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    Home ยป Recipes ยป Personal

    Secret Family Recipe: REVEALED! (Peanut Butter & Jelly)

    Updated: Aug 18, 2022 โ€ข Published: Apr 1, 2021 by Sam Merritt โ€ข 46 Comments

    This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Please read my disclosure policy.
    Jump to Recipe Jump to Video
    collage of peanut butter and jelly, single image with header tag at top

    Hold on to your hats! Today I’m sharing my family’s prized secret recipe for peanut butter and jelly. 🤫 This recipe has been passed down for generations, and while it’s admittedly a bit complicated, I’ve included a detailed video so that yours turns out perfectly every time!

    Lunchtime Bliss

    I might get in trouble for this one. While I’ve shared family recipes before, this one has always been kept under lock and key, passed down from generation to generation only under a vow of secrecy.

    But today I’m breaking the rules and sharing it with you. I think that you’ll find I’ve never shared a recipe as sophisticated, complex, and yet purely wholesome (potentially organic!) as this one.

    This is my son’s favorite lunch (he has mature taste!), and despite the fact that it’s time-consuming to make, I think it’s important as a mom that I take the time to make him homemade lunches. Yes, it’s involved, but at the end of the day he can taste the love baked into it and that’s what matters.

    What You Need

    bread, peanut butter, and jelly on a marble board

    Only the finest ingredients will do:

    • Bread. Only the fluffiest brioche or homemade bread, please.
    • Peanut Puree. For best results, grow the nuts yourself and cream them with a mortar and pestle, as I do. Please note that the peanuts will take approximately 15 weeks to grow and then they will need to dry for an additional 3-4 weeks before they can be used, so you must plan ahead.
    • Fresh Fruit Reduction. Use only hand-harvested summer berries that have been reduced on the stovetop until you can taste the sunshine. Heavenly.

    This is just an overview of the ingredients I used and why. For the full recipe please scroll down to the bottom of the post!

    How to Make This Incredible Recipe

    This recipe is one of the more complicated ones on my site, but follow my instructions carefully and you should be fine!

    1. Slice your fresh homemade brioche into two pieces. They should be precisely the same width (use a ruler) or the recipe may not work.
    2. Delicately layer berry puree on one side of the brioche.
    3. Aggressively top the berry puree with a thick layer of peanut puree. Make sure it is entirely covered (careful, it’s slippery). It would be nice if there were a simpler way to do this but despite many attempts I have concluded this is simply how it must be done.
    4. Top with remaining brioche slice. Squish together firmly. For best result, cut into a star shape and DO NOT MICROWAVE.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Can I make this with crunchy peanut puree?

    Absolutely not. Please do not even think about this.

    Can I freeze this?

    Since this dish is particularly complex to assemble, I always like to make mine in advance and in bulk.
    I recommend making 40-50 sandwiches, cutting into stars (not optional), wrapping tightly in 10-12 layers of plastic wrap and then freezing. When ready to serve, thaw overnight (only during a full moon, otherwise your results may vary) before enjoying.

    Enjoy, and Happy April!

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    This recipe is complex! I recommend taking a look at the how-to VIDEO below before attempting it at home!

    close up of peanut buter and jelly sandwiches cut in half

    Secret Family Recipe

    My family's secret recipe for the BEST lunch ever. I might get in trouble for sharing this one…
    Be sure to check out the how-to VIDEO for flawless results!
    4.80 from 24 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Prevent your screen from going dark
    Course: lunch
    Cuisine: American
    Prep Time: 1 hour hour
    Total Time: 1 hour hour
    Servings: 1 serving
    Calories: 414kcal
    Author: Sam Merritt

    Ingredients

    • 2 slices Freshly baked brioche bread
    • 1 ¼ Tablespoon Freshest hand-picked berries that have been reduced on the stovetop to a sweet jam by an Italian grandmother May substitute French grandmother
    • 2 Tablespoons Finest quality peanut puree for nut-free options please reconsider

    Instructions

    • Gently squeeze brioche to test freshness. Do not use if not fresh.
    • Spread reduced berry jam over one side of one slice of fresh brioche.
    • Aggressively cover jam spread with a thick layer of peanut puree. For best results make it look tidy.
    • Top with remaining slice of brioche.
    • Squish well, cut into star-shape (please do not argue with me on this) and enjoy!

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1serving | Calories: 414kcal | Carbohydrates: 51g | Protein: 13g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 0.02g | Sodium: 410mg | Potassium: 279mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 19g | Vitamin A: 1IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 91mg | Iron: 3mg

    Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered an estimate only. Actual nutritional content will vary based upon brands used, measuring methods, cooking method, portion sizes, and more.

    Tried this recipe? Show me on Instagram!Mention @SugarSpun_Sam or tag #sugarspunrun!
    toddler eating peanut butter and jelly

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Sana

      April 17, 2021 at 11:11 pm

      5 stars
      I was so confused at first, but then I totally caught on! You are too hilarious and the video is beyond funny! ๐Ÿ˜€

      Reply
      • Sam

        April 18, 2021 at 10:03 pm

        ๐Ÿคฃ

        Reply
    2. toni

      April 07, 2021 at 3:11 pm

      jeez you had me. its the 7th of april, but you had me.

      Reply
      • Sam

        April 08, 2021 at 10:11 am

        ๐Ÿคฃ

        Reply
    3. Tiffany

      April 06, 2021 at 11:00 am

      5 stars
      I always look forwards to these posts haha!

      Reply
    4. Boba

      April 02, 2021 at 11:56 pm

      HAHAHAHA HAPPY APRIL FOOL’S DAY SAM AND FOR EVERYONE WHO THOUGHT THIS WAS LEGIT

      Reply
    5. Jo Archer

      April 02, 2021 at 12:10 pm

      5 stars
      Thank you for sharing this treasured recipe. I promise not to pass it on–I’m going to put it in my own Secret Recipe Book. It looks like you gave your baby everybody’s regular PBJ and not the secret recipe (no stars)–why not?

      Reply
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    4.80 from 24 votes (4 ratings without comment)

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    The author (Sam) in blue shirt holding donut Hi, I'm Sam! I'm dedicated to bringing you sweet, simple, and from-scratch dessert recipes. My life may or may not be controlled by my sweet tooth. Send help (or chocolate). Read more about me.

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