl. added) | 0 g | 2 g (0 g) |
Protein | 2 g | 2 g |
How to store pecan butter and coconut butter
Pecan butter is sensitive to light and heat, especially if you made it yourself or bought the natural kind. Put it in the fridge to lengthen its shelf life – most nut butters last 2-3 months after opening, but make sure to check the label for any specific storage instructions and best-before dates!
Coconut butter can be stored in the pantry at room temperature, but you can always throw it in the fridge if you want to thicken it up, especially if you’ve just warmed it up to drizzle it!
It usually lasts 6-12 months before going rancid, but that can vary from brand-to-brand, so make sure to check the label!
Pecan butter vs coconut butter: The ultimate verdict
Pecan butter and coconut butter both bring some great things to the table.
For example, pecan butter has that delicious buttery taste with a smooth and creamy texture. It’s also got some awesome healthy fats, with no sugar in it.
Coconut butter, on the other hand, is also a delicious choice that brings a piece of Hawaii to your table, with a great versatility in textures depending on the temperature of it along with a wonderful fiber content!
Now, with everything considered, I have to give the win to pecan butter for having less sugar and saturated fats, as well as having a smooth and creamy texture that’s hard to beat!
FAQs
Both have redeeming qualities, with coconut butter having a great fiber content and pecan butter having lots of healthy fats. I would say pecan butter is your better bet in this context because it has less unhealthy saturated fats and less sugar than coconut butter.
Pecan butter is decently healthy, with a blend of vitamins, minerals, and lots of monounsaturated fats, which are all important in a healthy lifestyle! Just keep the high calories in mind.
This is a little tricky because USDA classifies coconuts as tree nuts, but quite a lot of people with tree nut allergies can safely eat coconut butter. I recommend talking to your physician first to be safe!
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