How To Make The Perfect Peanut Butter & Jelly Sandwich
It all starts with what type of bread you're going to use. Classic white bread is usually the standard go-to, but as the sandwich continues to evolve, so does the bread that's used to make it. Any bread you choose to make your sandwich will do, even pumpernickel or a pita. To keep it basic and to let the true flavors of the sandwich shine through, though, avoid pungent-seedy breads like rye, and steer clear of focaccia.
French Toast Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwiches
This recipe does breakfast right, pairing a beloved staple — French toast — with the delicious combination of peanut butter and jelly.
Crust...or No Crust?
It's OK if your fears of crust still linger today, because cutting the crust off your peanut butter and jelly sandwich only magnifies that creamy, gooey texture that you get from spreading the two together. If you're looking for a balance of textures, though, a crust serves as an ideal and slightly chewier border.
Gluten-Free Peanut Butter and Jelly Cookies
These cookies have all of the goodness of peanut butter and jelly, and they're gluten-free, too.
Toast
You may enjoy a piece of toast slathered with peanut butter or jelly (or both), but for a sandwich, it simply won't do. The heat from the bread will cause the peanut butter to melt and will break down its cohesive qualities. In addition, a fairly well-toasted bread can offset the creaminess that we all know and love, so we advise against toasting.
PB&J Pinwheels
This recipe solves the age-old problem of a peanut butter and jelly sandwich becoming boring. Make these bite-sized pinwheels for a snack or to serve as an appetizer at your next kids' party.
Crunchy or Smooth?
Another conundrum in the world of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches is the age-old question of crunchy or smooth. The answer to this question is your personal preference. A crunchy peanut butter will add little bites of texture within your sandwich that can prove to be exciting, but if you've never been a fan, we don't hate smooth, either.
No-Nut Butter & Jelly Muffins
Sneaky Chef Missy Lapine created a no-nut butter that's allergy-friendly and tastes just as good as the real thing, and she uses it in her peanut butter-flavored and jelly muffins.
The Perfect Ratio
While the two go together so well, too much or too little of either ingredient will cause your sandwich to go south. There should always be a little more peanut butter than jelly in your sandwich, and the perfect ratio would be 2 to 1. If you're using two butter knife-swabs of peanut butter, pair it with one of jelly.
Peanut Butter, Strawberry, and Basil Sandwich
Looking to add something green to your peanut butter and jelly sandwich? This recipe uses strawberries and chopped basil for a bright and fresh flavor.
How to Spread
Peanut butter is a tricky thing, because too much of it will have you lip-smacking in minutes, and too little is just, well, disappointing. While there's always the ratio to keep in mind, it's also about how you apply the two ingredients — in order to have the balance of butter and jelly, it's all in how you spread them. Start in the middle of a slice of bread with the peanut butter, and spread it evenly into the corners using the blunt end of your knife. Do the same with the jelly on the other slice, ever so carefully so that you don't puncture it. Never try to top one with the other — their gooey qualities make them hard to spread on top of each other.
The Perfect Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwich
So there you have it, the perfect peanut butter and jelly sandwich. While simple in nature, it can be dissected into an art, and if you follow this recipe, you'll make one perfectly, every time.