Product Review: Back to Nature Peanut Butter Creme Sandwich Cookies
- Aug 12
- 6 min read
Today we are looking at the Back to Nature Peanut Butter Creme Sandwich Cookie. This is a first time taste for me. My peanut butter cookie snacking history has been dominated by Nabisco's Nutter Butter and Girl Scouts Peanut Butter Sandwich (Do-si-dos). Let's see how they stack up!
Product Packaging
Back to Nature is well-known for offering wholesome snacks that prioritize natural ingredients. The product packaging promote those same values.
The box art color, font, iconography, and text referencing "happy days" are a clear callback to a vintage '60's style. Their previous branding was simpler modern pallete of white, green, and brown focused on the natural and plant-based language. I think this new branding helps the product stand out in a sea of other muted natural greens and whites that dominate health food store shelves. The retro style doesn't personally appeal to me but I am glad that it has a unique vibe.
Inside the box is a silver plastic wrapper sealed around a plastic tray holding the 18 cookies. The wrapper has no recycling markings on it and the tray has the 6 (PS) denoting it as polystyrene which is typically not accepted at recycling centers in the US.
For a product that states "LOVE FOR YOU & the Planet" on the box I was hoping for a better attempt at low waste packaging. I understand there are challenges in shipping, handling, and preservation but this is more plastic than I was expecting given their stance on being natural and earth-conscious. I wonder if they can find a way to remove the trays or replace them with a paper alternative. Having the cookies contact the paper would be difficult due to the oils leeching out and imparting some flavor so it would probably require sealing the cookies in sleeves. Maybe then they can use a paper tray built into the box somehow? It would be great to see some novel approaches to waste reducing this packaging.
Summary
The new packaging style is unique and helps the product stand out on the shelves. Although the packaging does a great job of preserving the product I think there is still opportunities for improvement on the sustainability of the materials. I'd like to see Back to Nature improve on this in the future!
Product Presentation
All cookies were intact and no crumbs were present at the bottom of the tray. Although the volume of cream (or is it creme?) is consistent in each cookie, the distribution was not. The cookies in each sandwich are usually not parallel resulting in a lopsided distribution of cream. In some cases the cookie centers were also offset creating a lip on the sides. I doubt these inconsistencies would affect the taste.
Each cookie is stamped on the outside with the company name and a scenic view below it. Along the outside edge is a ring of ridges. I wish the scene on the cookie were more distinguishable, as it's kind of a guess as to what it is. Its smart that they put their name on each side of the cookie so that it carries their branding even when not paired with the box.
The two halves separate easily when pulled apart. If you're the kind of person who likes to eat the cookie and cream parts individually I think you will be satisfied with these!
Mouthfeel and Taste
I was surprised by how light and crispy the cookies were on the bite. These are snappy and light especially compared to the more oily and crumbly Nutter Butter. The ratio of cookie to peanut butter cream also seemed lower when compared to others.
The initial taste of the cookie for me was wheat and nut. Not too surprising there considering the ingredients. The cream has a strong peanut flavor with little fat and salt. I think for a product like this where its a more natural and less guilty snacking option that makes sense.
Overall these cookies have a satisfying peanut butter flavor and snappy crunch. It also felt less heavy and oily than the competitors I have tasted which I think is a positive. That probably makes it more difficult to control your snacking temptation though!
Ingredients: A Closer Look
Back to Nature's intentions to market the product as more health conscious is clear. The box clearly reads on the side: "NON-GMO, NO HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP, NO ARTIFICIAL FLAVORS OR COLORS, NO HYDROGENATED OILS, PLANT-BASED". I definitely wasn't expecting "plant-based." Aren't most cookies plant-based?
The ingredients list does indeed support their claims on the box. It is nice to see less total ingredients and hydrogenated oils when compared to something like the Nutter Butter. For comparison here is a side-by-side of this product and the Nutter Butter Peanut Butter Sandwich Cookies, Family Size, 16 oz. Back to Nature on the left and Nutter Butter on the right.
Back to Nature information was gathered from my own product photos and Nutter Butter information was gathered from https://www.snackworks.com/products/nutter-butter-peanut-butter-sandwich-cookies-family-size-16-oz/.
The macro nutrients are the same or similar for Calories, Sodium, and Total Fat. Back to Nature has specific callouts for Polyunsaturated and Monounsaturated but Nutter Butter doesn't even though they both have a Total Fat of 5g. I suppose this means Nutter Butter has other fats that are not reported? Back to Nature has less Carbohydrates but they both have the same amount of sugar. I was surprised to see how similar the Nutrients were but I suppose for most consumers of a product like Back to Nature they are more focused on the ingredients.
Back to Nature has significantly less additives and processed oils. The Wheat Flour specifically is far simpler.
Product Value:
In my area and at the date of posting the price of the reviewed product and similar are:
Back to Nature Peanut Butter Creme Sandwich Cookies 8.25oz cost about $6.50.
Nabisco Nutter Butter Peanut Butter Sandwich Cookies 16oz cost $5.69
Great Value Peanut Butter Sandwich Cookies, 16 oz, 36 Count cost $2.97
Simple Mills Creamy Peanut Butter Sandwich Cookie - 6.7oz cost $6.50
Girl Scouts Peanut Butter Sandwich | Do-si-dos cost $6.00
Catalina Crunch Sandwich Cookies Peanut Butter -- 5.9 oz cost $6.50
To break it down,
Brand | Weight (oz) | Cost (USD) | Cost/Weight (USD/oz) |
Back to Nature | 8.25 | 6.50 | 0.79 |
Nutter Butter | 16 | 5.69 | 0.36 |
Great Value | 16 | 2.97 | 0.19 |
Simple Mills | 6.7 | 6.50 | 0.97 |
Girl Scouts | 8 | 6.00 | 0.75 |
Catalina Crunch | 5.9 | 6.50 | 1.10 |
Looking at this sample set there is a wide range in Cost/Weight. I haven't done an incredibly detailed breakdown of all products but there appear to be two groups: mass-produced and natural. Based on the packaging and ingredients I would consider the Back to Nature, Simple Mills, and Catalina Crunch in the natural category and worth comparing from a value perspective. Considering that Back to Nature has the best Cost/Weight value in the group which is noteworthy.
Whether or not they are the best overall is a different question that we won't be able to answer here. I would certainly be interested in a blind sampling of the products to see if:
Can tasters relatively estimate the Cost/Weight from a blind taste test?
Is there a relationship between perceived tasting quality and Cost/Weight?
Are there any other bimodal patterns in the products?
Conclusion
If cost isn't a concern and you're looking for the best taste and ingredient quality, then Back to Nature Peanut Butter Creme Sandwich Cookies is an excellent choice. The cookies are crisp, the flavor is a good balance of wheat and nut, and they don't leave an oily heavy feeling in your mouth. Product Packaging: 3.5 / 5
Distinct branding but plastic utilization doesn't match their claimed earth consciousness.
Product Look and Feel: 3.5 / 5
Cookie sandwiches looked appealing and were intact but inconsistently assembled.
Taste: 4.5 / 5
Well executed balance of salt, peanut, and wheat taste with a light and crispy mouthfeel. Hard to eat just one.
Value: 4.0 / 5
Price is high for the overall market but competitive in the "natural" food section.
After this tasting I've made it my go-to for the "natural" group of peanut butter sandwich cookies. But let's face it — If I'm traveling or looking for a snack at the gas station I'm probably going to reach for the more convenient and available Nutter Butter and stomach the subpar quality. Did I miss something? What do you think about these cookies? Which should I try next? Let me know!