You Should Give Your PB&J Sandwich The Grilled Cheese Treatment
Possibly the simplest sandwich to make, peanut butter and jelly usually only has three ingredients: peanut butter, jelly, and bread. There are a few ways to personalize its traditional recipe, with creamy or crunchy peanut butter, and strawberry or grape jelly. But otherwise, it is what it is, which most agree, is pretty good.
Nonetheless, even the tried and true can be reimagined sometimes, and if social media has any say in it, maybe for the better. Apparently, grilling your peanut butter and jelly sandwich can be the humble change it needs. Though you may have never tried it, this isn't a new phenomenon. In 2014, a Reddit user asked what others thought of the idea, and it received rave reviews even then. A couple of people who loved the idea wrote, "Melted PB and hot jelly is a beautiful thing," and "They're the best! Especially with a big glass of milk." More recently, the sandwich was shared in a 2023 TikTok video, where one creator claimed it was "so good [her] wig was sliding back."
Making a grilled peanut butter and jelly sandwich is pretty simple. However, there are many different ways you can customize it.
Substitutions and new ideas can further elevate your sandwich
Just like its original counterpart, the sandwich is easy to make. Along with peanut butter and jelly, most recipes recommend adding butter. For the grilling, the majority brown it in a skillet. Simply slap on some butter to the outer layers of your bread and toast until it's golden brown. However, be careful not to burn the bread, or you may end up with a bitter taste.
Once you expand your peanut-butter-and-jelly horizons, you may start looking for other ways to switch things up. If you're a fruit lover, you can add slices of banana or apple to make your toasted sandwich even sweeter. You can also mix in honey and syrup to give your sandwich a glaze. Chef Richard Blais tells Good Morning America that
cashews and coconut oil offer a great substitution for peanuts as well.
If toasting peanut butter and jelly has you thinking out of the box, then why not go a step further and combine peanut butter and jelly with a traditional grilled cheese? Combining peanut butter and jam with brioche cheese and bacon creates a sweet but savory snack. Understandably, some want to stick to the peanut butter and jelly sandwich they know and love. If this is the case for you, you probably want to know the secret to making the perfect peanut butter and jelly sandwich.