25 grown-up versions of peanut butter and jelly

Let’s start off simple by upgrading PB&J’s two main ingredients. Swap the peanut butter out for almond butter (pictured), because almonds are all the rage right now and apparently better for you. You could also try sunflower seed butter as another alternative. Then, instead of the usual jarred jellies, use fig jam. We The Eaters has a great recipe for homemade fig jam that uses Grand Marnier, because making something more adult usually means adding alcohol to it. Feel free to upgrade your bread to something other than pre-sliced loaves while you’re at it.

You’ve probably had peanut butter and banana, but substituting banana bread for regular bread is straight-up sorcery. Plus, it allows you to keep jelly in the equation without worrying about the slippery texture pushing out the bananas with every bite. (Clearly we’ve studied every sort of PB&J-related dilemma. You’re welcome.) 

If you’re easily excitable, stop reading now... because peanut-butter-and-jelly-banana-bread PB&J is a thing. That’s right: a peanut butter and jelly sandwich made with peanut butter and jelly banana bread. That’s the bread pictured, and the Taste and Tell Blog is where you can learn to make it.

Being an adult means you’re granted special privileges not afforded to kids. You can stay up as late as you want, drink milk directly out of the carton (or pour the milk into the cereal box and save yourself from washing a bowl), and you’re finally allowed to operate a grill. Because this is America, you should use these freedoms to your advantage by adding peanut butter and jelly to your burger, especially since it easily allows you to add some bacon to the mix. Because in case you didn’t know, peanut butter and bacon are a match made in heaven. Seriously, Reese’s should have figured that out before they dumped all their money into the whole peanut butter and chocolate thing. 

And for the record, being an adult also means you get to make up words like “burgerized.”

If you don’t speak French, “avec” means “with,” and “crrȇpe” means “crȇpe.” Now that we’ve got that intensive language lesson out of the way, feel free to start adding PB&J to your crȇpes. It tastes great and makes you feel great. Maybe not physically, especially if you eat several, but emotionally. And saying “crȇpe” will win you some class points that you’ll immediately lose when following it with the words “PB&J.” Giada De Laurentiis and the folks at Food Network have the recipe covered here.

If your regular PB&J seems too healthy (Fruit? Nuts? What am I, on a diet?) then consider deep-frying the whole thing. Just remember that deep-fried food tastes best fresh, so be sure to eat it right away... but not immediately after removing it from the fryer, of course. Leite’s Culinaria has the instructions and a suggested recipe, with the option to include a homemade white chocolate ganache! 

There’s a lot going on here, but it’s actually a simple procedure when you break it down. (It’s also delicious.) Start by making two slices of French toast. However, before flipping the bread, spread peanut butter on one slice’s grilled side and jelly on the other slice’s grilled side. Sandwich them together and finish cooking the French toast as if it’s a grilled cheese sandwich. (If you’ve never done that and it doesn’t seem simple, just turn the stove off and call for delivery. We don’t want you hurting yourself.)

For more info, Macaroni and Cheesecake can help you out.

Sometimes you gotta eat healthy. (Or don’t; I’m a journalist, not a nutritionist.) The next time you make a PB&J, skip the preservative-packed preserves and go for something a little fresher...like fresh fruit! Whether it’s strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, kiwi, or even pomegranate seeds, jettison your jellied fruit in favor of the real thing. You might even find that you like it better this way!

No fancy ingredients here; just a different way to prepare the classic version of PB&J. For this one, it’s okay to reach for your favorite brands of peanut butter and jelly – even if it’s the same kinds you ate as a kid. Once the sandwich is constructed, lightly butter both sides and simply prepare it exactly as you would for a grilled cheese sandwich.

If you were intrigued by the banana bread PB&J recipe but are also some kind of banana-hater who thinks that bananas are the Banana Runts of fruit, then this is the recipe for you. On the outside, it looks like plain ol’ bread. But on the inside, it holds a secret stash of PB&J.

And people thought it was revolutionary when a company started putting peanut butter and jelly in the same jar? Pfft, amateurs. Get the recipe from the pros at Sweet ReciPEAs here. 

Your parents were right when they told you kids can’t eat cake for breakfast. But now that you’re an adult, go nuts! (They also said they’d turn the car around if my brother and I didn’t stop fighting on the way to Disney World, but our continued quarreling sure made liars out of them that day.) Besides, cake is basically bread, right? So you’re not being immature, you’re being innovative. Cakespy has the prep details right here.

No, this isn’t a social club for PB&J lovers...unless you’re nominating me as president, in which case I totally accept. (This is so unexpected; I have so many people to thank.) It’s simply a triple-decker PB&J sandwich, because sometimes grown-up versions of foods are just the same foods in grown-up-sized portions. If you want to add bacon to make it more club-like, we won’t stop you. In fact, we insist. Martha Stewart has the recipe, if you really need it.

You don’t see a lot of kids cutting carbs or going vegan, which is why these breadless, animal-less PB&J cups are the perfect snack for adults...even loaf-loving carnivores. Plus, this recipe from Love Me, Feed Me cuts out the extra sugar in favor of Stevia and adds chia seeds for a heaping dose of nutrients, antioxidants, and fiber. You know, all those grown-up things we’re supposed to be consuming. 

Kids eat donuts, but true adults make donuts. And then eat them. And then hide the leftovers so their kids can’t have any. This recipe from Heather Christo will teach you how to make the glaze, and it also contains a link for how to make the actual donuts!

For some reason, kids nowadays don’t seem to enjoy fudge as much as desserts like cookies, chocolate, or other types of candy. Maybe because it’s usually served in small pieces, maybe it’s too rich, or maybe it’s the weird texture that’s not quite hard but not quite soft and sometimes grainy. Regardless of the reasoning, fudge has somehow become more of an adult treat, which makes this PB&J fudge from Shugary Sweets perfect for grown-ups. Or maybe, once again, we just don’t want to share.

This isn’t just granola with PB&J, it’s actual PB&J granola! This recipe from Maebells combines oats, peanut butter, honey, jelly, vanilla, and cinnamon into the perfect snack - and it only takes 20 minutes to make a whole batch. Once it’s done, you can pair your perfect granola with yogurt, or fruit, or chocolate if you’re not into the whole health thing.

In addition to being a grown-up version of PB&J, these sweet treats are also grown-up versions of ice cream sandwiches. They use peanut butter cookie dough in place of the cookies or cookie crust, and add jelly to the ice cream center. And the best part, as Perpetually Hungry points out in their recipe: compared to other sammies, the ice cream here is much more likely to stick to the dough and not fall out the sides. 

Muffins are like grown-up cupcakes, so PB&J muffins are like grown-up version of regular PB&J, right? Either way, we don’t really care, because these PB&J muffins from Erica’s Sweet Tooth are irresistible. I mean, just look at them sitting there all crumbly and so forth. Do you think a kid could handle this without getting it all over their face and the floor? Nope, and you probably can’t either, but it’s okay because no one will yell at you for making a mess.

We told you about cake and we told you about French toast, so you probably expected a PB&J pancake in here somewhere. And seriously, what better brunch food could there be, as these bad boys mix a classic breakfast food with a classic lunch item in a way only an adult could conceive...probably somewhere between mimosas number three and four. After providing the recipe for the PB&J donuts, Heather Christo is back to blow our minds once more with this recipe.

If you were intrigued by the grilled PB&J but want something a little lighter and healthier, sub out the bread for a whole wheat tortilla. Not only will you consume less carbs and less food in general, you won’t need to butter it up for grilling. Simply coat your pan with cooking spray and toss on the tortilla. More info via Ambitious Kitchen here.

It’s almost as simple as throwing a PB&J sandwich in a blender. (But not quite, so don’t do that.) Just combine almond butter, peanut butter, strawberries, and a banana; then mix and drink! Feel free to mess around with the amounts to your liking, but We The Eaters has the recipe and instructions to get you started. Now we just need to figure out a way to add booze…

We figured it out. Or, more accurately, a brilliant mind over a SheKnows figured it out. You’ll need to buy Van Gogh PB&J Vodka for the full effect, and then add milk, ice cream, a banana, raspberries, and some extra peanut butter. Blend well, add toasted peanuts as a garnish, and drink responsibly...ish.

Foods in bar form are the best way to eat breakfast on the go - just ask anyone who has ended up with a lap full of milk and cereal during their morning commute. A lap full of peanut butter and jelly drippings is just as bad (trust us on this one), which is why these PB&J bars are the perfect morning snack. Plus, since this is another recipe from Love Me, Feed Me, it offers you the opportunity to keep things vegan and a bit healthier too. 

Don’t worry, there’s no actual seafood in this PB&J sushi. (Unless… No, no, the world isn’t ready for that yet.) Instead, it’s basically a fancier way to serve PB&J - which is perfect for parties! No recipe is needed, as this one is a cinch. Using white, flour tortillas - or crust-less bread flattened with a rolling pin - simply spread on your peanut butter and jelly of choice, cut the tortillas or bread into thin strips, roll it up tightly, and serve.

Think slathering toast with mashed avocado is the only way to add some flavor and health benefits to regular bread? Then you’ll love switching things up with this PB&J toast made with your choice of nut butter, nectarines, blackberries, and honey. (Grab the recipe here from Healthy Nibbles and Bits.) You get vitamins, protein, and carbs, making it a perfect pre-workout meal. Plus, we still think avocado looks like weird alien food, no matter how delicious and healthy it is.

Like the grilled version, feel free to prepare your favorite version of the classic PB&J for this one. So what exactly makes it “grown-up” then? Well, how many kids do you see out there operating waffle irons. It takes focus, a good sense of timing, and, in case you didn’t know, waffle irons can get hot as heck. (We’ve had numerous ouchies in the past.) So once your meal has been produced, you can eat it with the proud feeling that you just adulted pretty hard...even if it is just a PB&J sandwich you smashed in a waffle iron. 

For further instructions, tips, and tricks, check out this tutorial from Edible Perspective.