13 Peanut Butter and Jelly Recipes That Aren’t Just Sandwiches (2024)

There aren't any white bread sandwiches or brown-bag lunches here. We turned the classic lunchtime peanut butter and jelly (PB&J) sandwich into something even better. Whether you decide to serve this classic combo in a brunch-ready casserole or make cookies to put in your lunch box, we know you've never eaten peanut butter and jelly like this before.

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Peanut Butter and Jelly Breakfast Rolls

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13 Peanut Butter and Jelly Recipes That Aren’t Just Sandwiches (1)

Skip the cinnamon rolls. These PB&J rolls are the new sweet treat your breakfast table needs. Each roll has a peanut butter and jam filling, plus an extra dollop of peanut butter frosting on top to make these rolls even more delicious.

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Peanut Butter and Jelly Layer Cake

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13 Peanut Butter and Jelly Recipes That Aren’t Just Sandwiches (2)

This rich, decadent layer cake is the perfect for celebrating the peanut butter and jelly-lovers in your life. Serve up this creamy, fruity cake for a party, or add a few candles on top to make a PB&J birthday cake.

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PB and J Sandwich Cookies

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13 Peanut Butter and Jelly Recipes That Aren’t Just Sandwiches (3)

This peanut butter and jelly recipe is almost like the classic sandwich. Just add a quick spread of your favorite jelly between two peanut butter cookies (try them with our gluten-free recipe!), and this sweet sandwich is ready to eat.

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Chocolaty PB and J Cheesecake

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13 Peanut Butter and Jelly Recipes That Aren’t Just Sandwiches (4)

One bite of this decadent cheesecake, and you'll be in love with peanut butter and jelly all over again. Chocolate cookies make a sweet and crunchy crust, peanut butter and cream cheese make a mouthwatering filling, and plenty of jelly on top completes this dessert masterpiece.

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Peanut Butter Jammin' Bars

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13 Peanut Butter and Jelly Recipes That Aren’t Just Sandwiches (5)

Creamy peanut butter, strawberry jam, and chocolate-covered peanuts. Do we need to say any more? As an added bonus, these jammin' bars can be stored in your freezer for up to one month, so your child's lunch box (or yours!) will never be missing a sweet treat.

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PB and J Thumbprints

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13 Peanut Butter and Jelly Recipes That Aren’t Just Sandwiches (6)

The combo of peanut butter cookies and jelly is so obvious (and so delicious!), you'll wish you'd started making these cookies years ago. Start with peanut butter cookie dough, then turn normal cookies into PB&J thumbprints with a spoonful of jelly in the middle.

Peanut Butter and Jelly Banana Bread

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13 Peanut Butter and Jelly Recipes That Aren’t Just Sandwiches (7)

If you already love peanut butter and bananas, why not introduce jelly to the mix? This dressed up banana bread has swirls of peanut butter and strawberry preserves throughout the quick bread loaf, so there's a burst of PB&J flavor in every bite.

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Peanut Butter, Banana & Bacon Oatmeal

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13 Peanut Butter and Jelly Recipes That Aren’t Just Sandwiches (8)

Your bland bowl of oatmeal is about to get upgraded in a major way. Sure, we added peanut butter and a drizzle of jelly. But we also mixed in crunchy bacon and a handful of fresh strawberries to take your breakfast to the next level. You can thank us later.

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PB and J Ice Cream Sandwiches

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13 Peanut Butter and Jelly Recipes That Aren’t Just Sandwiches (9)

Who knew PB&J sandwiches could be a sweet, chilly treat? Simply spread a fruity filling of vanilla ice cream and a drizzle of your favorite jam between mini peanut butter cookies.

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Peanut Butter and Fruit Quinoa

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13 Peanut Butter and Jelly Recipes That Aren’t Just Sandwiches (10)

Instead of your usual PB&J breakfast combo, give this quinoa bowl a try. Trade in your morning oatmeal for quinoa, then mix in creamy peanut butter, banana slices, and your favorite jelly or jam.

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PB and J Crepe Cake

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13 Peanut Butter and Jelly Recipes That Aren’t Just Sandwiches (11)

Layers and layers of crepes spread with a mix of jelly, cream cheese, and whipped topping would make a mouthwatering dessert all on its own. But when you drizzle peanut butter sauce on top, you've got a rich, show-stopping dessert that will impress everyone at your table.

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Peanut Butter, Jelly, and Brownie Cookies

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13 Peanut Butter and Jelly Recipes That Aren’t Just Sandwiches (12)

Sometimes you just can't decide between cookies and brownies. Luckily, with this recipe you can have both! Two peanut butter cookies filled with a smashed brownie and a schmear of jelly make this sandwich into a decadent PB&J dessert.

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Peanut Butter Cup Cupcakes

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13 Peanut Butter and Jelly Recipes That Aren’t Just Sandwiches (13)

These peanut butter and jelly treats have a sweet and chocolaty surprise in the middle: peanut butter cups. You don't have to make a batch of frosting to spoon onto the tops, either. All these cupcakes need is a spoonful of fruity jelly.

13 Peanut Butter and Jelly Recipes That Aren’t Just Sandwiches (2024)

FAQs

What else to put on peanut butter and jelly? ›

10+ Ways to Switch Up a PB&J
  1. Make a regular PB&J, then toast the whole thing. ...
  2. Swap the jelly for romaine lettuce and honey. ...
  3. Make a triple decker: bread, jelly, peanut butter, bread, peanut butter, jelly, bread. ...
  4. Add Nutella OR smoked almonds OR mini chocolate chips OR cereal. ...
  5. Go for an open-faced treatment.
Sep 22, 2023

What to eat with peanut butter and jelly without bread? ›

Yes, you can enjoy peanut butter and jelly without carbs by using lettuce wraps instead of bread or by simply spreading the peanut butter and jelly on celery sticks or apple slices for a low-carb snack.

How to make PB&J more interesting? ›

For a fresh take on the standard PB&J, try a Pita Pocket PB&J layered with the great taste of Jif Peanut Butter, Smucker's Jam, and fresh strawberries and bananas. Be creative! Swap out strawberries and strawberry jam for blueberries and blueberry jam, or raspberries and raspberry jam.

How to level up a PBJ? ›

Five Fun Ways to Upgrade Your PB&J
  1. Add Fruits for Extra Oomph.
  2. Pick a New Bread-Winner.
  3. Consider Different Peanut Butter Spreads.
  4. Add Honey or Natural Sweeteners.
  5. Play Around with Different Textures.
Jan 29, 2022

Is peanut butter and jelly not healthy? ›

A peanut butter and jelly sandwich can be a nutritionally balanced meal filled with protein, healthy fats, fiber, and key nutrients. However, the nutrient value of your PB&J depends on the types of bread, peanut butter, and jelly chosen.

What pairs with peanut butter? ›

A classic pairing like apple or banana slices and peanut butter are a safe bet and will leave your sweet tooth satisfied without any guilt. You can also think outside the box and try other fruits like strawberries, blueberries, pears, peaches, or raspberries.

What does eating peanut butter and jelly do? ›

Health Benefits

Contains Important Vitamins And Minerals: PB&J sandwiches are a good source of B vitamins, iron, magnesium, and potassium. These play roles in energy production, bone health, and nerve function.

What goes first on a PBJ? ›

Instructions for Classic PBJ

Spread the peanut butter on one slice of bread. Spread jelly or jam on the other slice of bread. Put the two slices of bread together, with the peanut butter and jelly facing in. If you'd like, you can slice the sandwich diagonally.

Can I make a PBJ the night before? ›

A coupe of tablespoons of each on each piece of bread is plenty. Cover with plastic if making further ahead of time. These are great to make the night before, but if you want to make your sandwiches further ahead, once cut, wrap them in plastic wrap and keep the refrigerated, then you can just pop them into lunchboxes.

Is PBJ junk food? ›

Are Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwiches Healthy? “From a nutritional standpoint, a PB&J sandwich is pretty good,” says Ryan D. Andrews, MS, MA, RD, RYT, CSCS, and author of A Guide to Plant-Based Eating. You've got protein, fat, and fiber, all of which can support a healthy diet, he says.

Why do Americans eat PBJ? ›

As odd as that sounds, it was the ultimate comfort food for many Americans that reminded them of happier times of childhood," Parker added. "We saw adults go back to it. It was an easy, quick food to make between Zoom calls and to help their kids make a quick PB&J.

Is strawberry or grape better for PB&J? ›

Is strawberry better? It's hard to resist the nostalgia of a classic peanut butter and jelly sandwich made with grape jelly, but overall more prefer strawberry. Samuel Campbell, owner of Indianapolis-based restaurant PB&J Factory sees this in action daily. "Grape is a classic flavor," admits Campbell.

What compliments peanut butter? ›

Food Pairings: Here Are 5 Foods That Pair Well With Peanut Butter:
  • Apples. The combination of apples and peanut butter can never go wrong. ...
  • Oats. We all know that oats are incredibly healthy for us. ...
  • Chocolate. Chocolate and peanut butter make for a stellar combination. ...
  • Berries. ...
  • Ginger.
Jan 6, 2024

What are things that go together like peanut butter and jelly? ›

Matching Word Pairs
  • Salt and Pepper.
  • Peanut Butter and Jelly.
  • Red Beans and Rice.
  • Macaroni and Cheese.
  • Bacon and Eggs.
  • Bonnie and Clyde.
  • Batman and Robin.
  • Mickey and Minnie.

What to put on a peanut butter and jelly sandwich on Reddit? ›

Banana shake sounds perfect. Especially good when the grilled pb&j is on a multi-grain bread with chunky pb and apple butter. :) Nutella on a pb&j is pretty awesome too. Thin apple slices, adds some crunch and a bit of sweetness.

What should I pair with peanut butter? ›

Fresh Fruits + Veggies

Peanut butter and fresh fruits or veggies is the perfect combo. Slather the spread on apples, celery, bananas and more.

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