If you are of a certain age (ahem), you might remember this slogan: “Can I have a nutter Nutter Butter peanut butter cookie, please?” Nutter Butter has been around for a long time. These popular peanut butter cookies are made by Nabisco. Considering how much dogs love peanut butter, you might wonder if it’s safe for dogs to eat Nutter Butter. Learn more in our review.
Nutrition
First introduced in 1969, Nutter Butter is said to be the most popular peanut butter sandwich cookie in the United States. It’s estimated that about a billion Nutter Butters are eaten each year.
Starting in January 2020, Nutter Butters began being sold in Canada under the Christie brand.
Today there are chocolate fudge-covered Nutter Butters and Krispy Kreme doughnut Nutter Butters. The brand is even exploring the possibility of adding CBD to Nutter Butters.
As for nutrition, 1 (one) pack of Nutter Butters (25 grams) contains 120 calories. Overall, Nutter Butters don’t provide a lot of vitamins or minerals. They have 5 grams of fat, 90 mg of sodium, 17 grams of carbohydrates, less than 1 gram of dietary fiber, 8 grams of total sugars (7 of these grams are added sugars). Nutter Butters have 2 grams of protein, 10 mg of calcium, 0.6 mg of iron, and 40 mg of potassium.
Ingredients in an ordinary Nutter Butter include:
Unbleached enriched flour (wheat flour, niacin, reduced iron, thiamine mononitrate {vitamin B1}, riboflavin {vitamin B2}, folic acid), sugar, peanut butter (roasted peanuts, corn syrup solids, hydrogenated vegetable oil{rapeseed, cottonseed, and soybean oils}, salt, peanut oil), palm oil, high fructose corn syrup, whole grain wheat flour, salt, leavening (baking soda, calcium phosphate), soy lecithin, artificial flavor.
Judging from these ingredients, there is nothing that would be considered toxic to dogs in a plain Nutter Butter sandwich cookie. (Chocolate fudge-covered Nutter Butter cookies would likely contain some chocolate that could be harmful to dogs.) However, sugar, high fructose corn syrup, and a few of the other ingredients are not usually recommended for dogs. On the other hand, many of these ingredients are regularly found in peanut butters that are sold in grocery stores so your dog may already be eating them if he gets peanut butter as a treat.
Be aware that there is an article online from the BBC that states “nut butters” are good for your health. Nut butters are not the same as Nutter Butter sandwich cookies. In fact, peanuts are not even nuts. They are legumes.
Are Nutter Butters Safe for Dogs?
Plain Nutter Butter sandwich cookies are safe for most dogs, in small amounts. They do contain lots of sugar, corn syrup solids, and high fructose corn syrup so they are not exactly a healthy treat. Several soy ingredients in the cookies could also cause problems if your dog is allergic to soy. The cookies also contain wheat which can be an issue for any dog with wheat allergies.
If your dog is diabetic, overweight, or obese, it’s a good idea to avoid Nutter Butters. The sugar and calories can have a detrimental effect.
If you are uncertain about whether you should give your dog a Nutter Butter, don’t hesitate to talk to our veterinarian. It’s always best to consult with your vet if your dog has any special health issues.
In the case of chocolate fudge-covered Nutter Butters, the first ingredient is sugar. They also contain two different kinds of cocoa. They are higher in calories, sugar, and fat than plain Nutter Butter cookies. We would advise against letting your dog have any chocolate Nutter Butters.
While some web sites seem to insinuate that Nutter Butters might contain the artificial sweetener xylitol, we didn’t find xylitol in any of the ingredients for any Nutter Butter cookies. Sugar and high fructose corn syrup, yes. xylitol, no.
What If Your Dog Eats Nutter Butters?
As long as your dog only eats one or two Nutter Butters, there shouldn’t be anything to worry about.
If your dog manages to steal an entire box of Nutter Butters or if he eats some chocolate Nutter Butters, we suggest that you contact your veterinarian. Describe how many of the cookies you think your dog consumed and ask for advice. Your vet may ask you to bring your dog into the office. Or, your vet may tell you to wait and watch your dog for any signs of gastrointestinal distress.
In some cases, if a dog eats a lot of cookies that contain sugar and peanut butter, the dog may have an upset stomach but the problem will “pass” overnight. In other cases, your dog may not show any signs of having an upset stomach.
Eating chocolate Nutter Butters is more cause for concern since chocolate contains theobromine as well as caffeine. Symptoms of chocolate toxicity include:
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Increased thirst
- Panting or restlessness
- Excessive urination
- Racing heartbeat
In severe cases, symptoms may include muscle tremors, seizures, and heart failure (VCA Hospitals). Symptoms may not appear right away so if you think your dog has eaten chocolate Nutter Butters, keep an eye on him.
If your dog eats one chocolate Nutter Butter, you shouldn’t panic. It’s only if your dog consumes several chocolate cookies or quite a few that you should contact your veterinarian.
How Many Nutter Butters Can You Give Your Dog?
In the case of plain Nutter Butters, you could give your dog one or two of the cookies sandwiches, depending on the size of your dog. Remember that these cookies contain 120 calories per pack and they have sugar and other sweeteners so they are not the healthiest of treats.
How Often Can You Give Your Dog Nutter Butters?
You can give your dog a plain Nutter Butter cookie once or twice per week as long as he doesn’t have any health conditions which make eating these cookies unsafe for him.
Conclusion
Considering the fact that peanut butter is a favorite with most dogs, Nutter Butter sandwich cookies are often irresistible to dogs. These cookies are not the healthiest treats you can share with your dog because of the sugar and high fructose corn syrup ingredients. They also contain soy and wheat which can be problems for some dogs with allergies. However, if you stick to plain Nutter Butters and your dog doesn’t have any allergies or other health problems, you can let your dog have one or two of these cookies per week.
