The holiday season heralds cookie swaps, family feasts and office luncheons. No seasonal get-together, however, would be complete without a sweet treat. This time of year is the perfect occasion to showcase pantry staple ingredients in flyers and in store, as well as creative – and delicious – ways to put these items to use. Beyond butter and sugar, spreads have a strong presence in the dessert category.
According to Erickson Research, 92% of Canadian households have peanut butter on-hand – more than jam (78%), honey (75%) and butter (69%). The convenience and versatility of peanut butter make it a perfect companion to holiday treats. Use of peanut butter as a baking ingredient has remained steady since 2014, with 27% of Canadians naming it a good baking staple. Here’s a ranking of the top spreads for bakers:
- Butter: 60% of Canadians use butter in baking. From flaky pastries to cookie dough, its versatility makes it the top spread in this category.
- Honey: This sweet spread has been surging in popularity, and almost two in five Canadians use it when baking.
- Cream cheese: Call it the cheesecake effect, with one-third of Canadians using cream cheese in desserts.
- Peanut butter: 27% of Canadians spoon and spread peanut butter into their baked goods. Check out some holiday dessert recipes featuring peanut butter below.
- Cashew butter: After peanut butter, cashew butter (surprisingly) ranks above all other nut butters - including chocolate hazelnut spread - in baking. Cashew butter is used by 22% of Canadians as a baking ingredient.
These holiday recipes, featuring peanut butter, are a delicious use of Canadians' favourite pantry staple:
Double Decker Peanut Butter Fudge
Peanut Butter Nanaimo Bars
Peanut Butter Buttons
Peanut Butter Swirled Chocolate Bark