# Who invented honey-roasted peanuts? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** food-cooking\ **Created:** [March 5, 2011, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-invented-honey-roasted-peanuts/573622 "2011-03-05T22:34:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Heyoka13](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Heyoka13](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Heyoka13)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2011, 2:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-invented-honey-roasted-peanuts/573622/21 "2011-03-07T14:07:11Z")
> [@WhyNot](#): > > Try smearing it on apple slices. Heaven! I was thinking an SO, but I suppose an apple would do in a pinch. Andrew Zimern encountered some sesame flavored roast cashews in Thailand, I though that would make a heavenly spread too . . . ---
**Author:** ![Mollie\_Magill](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mollie_magill/32/20882_2.png) [@Mollie\_Magill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mollie_Magill)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2011, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-invented-honey-roasted-peanuts/573622/22 "2011-03-07T14:46:00Z")
> [@JoelUpchurch](#): > > This link says it was a food scientist named Bill Hoover at NCSU who got a patent on them in 1987. > > [http://www.newsobserver.com/2011/02/21/1003843/food-scientists-legacy-is-in-your.html#ixzz1Eb48fwVe](http://www.newsobserver.com/2011/02/21/1003843/food-scientists-legacy-is-in-your.html#ixzz1Eb48fwVe) > > I did a quick check and it found this patent: > > [http://www.google.com/patents/about?id=Pa82AAAAEBAJ&dq=Maurice+W.+Hoover&num=10](http://www.google.com/patents/about?id=Pa82AAAAEBAJ&dq=Maurice+W.+Hoover&num=10) > > However further searching revealed an earlier patent by Hoover in 1978 which is referenced by some Nabisco patents. > > [http://www.google.com/patents/about?id=id59AAAAEBAJ&dq=honey+roasted+peanuts&num=10](http://www.google.com/patents/about?id=id59AAAAEBAJ&dq=honey+roasted+peanuts&num=10) > > I think this patent is what makes Hoover the father of honey roasted nuts, but there may be different techniques for honey roasting. It fills my heart with pride to think that my alma mater brought forth the wonder that is the honey roasted peanut. Go State! ---
**Author:** ![shiftless](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9c0ed/32.png) [@shiftless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shiftless)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2011, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-invented-honey-roasted-peanuts/573622/23 "2011-03-07T15:42:01Z")
> [@JoelUpchurch](#): > > :[http://www.google.com/patents/about?id=id59AAAAEBAJ&dq=honey+roasted+peanuts&num=10](http://www.google.com/patents/about?id=id59AAAAEBAJ&dq=honey+roasted+peanuts&num=10) From the link above: > [@](#): > > There is disclosed a honey coated roasted nut product which is prepared by first coating raw nuts with a mixture of honey and water. The honey coated nuts are then enrobed with a dry mixture of sugar and starch and the nuts are then roasted. After cooling, the nuts may be salted. > > Inventors: William M. Green, Maurice W. Hoover The had me at: “The honey coated nuts are then enrobed …” Why haven’t they gotten the Nobel prize yet? The Peace prize would be good or the committee could create a new one (the Gooberpeace prize?) ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2011, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-invented-honey-roasted-peanuts/573622/24 "2011-03-07T17:54:40Z")
> [@JoelUpchurch](#): > > You should watch some of the Modern Marvels episodes on food tech. There are engineers who have devoted their lives to coming up with new ways of making potato chips. > > [http://www.history.com/shows/modern-marvels/videos/playlists/food#eat-and-run](http://www.history.com/shows/modern-marvels/videos/playlists/food#eat-and-run) There is an engineer at the [Jelly Belly](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jelly_belly#BeanBoozled) factory who devotes all of his time to concocting gross flavors such as vomit, boogers, and dog food. Beat that. ---
**Author:** ![Fact\_of\_the\_Matter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/dc4da7/32.png) [@Fact\_of\_the\_Matter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fact_of_the_Matter)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2011, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-invented-honey-roasted-peanuts/573622/25 "2011-03-07T23:02:58Z")
> [@Heyoka13](#): > > Would it be yummy to make peanut butter from honey roasted peanuts? Both Skippy and Peter Pan have commercial varieties. The problem I have found is I can not go back to regular peanut butter now :smack: ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2011, 11:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-invented-honey-roasted-peanuts/573622/26 "2011-03-08T23:18:47Z")
> [@Mollie\_Magill](#): > > It fills my heart with pride to think that my alma mater brought forth the wonder that is the honey roasted peanut. My alma mater [begat the maraschino cherry](http://web.archive.org/web/20070930040753/http://blog.oregonlive.com/oregoniantest/2007/04/the_fruit_that_made_oregon_fam.html). ---
**Author:** ![Ponch8](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ponch8/32/9883_2.png) [@Ponch8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ponch8)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2011, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-invented-honey-roasted-peanuts/573622/27 "2011-03-08T23:39:11Z")
> [@Fear\_Itself](#): > > My alma mater [begat the maraschino cherry](http://web.archive.org/web/20070930040753/http://blog.oregonlive.com/oregoniantest/2007/04/the_fruit_that_made_oregon_fam.html). Mine has both of yours beat, as it’s the home of Gatorade. ---
**Author:** ![Zebra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c0e974/32.png) [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2011, 4:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-invented-honey-roasted-peanuts/573622/28 "2011-03-10T04:20:17Z")
I thought everything that had to do with peanuts, including the peanut itself, was invented by George Washington Carver. ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2011, 5:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-invented-honey-roasted-peanuts/573622/29 "2011-03-10T05:09:26Z")
> [@Zebra](#): > > I thought everything that had to do with peanuts, including the peanut itself, was invented by George Washington Carver. Unfortunately, when called upon to invent Honey Roasted Peanuts, GWC was slightly indisposed. Dead. Cold. It was up to others. :rolleyes: PS–God is pretty pissed that someone gave GWC the credit for inventing the _peanut itself._. Truly amazing what you learn here. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2011, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-invented-honey-roasted-peanuts/573622/30 "2011-03-10T23:11:00Z")
> [@cochrane](#): > > There is an engineer at the [Jelly Belly](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jelly_belly#BeanBoozled) factory who devotes all of his time to concocting gross flavors such as vomit, boogers, and dog food. Beat that. Have you tried them? Dirt tastes like dirt. Vomit has the right smell and taste. I have had bags of them. You eat them slowly. > **[Jelly Belly Candy | Online Candy Store by Category](https://www.jellybelly.com/online-candy-store)** > > Visit the Jelly Belly Online Candy Store to find the world’s best selection of gourmet jelly beans, chocolate confections, gummi candies and more. ---
**Author:** ![Jmb386](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/958977/32.png) [@Jmb386](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jmb386)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2022, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-invented-honey-roasted-peanuts/573622/31 "2022-07-24T01:30:34Z")
Pete Gannis and Howard Wilkins did invent the process to make honey roast peanuts for Planters. Pete was the principle food scientist and Howard the Director of R&D at Standsrd then Nabisco Brands who owned Planters at the time. There were others who worked on the project, including me, but those two were the drivers and developed the formula. The R&D was in Stamford and Wilton Ct, but we produced it in Suffolk. I worked on it 1980-1988 or so. The formula was based on a kitchen recipe but the trick was to make it in continuous production line quantities. Pouring raw honey on raw blanched peanuts then running through a frier washed most of honey off, but left some for the flavor. There is another patent to use a centrifuge to separate all the washed off honey from the cooking oil (peanut). We also developed dry roast honey peanuts by coating dried honey on raw blanched peanuts and running them through a hot air roaster. Retained more flavor. I invented Butter Toffee Peanuts for Planters and hold the patent (expired) for it. It was an attempt to complete with the beer nuts brand. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2022, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-invented-honey-roasted-peanuts/573622/32 "2022-07-24T01:46:02Z")
Hello and welcome to the Straight Dope Message Boards! Thank you for sharing your knowledge and bless you for your delicious invention! ---
**Author:** ![Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de053/32.png) [@Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackknifed_Juggernaut)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2022, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-invented-honey-roasted-peanuts/573622/33 "2022-07-24T02:49:54Z")
Amazing. I’m curious as to how the idea even got to the R&D department at Standard/Nabisco. It seems “honey roasted” and “butter toffee” were ideas that took some time for you and your colleagues to convert into a mass-producible product. We’re there any unsuccessful ideas; i.e. flavors that you just couldn’t make work? ---
**Author:** ![Jmb386](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/958977/32.png) [@Jmb386](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jmb386)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2022, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-invented-honey-roasted-peanuts/573622/34 "2022-07-24T03:44:51Z")
Honey roasted and butter toffee were efforts to develop a sweet peanut product to compete with the candy segment and the flavored nut segment. Yes we did experiment with many different flavors, spices, BBQ, peach, cinnamon, just about everything, even trail mix and smoked flavors. And most were good. The problem was for a big company like Planters they wanted case sales in the 100,000s to fit the large production lines and the specialty peanut flavors just did not sell at that level. Today the specialty flavors with the Planters label are made by small “copackers” who service the C stores and more name advertising than big sales. The one peanut item that really didn’t work was low fat peanuts. Once you press the oil out, the flavor goes with and no amount of sugar or spice coating can mask that cardboard texture and flavor. I worked on that project too. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2022, 1:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-invented-honey-roasted-peanuts/573622/35 "2022-07-24T13:02:48Z")
This is why I read the Straight Dope. Welcome aboard! ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2022, 1:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-invented-honey-roasted-peanuts/573622/36 "2022-07-24T13:50:27Z")
I buy planters honey roasted peanuts. The powdery stuff left in the bottom of the jar looks and tastes like brown sugar. ---
**Author:** ![Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de053/32.png) [@Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackknifed_Juggernaut)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2022, 1:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-invented-honey-roasted-peanuts/573622/37 "2022-07-24T13:56:51Z")
Peach? Blech! Thank goodness that one didn’t work out. I’ve had honey-roasted peanuts, but not butter toffee (just butter toffee popcorn), so will look out for them. I’ll be sure to credit **Jmb386** at the counter.🙂 ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2022, 1:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-invented-honey-roasted-peanuts/573622/38 "2022-07-24T13:59:37Z")
The sweet powder that coats the peanuts is visible in this image. [![](https://wheelndealmama.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/planters-honey-roasted.jpg) ](https://wheelndealmama.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/planters-honey-roasted.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![nightshadea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/7ba0ec/32.png) [@nightshadea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nightshadea)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2022, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-invented-honey-roasted-peanuts/573622/39 "2022-07-24T14:13:06Z")
> [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](#): > > Google and Wiki have failed me. I first remember having them on a USAir flight in the mid-1980s Ironically the first time I saw them was on a USAir (rip worlds best airline) flight in 1986 …but they were “eagle” brand I was 9 and my brother was 7 … we liked them so much the stewardess gave us a whole bag of the little packages to take home (there was like 100 of them) … and my grandparents had never seen them in stores yet they liked them so much they always had some around … ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2022, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-invented-honey-roasted-peanuts/573622/40 "2022-07-24T14:52:16Z")
Thanks for the updates! Yes, the _Golden Girls_ joke was one of the women being told by a stewardess that she couldn’t have any more honey-roasted peanuts, having already stuffed her carry-on bag full. This was before they were widely available in stores (or maybe weren’t for sale at all yet?). [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-invented-honey-roasted-peanuts/573622.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-invented-honey-roasted-peanuts/573622.md?page=3)