Jif Peanut Butter & Chocolate review: A perfect snack, and an indulgent treat

I’ll admit that when Jif pitched the idea of Jif Peanut Butter & Chocolate, their first new flavor innovation in nearly a decade, I scoffed a bit at the idea. Not because peanut butter and chocolate are a crazy flavor combo… Quite the opposite. This is tried, true, and tested, and while it might be a big deal for Jif, for your faithful Guilty Eater, this is just another day at the office.

However, I’ll also admit when I’m wrong: Jif Peanut Butter & Chocolate is a delicious, indulgent treat that tastes intrinsically different from Jif Peanut Butter -- and I’m already basically done eating the samples provided by Jif for this review.

The new flavor comes in two sizes that won’t be too much of a surprise for anyone who, you know, has ever eaten peanut butter. The first is your classic 15 oz. plastic jar. The second is a 1.1 oz To-Go Cup. The same chocolate peanut butter is in both, which the brand notes has “50% less sugar than the leading hazelnut spread with cocoa.” Aka, Nutella, though they don’t call them out in the press release or anything.

This is, however, not Nutella 2.0, and Jif isn’t even attempting to replace the classic hazelnut spread. This is an inherently different texture and consistency, and can sit right on your shelf next to Nutella, as well as classic Jif peanut butter; complimenting both while replacing neither.

The difference comes down to the spread itself, which is extremely smooth, but not sticky/goopy like Nutella or other hazelnut spreads. It also doesn’t overplay the chocolate, so you feel like you’re eating dessert versus peanut butter, which can be used for a sandwich and meal. Don’t get me wrong, the cocoa flavor is definitely present, and anyone who has ever had a peanut butter cup will tell you this is a no-brainer flavor combo.

But the Jif Peanut Butter & Chocolate spread errs on the side of salty than sweet, which definitely tips it into the snack side of the aisle in my opinion – and better for it.

I tried this spread a few ways: alone; on a brioche roll; on some wheat toast; and on an apple slice. It was pretty good on everything, though the brioche was number two, and the apple slice was number one. The peanut butter and chocolate flavors perfectly complemented the apple’s sweetness, and the saltiness of the spread evened the taste out.

Another big surprise? Given the half-and-half nature of this spread, the To-Go cups, normally something I don’t even think about buying, are the perfect amount. This worked swimmingly with a cut-up apple, and you could also dip pretzels, breadsticks, or whatever you want in there. I was going to say “Probably not gummy bears” but honestly even that might be pretty good. For folks looking to shake up their kids' lunch – or their own – these To-Go cups are a great alternative.

So just to wrap this up: good job, Jif. I scoffed, but this is in fact my favorite new spread in a while. And full disclosure, this is sitting on my shelf literally between a canister of Nutella, and several different types of peanut butter. Today when I wanted a snack? I reached for the Jif Peanut Butter & Chocolate first.