PB&J Sandwich Trifles

Happy National Peanut Butter & Jelly Sandwich Day! 

Growing up, I was the pickiest of children. Seriously, I survived on nothing but peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and way too many chicken fingers. (Hello childhood obesity!) I was even picky about how my peanut butter sandwiches were prepared: white bread, no crust, crunchy peanut butter, not too much grape jelly, cut diagonally, and wrapped in foil next to my ice pack for optimum coldness. Mom was the only person that could make my sandwiches — my dad's over-jellied sandwiches (WITH the crust! ew) would send me into an OCD-induced fit every. single. time.  

If my calculations are correct, I ate over 1,620 of my perfected sandwiches from Pre-K to 7th grade alone. Mom, if you're reading this, I am eternally thankful for the mountain of PB&J's that you packed for me throughout my childhood. Sorry I put you through hell. I hope that the constant overflow of desserts in the house is enough to make up for it! 

As the ultimate throwback to my elementary school days, I figured I'd remix my favorite school lunch into one badass dessert. These PB&J Sandwich Trifles are the perfect treat to celebrate today's holiday. Layers of delicious pound cake, your favorite jelly, creamy peanut butter pie filling, and homemade whipped cream all come together parfait-style for maximum PB&J opulence. One bite and you've been transported back to your elementary school cafeteria. Scary, but so delicious! 

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Homemade Whipped Cream 

• 2 cups heavy cream
• 4 tablespoons granulated sugar

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whisk together the cream and sugar on high speed until stiff peaks form. Transfer to the refrigerator until ready to use. 

Peanut Butter Cream 

• 1 cup creamy peanut butter (straight up peanut butter, no natural pb) 
• 8 oz. whipped cream cheese
• 1 1/4 cup confectioners' sugar
• 2 tablespoons whole milk

In the same bowl, beat together the peanut butter and cream cheese until incorporated and cream. Gradually add the confectioners' sugar. Mix in milk. Remove the bowl from the mixer and fold in 1 cup of the prepared whipped cream. Set aside. 

Accoutrements & Assembly 

• 1 prepared pound cake (homemade or store-bought), chopped into cubes
• 1 jar of grape jelly 
• 1/2 cup chopped Nutter Butter cookies
• 1/4 cup peanuts 

In mason jars, glasses, or even a large trifle dish, add layers in this order:

1. pound cake pieces, smushed together
2. grape jelly 
3. peanut butter filling
4. whipped cream 
5. pound cake pieces 
6. peanut butter filling
7. whipped cream

Garnish generously with crushed cookies, peanuts, and extra pound cake scraps. When you're ready, dig in and reminisce on all of the PB&J's you ate as a child. Repeat as necessary. 

Graham Blackall, 4-year-old pb&j royalty. 

Cap'n Crunch Peanut Butter Cookies

There's something so special about peanut butter cookies that transports me straight back to my childhood. When I was younger, I was obsessed with the If You Give a Mouse a Cookie children's books. One day, I came home from school with a Scholastic Book Fair catalog and order form — my fellow 90's kids will definitely remember the joy of receiving one of those in class. In that particular catalog was Mouse Cookies, a children's cookbook based off of the popular series. Given my obsession, my 4-year-old self just had to have it. 

The Mouse Cookies cookbook was my first exposure to from-scratch baking; therefore, it's probably the root of my passion for baking that has lasted from my childhood to my current 19-year-old existence. I've never thought much about the origins of my sugar obsession before this, but that's most definitely it. The one recipe I remember continually baking from the cookbook was one for traditional peanut butter cookies. 

Since reading Christina Tosi's Momofuku Milk Bar cookbook, I have been fascinated by cereal. I never ate cereal as a child, save for the few times that we had Golden Grahams or Oreo O's in the house. I have a deep aversion to milk, so I just never loved cereal like most kids. However, since I read Tosi's book, I have found myself obsessing of sugary cereal and other quintessential junk foods. Then the idea was born — mix peanut butter cookies with the most sugary cereal ever, Cap'n Crunch, to create the ultimate throwback to childhood. 

Whenever I told anybody that I wanted to use Cap'n Crunch in my baking, they shuddered away pretty quickly. Yeah, sure, it sounds gross — but the result? ***Flawless. 

The base of these cookies is your traditional peanut butter cookie. The level of peanut butter is perfectly balanced. Not too faint, but not too much either. When adding the dry ingredients to the wet, I added 1-1/2 cups of crushed Cap'n Crunch. The combination of peanut butter and Cap'n Crunch is a match made in heaven. They just work. The cookies are each topped with sprinkle of coarse sea salt to elevate the overall flavor.

To die for.

Cap'n Crunch Peanut Butter Cookies 

• 7 tablespoon unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter (do not use natural peanut butter)
• 1 egg
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 1/2 cups Cap'n Crunch, slightly crushed

Preheat oven to 350 F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Add in the peanut butter. Mix in the egg and vanilla. Add in all of the dry ingredients and combine. 

Scoop tablespoon-sized balls of cookie dough onto the prepared baking sheet. Bake cookies for 10 minutes. Add a sprinkle of sea salt on top of each cookie. Don't leave that out! Cool and enjoy. 

Triple Peanut Butter Chip Cookies

I'm pretty certain that my body is at least 5% peanut butter at any given time. Peanut butter is the holy grail of all foods — it's so smooth and creamy, healthy and satisfying, and is literally good on anything and everything. I eat powdered peanut butter in my greek yogurt in the mornings, with a banana at lunch, and one time I even decided to slather it on a piece of turkey (yeah that was a no). Essentially, peanut butter is my life. If you're also a peanut butter addict like me, you should make these cookies. 

These cookies are overflowing with God's greatest gift to humanity. There's peanut butter in the dough itself, peanut butter chips, Reese's pieces, and even crushed up Reese's cups too. Tempted yet? 

Triple Peanut Butter Chip Cookies

• 2 1/4 cup all purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tbs instant vanilla pudding
• 3/4 cup unsalted butter, room temp.
• 1/2 cup peanut butter
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 tbs honey
• 1 cup milk chocolate chips (I used a mixture of Ghirardelli milk and mini)
• 1 cup peanut butter chips
• 1 cup reese's pieces
• 1/2 cup reese's chopped (optional)

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper.

In a bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt and pudding. Set aside.

In a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter, peanut butter, and the sugars on until light and fluffy (4 minutes on medium speed). Add in eggs one at a time. Beat in vanilla extract and honey and beat until combined. Reduce the mixer to low speed, add dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Add the chips and candy pieces.

Scoop 1/4 cup balls of dough and space the balls 2 inches apart on prepared trays.  

Bake cookies for 11-13 minutes. Cool on trays and eat until you vomit.  

look at all of that peanut buttery goodness

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