36 Peanut Buttery Recipes For National Peanut Butter Lover's Day
Whether you prefer creamy or crunchy, it's time for fans of peanut butter to unite! March 1st is National Peanut Butter Lover's Day, according to Foodimentary. That means we get to indulge in what is, in the opinion of peanut butter lovers everywhere, the best nut butter that ever existed.
According to Biography, peanut butter was first patented in 1895 by John H. Kellogg – not, as many believe, by George Washington Carver. Though Carver is celebrated for promoting the nutritional value of peanuts, as well as teaching poor and formerly enslaved farmers in the South about the financial and agricultural benefits of growing peanuts, Kellogg had already patented peanut butter years before. (Britannica shares that this is the same John H. Kellogg who founded Kellogg's cereal company with his brother.) By the early 1920s, peanut butter production and consumption in the U.S. had exploded.
Peanut butter lovers are eternally grateful for this creation because it has led to some of the best sweets and desserts of all time: Reese's Peanut Butter Cups, chocolate peanut butter milkshakes, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, peanut butter energy bites, and peanut butter cookies. There are savory favorites too, of course, like spicy Thai peanut sauce.
Ready to celebrate all things peanut butter? Here are 36 peanut butter recipes to try. The list includes ice cream, sauces, cupcakes, smoothies, candies, and a few savory dishes, too.
1. Copycat Reese's Peanut Butter Cups
It's possibly the king of all chocolate peanut butter treats – the Reese's cup, a milk chocolate shell holding a sweet, smooth peanut butter filling. What you probably don't know is that it's really easy to make your own copycat version of this treat, and you don't need any fancy equipment or years of candy-making under your belt. Just gather up a few easy-to-find ingredients and some cupcake liners, and you could soon be biting into some of the best peanut butter cups you've ever tasted.
2. Peanut Butter Fruit Dip
Making this treat for National Peanut Butter Lover's Day means you can get some peanut butter indulgence and still keep things healthy. This easy dip comes together in just minutes – it could seriously take you longer to slice the fruit than it would for you to make this dip! It's sweetened with maple syrup (use real maple, not the fake stuff!) and has a little bit of tang thanks to Greek yogurt in the mix. Try this dip with apples, strawberries, Concord grapes, and banana slices.
Recipe: Peanut Butter Fruit Dip
3. 15-Minute Spicy Peanut Soba Noodles
If you love Thai, Vietnamese, or West African food then you know that peanut butter is not for desserts alone. It's delicious as the base for spicy, highly seasoned sauces in dishes like this one that features filling soba noodles and fresh broccoli, and sliced peppers. The sauce made with peanut butter, sriracha sauce, and soy sauce can be whisked up in seconds. The whole recipe takes only 15 minutes to prepare. It's a flavorful and savory celebration of peanut butter.
4. Peanut Butter Popcorn
If you prefer your popcorn to be on the sweet side and love flavors like classic kettle corn or caramel corn, here's another flavor to add to the list: Peanut Butter Popcorn. (The thought alone makes our mouths water!) Pop up your favorite brand of popcorn in the microwave, air popper, or on the stovetop. Then whisk together a simple, sweet sauce of peanut butter, honey, and chopped peanuts. Stir it through your popcorn, add a pinch of salt, then turn on Netflix and dig into this peanut buttery treat.
Recipe: Peanut Butter Popcorn
5. Peanut Butter Latte
Peanut butter and freshly-brewed coffee make an excellent pairing, and making this easy peanut butter latte at home is a perfect way to celebrate National Peanut Butter Lover's Day. No fancy barista equipment needed: Just brew your coffee. Using the pour-over or percolator methods should get the job done. The lightly-sweetened peanut buttercream cooks up in just a few minutes on the stovetop, so you'll get your caffeine fix fast. The creamy, peanut butter mixture is also delicious when stirred into hot chocolate.
Recipe: Peanut Butter Latte
6. No- Bake Peanut Butter Cookies
This recipe is perfect when you want a peanut butter treat that's easy to put together, and feels a little more special than just eating a spoonful of peanut butter straight from the jar. Simmer a few ingredients like sugar, oats, and peanut butter in a saucepan for just one minute, then spoon the mixture into mounds on a baking sheet. The cookies will be set after about an hour in the fridge. They're sweet, chewy, and perfect with a glass of cold milk.
Recipe: No-Bake Peanut Butter Cookies
7. Copycat Girl Scouts Do-Si-Dos
There are many reasons you should make these homemade Do-Si-Dos instead of grabbing a box of the Girl Scouts version. For one, homemade cookies always taste better, and these crispy peanut butter cookies with peanut butter filling are proof of that. Baking your own means you can have them any time of the year – no more waiting for Girl Scout cookie season to roll around. Plus, you can add your own little delicious twists, like a dash of cinnamon in the filling, mini chocolate chips in the cookies, or dunking the whole cookie sandwich into melted chocolate.
Recipe: Copycat Girl Scout Do-Si-Dos
8. Slow Cooker Peanut Butter Fudge
Making homemade fudge can be a little intimidating, thanks to some recipes that run the risk of turning gritty and crystalized when not properly cooked on the stovetop. This slow cooker recipe makes it easy to turn out a batch of perfectly smooth homemade, peanut butter fudge. The recipe does require a quick stir every 10 minutes, but that's easy enough to do while reading a book or playing a game of Clue. Once done and poured in the pan, let the fudge set overnight. It's sumptuously sweet thanks to white chocolate in the mixture and has the salty crunch of chopped peanuts in every piece.
Recipe: Slow Cooker Peanut Butter Fudge
9. Peanut Butter And Jelly Cupcakes
A fancier take on one of the best ever sandwiches from childhood, this is a dessert that's gorgeous enough for any party or celebration. The tender vanilla cupcakes are made from scratch, yet come together effortlessly. While they bake, whip up a batch of easy peanut butter buttercream frosting. Choose the best quality jam or preserves you can find to fill the centers of the cupcakes: We prefer raspberry jam. But if you have your heart set on grape jam, that would also be a sublime choice and would make these cupcakes taste like a classic PB&J.
Recipe: Peanut Butter And Jelly Cupcakes
10. Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Milkshakes
Why aren't we making milkshakes more often? They're just so dang easy, and so delicious! This milkshake recipe is one of the most indulgent with a classic flavor combination of chocolate, peanut butter, and banana – possibly the perfect drink to celebrate National Peanut Butter Lover's Day. Blend up sliced bananas with a little cocoa powder, peanut butter, ice cream, and milk, and you'll be sipping away in just minutes. Garnish the tops with more banana and a peanut butter drizzle.
11. Homemade Peanut Butter
If you really, really love peanut butter, so much that you spend a small fortune every year on jars of the stuff, then it's only fitting that on National Peanut Butter Lover's Day you try making your very own blend. You only need three ingredients to make this recipe, as well as a high-speed blender or food processor. Once the plain peanuts have been ground into a paste, stir in some honey and a little salt – that's it. Making your own means you have all the control over how sweet and salty the final peanut butter will be, plus you can try other add-ins like cinnamon, maple syrup, or chopped peanuts to make a "crunchy" version.
Recipe: Homemade Peanut Butter
12. No-Bake Peanut Butter Balls
While on the one hand, this is definitely a candy (a sweetened peanut butter filling encased in chocolate), on the other, these peanut butter balls are also surprisingly healthy thanks to honey, oat flour, and almond flour. The ingredients are blended together into a thick mixture that you portion out and roll into balls. The rolling step is a fun one to do with kids! Dunk or drizzle the balls in melted chocolate, then let them set until firm – a step that goes more quickly if you pop them into the freezer or fridge.
Recipe: No-Bake Peanut Butter Balls
13. Reese's Rice Krispies Treats
Gooey, sweet, crispy cereal treats are a favorite of kids, but that doesn't mean the grown-ups can't get excited about them, too. Especially on National Peanut Butter Lover's Day when the treats are made with Reese's peanut butter cups. They come together quickly on the stovetop by stirring Cocoa Krispies with melted mini marshmallows, butter, and peanut butter. Once the mixture is pressed into a pan, sprinkle chopped Reese's Peanut Butter Cups over the top. It only takes about 20 minutes for the treats to cool, then you can slice and serve them up.
Recipe: Reese's Rice Krispies Treats
14. West African Peanut Stew
Enjoy your peanut butter in a savory stew that's hearty, healthy, and full of spice and flavor. The Peanut Company of Australia shares that peanuts arrived in African countries centuries ago by way of Portuguese and Spanish sailors and reached North American shores through the slave trade. Per the National Peanut Board, the legumes eventually became an integral ingredient in spicy West African stews, marinades, and sauces. This recipe starts by simmering aromatics like garlic and ginger with hot peppers, sweet potato, and tomatoes. Peanut butter is stirred in just before serving and creates a thick sauce for the potatoes and fresh spinach. It's an incredible stew to make for your family or your next dinner party.
Recipe: West African Peanut Stew
15. 20 Minute Puppy Chow
Chex snack mixes have been taking center stage at parties and holiday gatherings for decades now, and not just the savory ones. This is a chocolaty, peanut buttery, sweet Chex snack mix that makes enough to feed a crowd or to nosh on during movie night. Just melt chocolate chips, peanut butter, butter, and vanilla in a saucepan, then stir in the cereal until it's coated. Add powdered sugar in two stages so that covers the cereal and makes it easy to snack on. Who knows what it has to do with puppies, but we love it!
Recipe: 20 Minute Puppy Chow
16. Copycat Friendly's Peanut Butter Ice Cream Sauce
What do the Reese's Peanut Butter Cup Sundae, Reese's Pieces Sundae, and Hunka Chunka PB Fudge Lava Cake all have in common? They're all on the sundaes menu at Friendly's restaurants, and they're all made with Friendly's sweet peanut butter sauce. Now you can create your own sundae masterpieces with a copycat version of this tasty peanut butter sauce. Combine peanut butter with cream, sugar, and a few other ingredients on the stovetop for a quick simmer, and it's ready to pour over ice cream, waffles, oatmeal, or any other dish you desire!
17. Chocolate Peanut Butter Fudge Tart
This rich, peanut buttery tart is easier to make than you might guess. All you need is a tart pan with a removable bottom. Grind shortbread cookies with sugar and butter and press the mixture over the bottom and sides of the pan. It bakes up in only 10 minutes. The peanut butter filling whisks up quickly and then is spread inside the cooled crust. Finally, make an easy chocolate ganache to pour over the top. Chill the tart and it's ready to slice and serve.
18. Peanut Butter Cup Spider Cookies
Kids love peanut butter so they're going to want to celebrate National Peanut Butter Lover's Day, too! Here's a recipe for easy peanut butter cookies that get transformed into fun and creepy spiders. Gently press Reese's miniature peanut butter cups into the centers while they're still warm from the oven. Use chocolate frosting in a piping bag to add on some long, spider legs. And if you have any candy googly eyes on hand, definitely add those to the peanut butter cups. Extra creepy! These cookies are tasty to make any time. Plus you can Pin the recipe for Halloween time, too.
Recipe: Peanut Butter Cup Spider Cookies
19. No-Bake Energy Bites
National Peanut Butter Lover's Day doesn't have to be about over-the-top sugary sweets – you can make up a batch of healthy energy bites that have protein-packed peanut butter along with dried fruit, chia seeds, and almond milk. And chocolate, of course! The bites come together quickly in a blender or food processor, and the only step in the recipe that takes any time is letting the energy bites chill in the freezer. Once the bites are shaped and coated in chocolate, you can store them in the fridge or freezer to have on hand for a healthy snack anytime.
Recipe: No-Bake Energy Bites
20. 3-Ingredient Peanut Butter Ice Cream
This ice cream is actually the treat known as "nice cream" made entirely from blended frozen bananas. That means it doesn't have the fat and sugar of normal ice cream, just the sweetness and creamy texture. Our recipe takes nice cream one step further by blending peanut butter with the bananas and adding roasted peanuts for crunch and a little saltiness. Make this treat with regular peanut butter or use natural or homemade varieties. Don't forget to serve it with a drizzle of chocolate, marshmallow sauce, or any other topping you desire!
21. Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcakes
"Two great tastes that taste great together." That's the slogan from vintage Reese's Peanut Butter Cup commercials (shared on YouTube) and it's unequivocally true. Peanut butter and chocolate were just made for one another, and on National Peanut Butter Lover's Day that pairing needs to be celebrated. Chocolate cupcakes are easy to make from scratch and get topped with a simple peanut butter buttercream. Garnish the cupcakes with chopped peanut butter cups and Reese's Pieces candies.
Recipes: Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcakes
22. Thai Peanut Sauce
Fans of savory peanut butter dishes will really love this recipe for a simple peanut butter sauce, once that can be used to make all kinds of dishes. Just whisk creamy peanut butter together with ingredients like soy sauce, spicy sriracha, sesame oil, and garlic. The sauce can be thick in consistency or thinned with water, depending on what you're using it for. Some of our favorite dishes to make with this sauce are spicy peanut noodles, marinated chicken, stir fry, and grilled skewers of chicken or beef.
Recipe: Thai Peanut Sauce
23. 3-Ingredient Peanut Butter Cookies
The minimal number of ingredients it takes to whip up this batch of peanut butter cookies is appealing enough, but the recipe also happens to be gluten-free. Remarkably, an egg is all it takes to bind peanut butter and sugar together to make a cookie dough. You can use white or brown sugar, and even add mix-ins like chocolate chips, coconut, or chopped nuts. The cookies can also be crumbled to top ice cream and chocolate pudding or added to tiny chocolaty truffles. The cookies bake up in just 10 minutes.
24. Bird's Nest Cookies
These treats are so cute, perfect little cookies to make at Eastertime or for events like brunch or a baby shower. And because the bird's nest-shaped cookies are made with a tantalizing blend of peanut butter and white chocolate, they're a tasty treat to make for National Peanut Butter Lover's Day. The cookies are made with crisped rice cereal stirred with melted peanut butter and chocolate, then pressed into a muffin pan to form little nests. Top the cooled nest cookies with pastel-colored malted chocolate eggs or jelly beans.
Recipe: Bird's Nest Cookies
25. 5-Ingredient Peanut Butter And Jelly Oat Bars
Try a peanut butter treat that's hearty and has the sweet flavor of a PB&J sandwich, and all with only five ingredients. Blend together oats, peanut butter, eggs, and golden syrup. (If it isn't available in your area, then honey can stand in for golden syrup in this recipe.) Spread half of the mixture in a pan, and add a layer of jelly: Strawberry is our favorite in the recipe. But we see no reason to think raspberry, apricot, or blackberry wouldn't also be amazing. Add the final layer of oats, then bake for 15 minutes. Once the bars are cool, they're ready to slice and eat.
26. Peanut Butter Ganache Bars
This is an over-the-top peanut butter chocolate dessert. If you or someone special in your life absolutely loves the peanut butter and chocolate combo, this is the treat you need to make today! The base of these bars is made by blending Oreo cookies with sugar and peanut butter. This baked layer is followed by a brown sugar and peanut butter filling. And if that's not enough, a quick homemade chocolate ganache forms a hard layer over the top. They're so sweet, chocolaty, and indulgent.
Recipe: Peanut Butter Ganache Bars
27. Marshmallow Fluff Peanut Butter Fudge
Here is a sweet peanut butter treat for National Peanut Butter Lover's Day that's not too hard to make. Making fudge with Marshmallow Fluff makes the process more simple and foolproof, and eliminates the need for a candy thermometer. Plus, Marshmallow Fluff is what makes a Fluffernutter sandwich so delectable, so we love pairing it with peanut butter in this fudge. It only takes about 10 minutes to make the fudge mixture on the stovetop before going in the pan. It sets in about an hour, and yields about 36 pieces — enough to share!
28. No Bake Buckeye Cookies
According to Bon Appétit, these peanut butter and chocolate candies were created in the Buckeye State: Ohio. These peanut-buttery balls were named for their resemblance to the nuts that grow on the state tree. You don't have to be a native Ohioan, however, to love these easy treats. The filling is a blend of peanut butter, butter, and sugar that gets rolled into balls, chilled, and then partially dipped in chocolate. Buckeyes could be fun to make with kids and are a great choice to bring to potlucks or to give as gifts.
Recipe: No Bake Buckeye Cookies
29. Peanut Butter And Jelly Smoothies
Four ingredients and only one minute to make: What a great recipe! Plus it's a fitting drink to make for National Peanut Butter Lover's Day because this smoothie is loaded with the flavor of our favorite PB&J sandwich. Blend frozen fruit like strawberries and bananas with milk to make the frosty and creamy texture. Include a scoop of peanut butter to make it peanut buttery. You can add drizzles of peanut butter to decorate the glasses, and garnish them with fresh strawberries. The recipe makes enough for two delicious smoothies.
30. 3-Ingredient Peanut Butter Frosting
When recipes talk about "easy homemade buttercream" you might be wondering if this frosting is truly easy. This recipe proves that it is, as it only requires a few ingredients plus a hand mixer or stand mixer. Blend the butter and peanut butter together until they become smooth and creamy, then beat in the powdered sugar to make a light and fluffy frosting. Use this rich peanut butter frosting on cupcakes, between layers of chocolate cake, or to sandwich with your favorite cookies. You'll never reach for canned frosting again.
31. Giant Peanut Butter Cup
This one's for the ultimate Reese's Peanut Butter Cup lover. Make it as a gift or stick some candles in it and serve it like a birthday cake! You'll need a tart pan with a removable bottom, and the ingredients list is pretty simple. Brush the bottom and sides of the tart pan with melted chocolate and let it set until firm. Then fill with a mixture of peanut butter, butter, and sugar. Seal the top with more chocolate, let your giant peanut butter cup chill, and then it's ready. The chocolate top layer will be firm, so if you're hoping to add birthday candles or toppings, stick them in before the chocolate sets.
Recipe: Giant Peanut Butter Cup
32. Chewy Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Granola Bars
True peanut butter lovers don't need a single day to celebrate – they'll be digging into their jars of peanut butter all throughout the year. That's why we love snacks like these granola bars that are yummy enough to have for dessert, but also perfect to wrap up and take to work or in a lunchbox. Rolled oats hold together a blend of peanut butter, sugar, butter, and chocolate chips, and once baked these chewy bars are loaded with flavor. This recipe makes eight peanut buttery bars.
33. 3-Ingredient Peanut Butter Bites
You could always stick a spoon straight into the jar when looking for a bit of peanut butter goodness, but these peanut butter energy bites are an even better choice. They come together using only three ingredients and have a light sweetness thanks to a bit of maple syrup in the mixture. Once rolled, the energy bites can be stashed in the fridge or freezer to enjoy anytime. You can also make them even tastier by rolling the bites in crushed nuts or dipping them in chocolate.
34. Homemade Peanut Butter Rice Crispy Treats
These might just be the best crispy cereal bars: They're homemade which makes them infinitely better than any store-bought treats. Plus they're loaded with delicious peanut butter and honey. The ingredients get melted together on the stovetop before the crisped rice cereal gets stirred in. Press the sticky mixture into silicone molds or a baking dish lined with wax paper. Slice them up and store them in an airtight container, but be warned that they won't last long.
35. No Bake Peanut Butter Bar
Here's another decadent treat to make on National Peanut Butter Lover's Day. We love that this dessert streamlines the process of making a peanut butter-filled tart, by combining peanut butter, sugar, and crushed graham crackers to make a thick bottom layer. Over this is chocolate melted with peanut butter that sets into a firm top layer. The whole dessert comes together in 20 minutes, and after chilling in the fridge is ready to slice and serve.
Recipe: No Bake Peanut Butter Bar
36. No Bake Chocolate Oat Bars
Though chocolate gets top billing in the name for these treats, they also have lots of peanut butter. That makes them even more delicious and satisfying than chocolate alone! This no-bake recipe can be assembled in a flash: Just blend everything together, including rolled oats, cocoa powder, peanut butter, and honey. It's a fantastic recipe to share with the kids in your house, one that is easy for them to make and doesn't require an oven. Press the mixture into a pan and let it chill for a few hours, then slice it into bars. They're perfect to keep in the fridge for a grab-and-go snack.
Recipe: No Bake Chocolate Oat Bars