The earliest references to peanut butter can be traced to Aztec and Inca civilizations, who ground roasted peanuts into a paste. The Bainbridge Post-Searchlight reports that 16th-century Aztecs used peanut paste for aching gums.

Several people can be credited with the invention of modern peanut butter production processes. The U.S. National Peanut Board credits three modern inventors with the earliest patents related to the production