35 Peanut Butter and Jelly Recipes That Are Pure Nostalgia

Remember the days of opening up your lunchbox to find two pieces of fluffy sandwich bread, crusts trimmed off and filled with generous scoops of both peanut butter and jam? It was the ultimate indulgence, akin to eating dessert instead of a proper meal. Not surprisingly, nut butter and fruit spread make the perfect combination for more than just the sandwiches of our youth — although we’d gladly gobble up one of those, too. You’ll find that the salty-sweet duo can be incorporated into breakfasts (hello, overnight oats and upgraded French toast!) as well as a number of snacks and desserts. Translation: you can satisfy your craving for this childhood favorite, any time of the day.

We’ve got plenty of ideas to get you started but this mash up with rich and gooey St. Louis butter cake is one of our favorites. It makes a great dessert — but we won’t tell if you eat a square alongside your morning cup of coffee or tea!

These cool, creamy sips are the perfect midday treat for any PB&J fanatic. The shake itself is rich and nutty — a fruity jam swirl adds the perfect balance.

To give her PB&J-inspired cookies sparkle, Sunny rolls them in turbinado sugar, a large-grained sugar with a mild molasses flavor. As the cookies cool, the sugar forms a crisp crackly outer layer on the cookie, too.

Wow your kids by serving up a sweet slice of this breakfast stack. Sandwiched with ample jam between each pancake, the entire thing is then drenched in a crunchy peanut butter and maple syrup glaze. Feel free to use whichever jam or jelly your family likes, as well as almond or cashew butter instead of peanut butter.

These blondies are inspired by Molly and Nick’s first date where they shared some candy-coated chocolates! Plus, Molly knows that anything she makes that’s peanut butter flavored will have Nick’s heart! The peanut butter is a perfect combo with the raspberry jam, per usual, and the jam helps to keep the dessert extra moist.

It's surprisingly simple to make your own peanut butter cups at home — so why not add a bit of strawberry jelly into the mix and riff on everyone's favorite childhood sandwich?!

Filled with fruit jelly, thick and airy peanut butter pudding and sweetened whipped cream, these individual-serving desserts are built in prepared graham cracker crusts, so prep work is guaranteed to be a cinch.

Just when you thought banana bread couldn’t get any more delicious! The addition of peanut butter and strawberry preserves turns it into a nostalgic treat—with a subtle, salty undertone.

The secret to filling Tyler's impressive cupcakes? Using a squeeze bottle to inject jam into the top of each treat. It will give you perfect, mess-free results every time.

If you love PB&J, you'll love this giant no-bake cheesecake. Strawberry jelly gelatin and peanut butter cheesecake are sandwiched between not one, but two peanut butter cookie crusts.

These delicate cakes may be the fanciest version of PJ&J ever! They boast brown butter and almond flour in the batter (as you’d expect with a financier) but also include a scoop of creamy peanut butter. Topped with jam and a slice of fresh strawberry, they’re absolutely divine.

Salty, sweet and crunchy, this PB&J-inspired granola is meant to be enjoyed for dessert. Eat it plain, or sprinkle it over chocolate or strawberry ice cream.

Ina smoothes a sweet jam (she opts for raspberry, but you can use any flavor) atop a buttery peanut butter crust before finishing the bars with third and fourth layers: creamy peanut butter frosting and chopped nuts.

This cake will satisfy any PB&J lover's sweet tooth. For a garnish upgrade, sprinkle honey-roasted peanuts on the top or decorate with halved raspberries.

Peanut butter lovers are sure to go nutty for these adorable sandwich cookies. You'll use smooth peanut butter and whole-wheat flour to make the buttery cookie base and yummy grape jelly for the sweet filling.

Fold fresh grapes, roasted peanuts and peanut butter chips into creamy vanilla pudding for a one-of-a-kind snack or dessert that tastes just like the beloved sandwich.

These bars are a sweeter, more lunchbox-friendly version of the classic sandwich. They'll hold up better and longer—without the risk of soggy bread and unwanted crusts.

Not all PB&J mash-ups are overly indulgent. Giada's easy-to-make crepes are surprisingly wholesome, and perhaps best of all, they're ready to eat in a hurry.

There’s no better way to start the day than with the flavors of a beloved childhood favorite. We bake peanut butter right into these moist-and-tender cakes before topping them with crunchy nuts and a dollop of jam. It’s a simple idea that’s guaranteed to please.

Perfect for any kids party or backyard barbecue, this couldn’t-be-easier ice cream cake has a flavor everyone will love—and comes together with just a handful of simple ingredients.

Brown sugar-based Blondies make the perfect blank canvas for many flavors—PB&J included. Jeff includes peanut butter in the batter, then swirls in dollops of fruit preserves before baking for the ideal balance of flavor in every bite.

It's all in the assembly in this wow-worthy tiramisu. After building a two-part raspberry base and arranging ladyfingers on top, start the layering process: first more jam, then a fluffy peanut butter cream, fresh raspberries and finally more cookies—before beginning the process again. It takes only 30 quick minutes to prepare, but it's best to let it chill for at least eight hours so the ladyfingers can soften and the flavors can marry, so be sure to plan ahead if you're entertaining.

Take your brunch game up a notch with these impressive baked French toast casseroles for one. Each one is rich and decadent with heavy cream, peanut butter and eggy brioche — and perfectly sweet, thanks to a little jam.

Macarons require a bit of know-how, but once you get the hang of making them you’ll want to whip up a batch every chance you get. The flavor combinations are near endless but we’re quite fond of this nostalgic take.

With a bit of strawberry jam and some hardening ice cream sauce (like Magic Shell®), you can turn your ordinary frozen banana into a PB&J-inspired treat. For even more flavor, add chopped peanuts before the ice cream sauce hardens.

This may look like a super-size version of the lunchbox staple, but it’s actually white cake filled with peanut butter frosting and grape jelly! We used boxed cake mix to keep the prep simple—so you can dig in even sooner.

This is the perfect cake for PB&J fans. Use your favorite jelly, jam or fruit preserves. If you can't find honey-roasted peanuts, roasted and salted ones are a good substitution.

If you’ve got peanut butter cookies on hand, you’re only 10 minutes away from this irresistible treat. Sunny fills them with grape jelly and vanilla ice cream for the perfect twist on DIY ice cream sandwiches.

The easiest breakfast is one you don't have to make in the morning. Mix up these oats before bedtime and wake up to a rich, wholesome meal that you can customize with a range of colorful toppings. You can eat them at home, or pop the lid back on and take them for your meal on the go.

This breakfast dish has it all: fruity strawberry compote, indulgent peanut butter and a crispy cereal coating. Best of all, it's a breeze to make—even the compote!

This rustic tart gets a double dose of nutty flavor, thanks to the crust and the heaping spoonfuls of peanut butter cookie dough piled on top.

This is a fun recipe to make with your little ones. They can do lots of the measuring and mixing—and will love swirling the peanut butter and jelly onto the dough. And, of course, they’ll be more than happy to help you taste test the bars when they come out of the oven, too!

This moist sour cream loaf has a generous swirl of peanut streusel and strawberry jam baked right inside. We like to use no-sugar-added jam to keep the sweetness in check and let the flavor of the fruit shine through.

These delicious 5-star treats are a great option for anyone who doesn’t eat gluten. The peanut butter is simply folded into whipped egg whites and sugar for a batter that’s thick enough to scoop and bake. Genius!