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

Jump to Recipe Jump to Video Print Recipe

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!

Slice your fresh homemade brioche into two pieces. They should be precisely the same width (use a ruler) or the recipe may not work.
Delicately layer berry puree on one side of the brioche.
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.
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!

More Recipes You Might Like

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