Q: Can natural peanut butter be substituted for regular peanut butter when baking?

A: We don't recommend it unless specified in the recipe. While regular (processed) and natural peanut butters are both made from peanuts, and many also include a little sugar and salt for flavor, many regular peanut butters also contain hydrogenated fats to prevent them from separating and to make them easier to spread. Natural peanut butters don't have these fats added, however, and they sometimes separate.

If there's a brand of natural peanut butter you really like, you can always use it in recipes that aren't heated, such as cake frostings and fillings.