12 Fancy PB&J Recipes That Are All-Grown-Up (2024)

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Peanut Butter & Pomegranate

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Ditch your sugary jelly or jam for fresh pomegranate with this healthy Grilled Peanut Butter and Pomegranate recipe. Made with sprouted bread, coconut oil, and pomegranate seeds, it's essentially a superfood sandwich that tastes like childhood.

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Grilled PB&J with Bacon, Apple, and Pomegranate

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In case you thought peanut butter and jelly were a good combo, just wait until you add apple, bacon, and pomegranate like in this loaded Grilled PB&J. Crunchy apples plus salty bacon, sweet jam, creamy peanut butter, and tart pomegranate seeds equals pure happiness (and a whole lot of flavors and textures). Even your fave Skippy & Smuckers from elementary school can't live up to this.

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Peanut Butter & Strawberry Quesadilla

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Forget the bread and reach for a tortilla instead; these PB&J Quesadillas also pack strawberry and banana slices to beef up the bite. To sweeten it up for dessert, you can even add a sprinkle of chocolate chips or drizzle of honey.

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Sunflower Seed Butter, Banana, and Blueberry Vanilla Chia Seed Jam

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DIY your own Blueberry Vanilla Chia Seed Jam with just blueberries, maple syrup, chia seeds, and vanilla extract. Spread on an English muffin (or any bread of choice) with sunflower seed butter and banana slices, and you have a drool-worthy breakfast that seems (and tastes!) so much fancier than straight-up PB&J on Wonderbread.

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Grilled Peanut Butter & Jelly with Brie

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Are your tastebuds prepared for the most epic sandwich mashup ever? Think: grilled cheese plus PB&J. Making this Grilled Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwich with Brie is as easy as it sounds: Spread the jam and nut butter, top with sliced brie, and grill until gooey. The ultimate adult comfort food, served up sandwich-style.

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Ultimate Strawberry PB&J

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Make it a double-decker: This Ultimate Strawberry PB&J has three layers of bread, strawberry preserves, and peanut butter as well as sliced strawberries and a sprinkle of whole unsalted peanuts to add a satisfying crunch.

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Peanut Butter & Rhubarb Jelly French Toast Sandwich

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Homemade rhubarb jelly and French toasted bread take this Peanut Butter and Jelly Hot Sandwich to the next level. Top with a bit of powdered sugar and enjoy with either your hands or a fork and knife—there's no wrong way to eat it, as long as you don't leave a single crumb behind.

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Almond Butter & Jam with Homemade Bread

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Time to really adult-ify this classic sandwich: just use homemade bread and DIY almond butter. To make this Almond Butter & Jam Sandwich, you should whip up your own loaf of vegan, gluten-free bread and homemade salted almond butter (we promise, they're both easier than they sound!).

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Grilled Peanut Butter & Mango Peach Sandwich

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Blueberries, strawberries, and raspberries? Boring. Try topping your peanut butter with topical mango and juicy peach slices in this Grilled Peanut Butter & Mango Peach Sandwich. Add a drizzle of honey on top for an extra dash of sweetness and these five health benefits (but be warned—it makes it messy).

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Fig, Peanut Butter, & Honey Toast

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To be fair, this is technically toast and not a sandwich. But if you're hungry, why not just slap two of these toasts together? With fresh Fig, Peanut Butter, and Honey, you really can't go wrong. (If you like this, you'll love our honey sunflower avocado toast recipe from the Tone It Up girls.)

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PB&J Blueberry Crepes

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Who said a sandwich had to be on bread? These Peanut Butter and Jelly Crepes are a delicious, easy way to fancify your PB&J (because anything French is automatically fancy AF, right?). Just whip up some quick crepes using eggs, milk, flour, sugar, and salt, top with peaut butter, jelly, and a line of blueberries, and roll.

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PB&J Banana Pancake Sandwich

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If you're not a crepe fan and want some more oomph to your sandwich, make PB&J with Banana Pancakes instead. These whole wheat banana pancakes are full of fiber, and you can whip them up on the weekends for a healthy brunch. Use the leftovers for these sandwiches, and your weekday mornings (or lunches) will feel super indulgent.

12 Fancy PB&J Recipes That Are All-Grown-Up (2024)

FAQs

What does the J stand for in a PB&J sandwich? ›

PB&J is short for peanut butter and jelly. : We made PB&Js for the kids and their friends.

How do you make a PB&J detailed? ›

Directions
  1. On one slice of bread, spread peanut butter evenly over the bread.
  2. On the other slice of bread, spread the jelly evenly over the bread.
  3. Put the two slices of bread together with the peanut butter and jelly facing in.
  4. Serve and enjoy!
  5. Optional: Remove crusts, cut diagonally.

What is the perfect PB&J ratio? ›

Now, taking personal preference into account, you can run anywhere in the range from 60/40 (if you're a jelly head) to 70/30 (if you're nutty for peanut butter), with 65 percent peanut butter and 35 percent jelly being the platonic ideal.

What is the most popular jelly for PB&J? ›

When it comes to the classic peanut butter and jelly (PB&J) sandwich, there's no doubt that grape jelly reigns supreme. Our research indicates that its sweet, fruity flavor perfectly complements the creamy richness of peanut butter, creating a harmonious blend of taste and texture that's hard to resist.

What is a PBJ slang? ›

Peanut butter and jelly are two things that are commonly seen as "meant to go together", as in peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. Therefore, the phrase "you are the peanut butter to my jelly" can be said to mean "you are meant to be with me" or "we are meant to be together".

Is PBJ for kids? ›

Low in sugar, packed with fruit and a solid nutritious snack! Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches are part of toddlerhood.

What kind of bread is best for peanut butter and jelly? ›

As we have already discussed, it is vital for a PB&J to be made with soft, white bread.

How to jazz up a peanut butter sandwich? ›

Sliced Banana: Add some natural sweetness and a creamy texture by layering sliced bananas on top of the peanut butter. Honey: Drizzle some honey over the peanut butter for an extra touch of sweetness. Nutella: For a decadent treat, spread Nutella (chocolate hazelnut spread) on your peanut butter sandwich.

Do you spread peanut butter or jelly first? ›

Some people said the trick to a non-soggy sandwich is putting peanut butter on both slices of bread and then spreading the jelly in the middle. For those who prefer jelly on top of peanut butter, one tweeter suggested loading up both sides for an extra ooey gooey treat.

How can I spice up my PBJ? ›

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 pairs well with a peanut butter and jelly sandwich? ›

Jam: Strawberry jam works so well with peanut butter, but you could also use grape or raspberry if you prefer. Veggies: Add in some celery sticks and baby carrots for some vitamins and minerals. Snap peas or sliced bell peppers are great additions too. Dip: Add in a little ranch dip to dip the veggies in.

What is a good side dish for peanut butter and jelly? ›

On one side of the PB&J sandwiches, I put healthy options like apple slices and celery with a small bowl of peanut butter to spread on them as well as some grapes, cheese crackers and potato chips.

How do you make PB and J not soggy? ›

"Use the proper amount of jelly, but don't spread it on the whole slice," the commenter said. Then, when you're ready to eat, gently push the middle of your sandwich so that the jelly spreads out. This cuts down on the jelly-to-bread exposure time, which is what makes the bread go soggy.

Is smooth or crunchy peanut butter better for PB&J? ›

Smooth spreads better. For a sandwich, ou can use either one. It's a matter of preference. But I prefer crunchy.

What is the P in PB&J? ›

A peanut butter and jelly sandwich (PB&J) consists of peanut butter and fruit preserves—jelly—spread on bread. The sandwich may be open-faced, made of a single slice of bread folded over, or made using two slices of bread.

Which jam is best for PBJ? ›

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.

Which jelly tastes best? ›

The Most Popular Jelly: A Ranking of Top Favorites
RankFlavor
1Grape Jelly
2Strawberry Jelly
3Raspberry Jelly
4Blackberry Jelly
8 more rows

Do you toast your bread for PBJ? ›

You decide.

The toast warmth takes the peanut butter to the next level!

Where did the PB and J come from? ›

In 1901, the first peanut butter and jelly sandwich recipe appeared in the Boston Cooking School Magazine of Culinary Science and Domestic Economics written by Julia Davis Chandler. She said to use currant or crab-apple jelly and called the combination delicious and as far as she knew, original.

What does PBJ stand for? ›

What is probation before judgment? Probation before judgment (PBJ) provides a means for a first offender to avoid having a conviction entered against him or her. PBJ works as follows: The offender enters a plea of guilty or nolo contendere.

Why do Americans eat PB and J? ›

While undoubtedly some of that increase was due to the fact that children, homebound during nationwide lockdowns, were largely eating lunches at home, some of it certainly had to do with what PB&J represents to Americans — comfort. And that's because the final ingredient in a PB&J is, of course, nostalgia.

Is PB and J just jam? ›

It can be made with any type of juice, but the traditional PB&J uses concord grape jelly. It's a soft set that's spreadable with a knife or the back of a spoon. Different from jam, which contains fruit puree or preserves that have pieces of fruit. All three will work in a sandwich, but the jelly is a classic.

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