All The Ways to PB & J
Of all the foods that remind you of childhood, chances are a good ol' peanut butter and jelly sandwich is probably pretty high on the list. And for good reason! It's sweet, nutty, sometimes a little crunchy, and always enjoyable. And what's a better memory than coming home after school to enjoy a PB&J with your mom or dad and sharing what you learned that day?
If you've got a craving for all things PB&J, you've come to the right place! We've put together a list of some of our favorite traditional and modern adaptations of PB&J to satisfy that craving, or to pass on to your own littles.
If you're not a peanut butter person (or are allergic to it), keep in mind that you can always sub in a different nut butter of your choice. We offer a variety of different nut and seed butter options here at the Co-op that would make for an excellent substitute.
Photo Courtesy of Co+op
Peanut Butter and Jelly Spiders
Here's one for the kiddos, or the young at heart. This would also serve as a great sweet treat alternative to candy on Halloween!
Ingredients
6 whole-wheat English muffins
3/4 cup crunchy peanut butter
6 tablespoons strawberry jam
48 small pretzel sticks
12 chocolate chips
Directions
Have a platter ready for the finished “spiders.” Split and toast the English muffins, and spread each with about 2 tablespoons of peanut butter and a tablespoon of strawberry jam.
Arrange 8 pretzels, 4 on each side radiating outward, on the bottom half of each English muffin to make 8 legs. Top with the other halves of the muffins.
Make eyes on top by placing two chocolate chips on each English muffin; they should melt a little and adhere to the muffin. Serve warm.
Salted Peanut Butter and Jelly Blondies
While this recipe is intended to be a PB&J take on blondies, if you've got a craving for chocolate, simply sub the vanilla extract with some cocoa powder!
The chopped honey-roasted peanuts add a nice crunch to the top of this soft, rich dessert bar.
Photo Courtesy of Minimalist Baker
No-Bake Peanut Butter Thumbprints
Get that sweet satisfaction of a cookie without the need to bake anything with this no-bake recipe from Minimalist Baker.
Calling for just 5 simple, whole ingredients, these cookies are a great way to kick off the new school year.
Even better, they’re free of refined sugar and only rely on PB, maple syrup, and fruit for sweetness!
Cinnamon Toast PB&J
When you were a kid did your parents ever make you that way-too-sugary-for-breakfast buttered toast with cinnamon and sugar?
If you never got to experience that treat, now's your chance!
Needless to say, this isn't the healthiest PB&J on the list, but it's a perfect little sweet treat to fulfill your sweet tooth.
Crunchy Fried PB and J
Again, this isn't a particularly healthy PB & J, but it's unique in that it totally flips traditional PB & J on its head.
This sandwich includes the regular suspects of peanut butter, bread, and jelly, but also incorporates bananas, potato chips, and crushed cinnamon square cereal to create a crunchy, extra-flavorful sandwich.
Peanut Butter & Jelly Overnight Oats
Overnight oats are easy to make and a wonderful grab-and-go breakfast item that's both filling and will give you that energy boost you need to start your day.
We like this recipe in particular because it features both fresh strawberries and strawberry fruit preserves to really add that punch of strawberry flavor to contrast nutty peanut butter.
PB & J Oat Streusel Muffins
Just take a moment to appreciate that gooey jelly goodness that's spilling out of these muffins!
PB&J Protein Balls
If you want that nostalgic PB & J taste without all the bread, here's a protein ball recipe that's a perfect substitute for a whole breakfast or just as a mid-day snack.