Grilled Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwich
On April 13, 2022
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Your favorite childhood meal gets a major flavor upgrade in this grilled peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Added bacon and candied jalapenos make this a simple yet truly satisfying snack.
Grilled Peanut Butter and Jelly (with Bacon!)
It’s hard to beat a classic peanut butter and jelly sandwich every once in a while. There’s a reason this sandwich was a staple in childhood. It’s easy to make, tastes amazing, and gives you a bit of protein in the mix.
For this grilled peanut butter and jelly I decided to keep things simple (for the kids) with a flavor upgrade of added bacon and my famous Candied Jalapenos (for the adults). It’s a great weekend lunch option or even perfect for a light dinner when you’re exhausted from the day.
The best part about these sandwiches? They’re completely customizable. If you have picky eaters at home, grill up a simple peanut butter and jelly combo to keep them happy and save the fancy ingredients for you!
Ingredients for Grilled PB & J
As I mentioned previously, we’re keeping things really simple for this grilled PB & J. If you want to play around with some flavors and ingredients, I have some suggestions below.
Here’s what you need to make these grilled PB & J sandwiches.
- 8 slices of sourdough bread
- 3 Tablespoons salted butter
- 12 slices bacon
- 1/2 cup chunky peanut butter
- 1/2 cup raspberry jam
- 1/4 cup candied jalapenos
Those candied jalapenos are the real star of the show. We always have a large jar ready to go in the fridge to toss on ribs, sandwiches, and everything in between. Be sure to check out the recipe link for the full ingredients and instructions on how to make and store them. I recommend making them a day or two in advance of these sandwiches so they’re good to go and have had time to sit for the flavors to meld.
How to Make a Grilled Peanut Butter and Jelly
Making a grilled peanut butter and jelly isn’t much different than making a regular one. All you need is a trusty grill, a few extra ingredients, and a couple of extra minutes to get everything nice and toasted.
- Assemble. Lay out the bread on a large work surface. On half of the bread slices, spread the jam on the bread and top with candied jalapenos. On the other half of the slices, spread the peanut butter nice and thick and lay a few slices of bacon over the top. Place the two halves together and then butter the exterior of each side of bread.
- Grill. With your grill preheated to 450 degrees F, place the sandwiches directly on the grill or on a preheated cast iron skillet or griddle. Cook for around 5 minutes, then flip and cook the other side until browned.
- Enjoy. Once the sandwiches are that perfect golden brown on both sides, remove them from the grill. Slice them in half, and serve immediately while they are still warm (but take care to let them cool slightly so you don’t burn yourself on super hot jelly!).
Ingredient Swaps for Grilled PB & J
If you’re feeling adventurous, you can play around with the ingredients for this grilled peanut butter and jelly. I always believe you should make food that tastes good, so get creative and make a sandwich worthy of gracing your fantastic taste buds.
- Use a different nut butter. If you aren’t a fan of peanut butter, or you are allergic or on a special diet, you can make this with any nut butter. Almond butter or sunflower butter would taste amazing as well.
- Try grape or strawberry jam. Honestly, the jam or jelly you use to make this is completely up to you. I say choose your favorite jam and go to town. In fact, you can use different jam for every sandwich and let everyone choose their favorites.
- Use candied bacon. For a really fun crunch, make these grilled PB & Js with my recipe for smoked candied bacon! If you don’t want to go to all the trouble of making candied bacon, you can sprinkle a little Sweet Rub on the bacon while it cooks to give it a little sugary sweetness.
More Grilled Sandwich Recipes
I’m a big fan of BBQ and grilled sandwiches in all forms. I highly recommend adding some of these to your weekly or monthly rotation.
- Cowboy Style Grilled Chicken Sandwich
- Smoky Cuban Sandwich (Cubano)
- Smoked Rib Sandwich (McRib Copycat)
Grilled PB & J Recipe
How did this grilled PB & J recipe turn out for you? Are you officially set on grilling your sandwiches from now on? Make sure to leave us a comment to let us know your thoughts. We love hearing from you!
Grilled Peanut Butter and Jelly
Ingredients
- 8 slices sourdough bread
- 3 Tablespoons salted butter
- 12 slices cooked bacon
- ½ cup crunchy peanut butter
- ½ cup raspberry jam
- ¼ cup candied jalapenos
Instructions
- Preheat. Preheat your grill to 450 degrees F.
- Assemble your sandwiches. Slather one side of 4 pieces of bread with your raspberry jam and then dot with candied jalapenos. Next, spread the other slices of bread with peanut butter and then top with 3 slices of bacon. Press the two sides together to make your sandwich.
- Grill. Butter the exterior cut sides of each piece of bread and set carefully on the preheated grill grates or cast iron skillet/griddle. Grill for 3-5 minutes per side, or until the bread is heated through and toasty.
- Finish grilling. Use a thin metal spatula to carefully flip the sandwiches. Cook on the other side for an additional 3-5 minutes, until golden brown.
- Enjoy. Remove the sandwiches, cut at a diagonal, and serve warm.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
