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      Peanut Butter Banana Oatmeal

      PB Cocoa Chia Pudding

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      Peanut Butter Blossoms

      Chocolate PB Whiskey Peanut Pie

      Nutter Butter Banana Pudding

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      InstantPot Peanut Chicken Sweet Potato Stew

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      Breakfast with Elvis

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      Peanut Butter Sweet Potato Casserole with Peanut Streusel…

      Chocolate PB Granola

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Top Recipes
Peanut Butter Blossoms
Peanut Butter Banana Oatmeal
PB Cocoa Chia Pudding
Chocolate PB Whiskey Peanut Pie
Nutter Butter Banana Pudding
Frozen Peanut Butter Banana Dog Treats
InstantPot Peanut Chicken Sweet Potato Stew
Peanut Butter Pumpkin Dog Treats
Flourless Peanut Butter Cookies
Peanut Power Chocolate Banana Bites
Peanut Butter Lovers
  • All About PB
    • History
    • How It’s Made
    • Fun Facts
  • PB Farmers
  • Recipes
    • All Appetizers Breakfast Desserts Dog Treats Entrées Sandwiches Side Dishes

      Peanut Butter Blossoms

      Peanut Butter Banana Oatmeal

      PB Cocoa Chia Pudding

      Chocolate PB Whiskey Peanut Pie

      Peanut Power Chocolate Banana Bites

      Carolina Dreaming Appetizer Meatballs

      Nutty Jalapeño-Chicken Stuffed Peppers

      Southwestern Peanut-Cilantro Dipping Sauce

      Peanut Butter Banana Oatmeal

      PB Cocoa Chia Pudding

      Chocolate PB Granola

      Peanut Butter Smoothie Cubes

      Peanut Butter Blossoms

      Chocolate PB Whiskey Peanut Pie

      Nutter Butter Banana Pudding

      Flourless Peanut Butter Cookies

      Frozen Peanut Butter Banana Dog Treats

      Peanut Butter Pumpkin Dog Treats

      InstantPot Peanut Chicken Sweet Potato Stew

      Sheet Pan Peanut Butter Chicken & Broccoli

      Thai Chicken Salad Lettuce Wraps

      Chicken Pad Thai

      Thai Chicken Salad Lettuce Wraps

      Grilled PB & J

      Veggie Sammies with PB Satay Sauce

      Breakfast with Elvis

      Peanut Power Chocolate Banana Bites

      Peanut Butter Sweet Potato Bread

      Peanut Butter Sweet Potato Casserole with Peanut Streusel…

      Chocolate PB Granola

  • Nutrition
    • Healthy Eating
    • Allergies
      • Peanut Allergies 101
      • Allergy Frequently Asked Questions
    • Diabetes
  • Foodservice
    • PLUS UP Nutrition
    • PLUS UP Innovation
    • PLUS UP Profitability
    • Peanut Harvest Tour 2019
  • Sustainability
    • Peanut Sustainability 101
    • Peanuts Water Usage
    • Beneficial Characteristics of the Peanut Plant
  • Resources
    • Stay at Home Resources
    • 2020 Calendar

PB: How It’s Made

by pblovers April 19, 2011

Follow the PB making process from planting to harvesting to production!

1 // Peanuts are planted after the last frost in April, when soil temperatures warm up. The shelled peanut – or kernel – also is a seed. The kernels are planted two inches deep, and about one to two inches apart.

2 // The plant sprouts in about 10 days. Flowers form about 40 days after planting and pollinate themselves. The petals fall off when the peanut ovary forms and penetrates the soil.

3 // Peanuts are harvested 120-160 days after planting, usually in September and October. The soil can’t be too wet or too dry or the peanuts will stick in the ground.

4 // Farmers use machinery to loosen the plant and cut it free from the root. The plant is lifted off the ground and shaken to remove soil. The plant sits in the sun for two to three days to dry. After drying, machinery picks the peanuts off the vine.

5 // Harvested peanuts are taken to buying stations where they are weighed, graded and inspected to determine quality and value.

6 // After the buying station, peanuts travel to shelling plants. Here, farm materials, such as sticks and rocks, are removed, and the peanuts are sorted by size. They are shelled and inspected to eliminate immature kernels. The sheller packs the peanuts into bags or rail cars for delivery to manufacturers.

7 // Peanut butter manufacturers inspect the peanuts and roast them in special ovens. After roasting, the peanuts are cooled rapidly to halt the cooking process, retain an even color and prevent the loss of oil.

8 // From there, the peanuts are blanched, removing their skin. The kernels are split, the hearts are removed and the peanuts are cleaned and sorted a final time.

peanut butter on spoon

9 // Finally, the peanuts are ground twice, as one long grinding would produce too much heat, damaging the flavor. First, the peanuts are ground alone, then with ingredients like salt, sweetener and stabilizer (to keep the oil from separating).

All About PB

  • History
  • How It’s Made
  • Fun Facts

Peanut Varieties

runner peanuts, Spanish peanuts, Virginia peanuts

Runner Peanuts: Runner peanuts are the most widely consumed variety and are the perfect size for producing peanut butter. Mostly grown in Georgia, Alabama, Florida, Mississippi, Texas and Oklahoma, the Runner thrives in the warm climate and sandy well-drained soil.


Virginia Peanuts: Virginia peanuts are often called “cocktail nuts.” Their size makes them wonderful for processing, particularly for salting, confections and in-shell roasting. They are grown primarily in North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia and Texas.


Spanish Peanuts: Grown mostly in Texas and Oklahoma, Spanish peanuts are easily identifiable by the reddish-brown skin that covers them. They are primarily used in peanut candies, snacks and peanut butter. Spanish peanuts are also the best choice for extracting oil because of their high oil content compared to other varieties.

New Recipes

  • Peanut Butter Blossoms

  • Peanut Butter Banana Oatmeal

  • PB Cocoa Chia Pudding

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Southern Peanut Growers (SPG) is a nonprofit trade association representing peanut farmers in Georgia, Alabama, Florida and Mississippi.
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