Grill Your Next Peanut Butter And Jelly Sandwich And Thank Us Later

The grilled cheese sandwich and the PB&J are two load-bearing beams in our national sandwich culture: elemental, fundamental, the "make do with whatever you have in the kitchen" preparations that have provided the basis for countless lunches and dinners. The grilled peanut butter and jelly sandwich, then? It's such an overwhelmingly sensible idea — inevitable, even — that it's a wonder you don't see it all over the place. It's as simple as it sounds: All you need is the bread of your choice, the nut butter of your choice (peanut butter is just the beginning), and whatever jam you have on hand. As with a grilled cheese, you'll assemble this sandwich, spread butter on its exterior, then heat it on a skillet until it's brown and crisp on the outside, gooey and delectable within.

And just like its savory cousin offers endless room for customization — pizza-inspired grilled cheese, anyone? — this sweet-ish sandwich can be a springboard for culinary creativity: You can add fresh fruit, play around with different combos of nut butter and jelly, and even reintroduce cheese back into the equation. Think PB&J is plain and pedestrian? Think again.

The procedure is basically the same as it is for a grilled cheese: First, assemble your PB&J. Many folks prefer equal parts nut butter and jelly (about 2 tablespoons of each), though, of course, a sandwich is all about personal preference. You'll then want to spread some kind of fat on the outside of the sandwich to give it that nice golden color when grilled. In recent years, mayonnaise has gained popularity as the grilled cheese spread of choice: It has a higher smoke point than butter, so the bread browns with less risk of burning. It's also a little more savory and tangy and less, well, buttery than butter. The latter, on the other hand, still provides avenues for variation. Cinnamon butter or honey butter could add yet another layer of flavor to your PB&J.

Otherwise, you know what to do. Slather your spread of choice on either side of the assembled sandwich, then toast it in a skillet over medium-low heat, flipping as needed, until both sides are golden. Alternatively, take a cue from this waffled grilled cheese and cook this sandwich in a waffle iron. Take it off the heat once it's nice and toasty, then let it sit for a moment or two to cool and give the filling an opportunity to firm up a bit. If you want to continue to gild the lily — I mean, you've already come this far — sprinkle your grilled PB&Js with a little cinnamon sugar before serving.

White bread is classic for the PB&J, but peanut butter plays so well with grains and other nutty, lightly sweet flavors that this could be a great place for seeded loaves, or a bread that foregrounds the faintly toasty notes of whole-grain flour. Just stay away from anything with strongly savory flavors, like herbed breads — or, heaven forbid, onion rye. If you want to lean into the sweetness, give cinnamon bread a shot; if you want a slightly more balanced sandwich with just a bit of that savory aspect, something like sourdough whole wheat would really sing here.

Fillings? Those who prefer the tried-and-true can check out our handy guide ranking peanut butters worst to best. Alternatively, feel free to swap in almond, pecan, or another nut butter, and use any jam or jelly of your choosing. Just brainstorming: Almond butter and raspberry? Pecan butter and strawberry? The classic combo of peanut butter and grape? It's hard to go wrong. Then, think of what else you might add — sliced bananas are already a popular extra in PB&Js, though other fruits could be fun: chopped strawberries, diced apples or pears, sliced peaches, etc. You can even reintroduce a bit of cheese into the equation: pecan butter, fig jam, and slices of Brie? This versatile sandwich is your canvas.