Is there a more perfect pairing than peanut butter and jelly?
There’s mac and cheese. Oreos and milk. Chicken and waffles. Chips and dip. Rice and beans. Hot dogs and mustard. Bacon and eggs — really, bacon and almost anything. Apple cider and doughnuts.
All of these are fabulous, so we won’t play favorites.
But since Saturday is National Peanut Butter and Jelly Day (April 2 every year), that’s the one we’re going to be cheering for today.
Of course, if you just have a classic peanut butter and jelly sandwich, you’ve met the requirement for acknowledging the occasion.
We’re inclined to play with our food, though, so we’ve amped it up a bit.
If you butter the outsides of the bread on your classic PB&J then grill it till golden brown, you’ll have a warm, wonderful sandwich with a little crispness to complement the ooey, gooey filling.
Maybe make a peanut butter quick bread and slather some jelly on a slice. (That would be good toasted, too.)
If you’re feeling ambitious and looking for a baking project, add some peanut butter to the crust of a Linzer torte, which is a European jam-filled tart. Or bake up a Swiss roll cake and fill it with fruit preserves and peanut butter pastry cream.
You could also go a bit more exotic with your party fare: How about some Thai-inspired pork sliders drizzled with both chili and coconut peanut butter sauces?
Simpler options could be peanut butter ice cream topped with fruit sauce, or the reverse: fruit-flavored ice cream with a peanut butter caramel poured over it. Peanut butter and fruit protein shakes. Muffins topped with a peanut butter streusel and filled with a hidden surprise of jam.
Oh, the possibilities are endless!
Our PB&J Snack Board is a variation on the theme of oh, so trendy charcuterie boards. But since there’s no actual charcuterie — assorted cold cuts, patés, etc. — on ours, we’re simply calling it a snack board. There are all sorts of peanut butter- and jelly-themed treats to enjoy: filled pretzels and sandwich crackers, celery sticks to dip, candies, peanuts and grapes (the building blocks of the day’s star ingredients), and so much more.
Peanut Butter Pie with Chambord Whipped Cream is decadently rich. Instead of serving it à la mode or with plain old whipped cream, we’ve added a hint of Chambord — raspberry liqueur — to cover our bases with both the PB and the J.
Peanut Butter Thumbprint Cookies with Maple-Bacon-Fig Jam put a unique spin on the beloved treats with a filling you can see. Sweet, salty, and savory all at once, they’re a surprise (but the good kind).
And finally, since it’s Easter season we couldn’t resist adding some springtime sweets to a favorite snack. Peanut Butter and Jelly Bean Chex Mix is irresistibly crispy and crunchy.
However you celebrate this match made in heaven, just don’t forget: On Saturday, it’s peanut butter and jelly time.
PB&J Snack Board
Toasted mini peanut butter and jelly waffle sandwiches
Assorted grapes
Fresh berries
Peanuts
Celery sticks with peanut butter for dipping
Peanut butter cracker sandwiches
Peanut butter pretzels
Peanut butter sandwich cookies
Cups of assorted jams and jellies, for dipping
Cocktail weenies with cups of Thai sweet chili and peanut-coconut sauces for dipping
Lay out the assorted peanut butter and jelly-themed snack items on a board in a decorative manner and serve.
Yield: Varies
Source: Mary Bilyeu
Peanut Butter Pie with Chambord Whipped Cream
Pie:
1 pie crust for a 9-inch pie
2 eggs, separated
½ cup brown sugar
¾ cup smooth peanut butter
¼ cup corn syrup
⅔ cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ cup milk chocolate chips
3 tablespoons finely chopped honey-roasted peanuts
Whipped cream:
½ cup whipping cream
¼ powdered sugar
2 tablespoons Chambord raspberry liqueur
Preheat the oven to 350F. Place the crust into a pie pan and crimp the edges.
In a large bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, brown sugar, peanut butter, corn syrup, milk, and vanilla extract. In a medium bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form, then fold them into the peanut butter mixture.
Pour into the pie crust and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until the filling is puffed and a knife inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool completely; the filling will deflate as it cools.
Melt the chocolate chips and drizzle the melted chocolate over the pie. Sprinkle with the peanuts and let set until the chocolate firms up.
In a small bowl, beat together the whipping cream, powdered sugar, and Chambord until the mixture holds soft peaks. Serve with the pie.
Yield: 10 servings
Source: Mary Bilyeu
Peanut Butter Thumbprint Cookies with Maple-Bacon-Fig Jam
Jam:
7 strips bacon, chopped
2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
2 tablespoons maple syrup
2 tablespoons fig jam
2 tablespoons water
Cookies:
½ cup butter, softened
¼ cup sugar
¼ cup brown sugar
1 egg
1 cup smooth peanut butter
½ teaspoon baking soda
Pinch of kosher salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1½ cups flour
Preheat oven to 350F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Make the jam: Cook the bacon in a small skillet until it is nearly crisp but still a bit soft. Drain the bacon, then place it into a food processor along with the brown sugar, maple syrup, and fig jam; blend until the mixture becomes a soft jam. (Don’t overdo it; leave a bit of texture.)
Make the cookies: Preheat oven to 350F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, beat together the butter, sugar, and brown sugar. Mix in the egg, peanut butter, baking soda, salt, and vanilla. Stir in the flour.
Form 1-inch balls of dough and place them onto the prepared baking sheet. Using a small measuring spoon or your thumb, press an indentation into each ball of dough, then fill the indentations with a small dollop of the jam.
Bake for 12 minutes until the cookies are golden. Let cool on a rack.
Yield: About 3½ dozen
Source: Mary Bilyeu
Peanut Butter and Jelly Bean Chex Mix
¾ cup powdered sugar
3 tablespoons cocoa powder
6 cups peanut butter Chex cereal
1 3-ounce dark chocolate bar with raspberries, chopped
3 tablespoons smooth peanut butter
2 tablespoons butter
2 cups lightly salted roasted peanuts
1 cup peanut butter-filled pretzels
1 cup Reese’s Pieces
1 cup jelly beans
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Stir together the powdered sugar and cocoa in a small mixing bowl. Place the cereal into a large mixing bowl.
In small microwavable bowl, melt the chocolate, peanut butter, and butter together, heating for 30 seconds; stir, then microwave another 15 seconds, if needed, until the mixture is smooth. Pour the chocolate mixture over the cereal and stir until the cereal is well coated.
Sprinkle the sugar-cocoa mixture over the cereal and stir to coat well, then spread the cereal onto the parchment-lined baking sheet to cool. Break up the pieces, as necessary.
In a large serving bowl, combine the cereal mix, peanuts, pretzels, Reese’s Pieces, and jelly beans; mix well and serve.
Yield: 12 cups
Source: Mary Bilyeu, adapted from chex.com
First Published March 27, 2022, 3:00 p.m.
