9 Uncrustables Flavors, Ranked Worst To Best

If you grew up in a generation whose cafeteria lunch was defined by soft, round, crisply packaged crustless sandwiches, you're in the right place. Uncrustables, launched in 1996, have filled thousands of lunchboxes with smooth peanut butter and sweet berry jellies encased in soft, doughy bread — with a uniquely crimped, crustless edge. You'd be hard-pressed to find any millennial or younger who hasn't enjoyed an Uncrustable or two, and even rarer is finding one who doesn't still love them every now and then. Sometimes, the best things in life are also the simplest, as Uncrustables has proven for over two decades and counting.

The Uncrustables brand has come a long way since its inception, now boasting nine types of filled, crustless sandwiches. Faced with the impossible task of ranking each Uncrustables flavor, I gathered every available variety and evaluated its taste, texture, and versatility, determining whether it would be widely loved or uniquely appreciated. Still slightly influenced by personal preference, below are my picks for the Uncrustables I'd recommend anyone stock their freezer with, in order from worst to best.

Let's face it: Plain peanut butter sandwiches aren't exactly easy to eat. Peanut butter is sticky, and sandwiched between the fluffy confines of plain white bread, it seems to stick to the roof of your mouth like glue in an open bottle. This Uncrustable flavor was likely designed for those who don't like jams and jellies, and for those individuals, I'd recommend it — but for me, the jelly is a necessary part of a good PB&J.

Being that I have to rank some sandwiches lowest and last, I decided to put peanut butter at the bottom of the list based on the principle of it being an unbalanced, dry, and sticky sandwich. The formula is the same as the others, so the bread and peanut butter both taste good, fresh, and fluffy, but may hit better marks with a few crunchy nuts mixed in. Not for nothing, it's a fine sandwich — just not better than those with a little more going on.

"Chocolate-flavored hazelnut spread" is the generic way to describe what we know as name-brand Nutella, a smooth, buttery nut spread heavy on chocolate flavoring that seems to improve everything from hot chocolate to grilled cheese. The chocolatey spread tastes just like the name-brand product, complete with a smooth and buttery texture and subtle nutty taste. It's exactly what you'd want in a chocolate-flavored hazelnut spread sandwich, and for what it's worth, it tastes great, without any of the sticky mouthfeel of the plain peanut butter version. The only reason to rank it at the bottom has to do with its versatility, which isn't as wide as other flavors.

Many people eat Nutella (or other chocolate-flavored hazelnut alternatives) for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and beyond. It's a reasonable choice for spreading on toast, and not terribly unhealthy to have daily. The problem, though, is that it is so chocolatey it's dessert-like, making it a little harder to eat at any time of day. To me, this sandwich, while good, would be one I'd reserve for dessert rather than eat first thing in the morning or after a heavy workout. For that reason, I'd be less likely to stock this one in the freezer at all times.

Uncrustables aren't just for kids; even professional athletes snack on the easy-to-eat peanut butter sandwiches after practices and between games. According to The Athletic, players across the NFL went through over 80,000 Uncrustables in just 2023 alone, calculating out to around 4,000 sandwiches per week. The whopping number not only inspired athletes everywhere to start stocking up on the crustless sandwiches but it also inspired Smuckers to get a little more creative with their offerings.

Uncrustables recently released two high-protein flavor options for those seeking to get a little more out of their snack. The sandwiches, which look and feel heavier than the originals, are just under double the size, calories, and fat content of the regular-sized versions. Most importantly, though, is that the sandwiches also have double the protein, making them 12 grams of protein per serving. Ideal for athletes (or anyone building muscle), this sandwich allows for more protein intake on fewer calories, which is especially useful if you aren't a fan of protein bars. Both Uncrustables high-protein options are good, but being that they are stuffed with nearly double the peanut butter, they are stickier and less balanced than the regular-sized options. For someone eating ravenously after a workout (and with a large bottle of water nearby), this might not matter, but compared side-by-side, the regular strawberry version edges ahead.

This is where the sandwiches get extra difficult to rank: From here on, all of the sandwiches are close to perfect. The jellies are all flavorful, the peanut butter is balanced, and the bread is fluffy, so the ranking has to come down, in part, to personal preference. To help sift through the final few sandwiches (and have the ranking less weighted on my own opinion), I offered samples to friends, asking which classics they prefer and which new flavors might have surprised them. Interestingly, strawberry was rarely mentioned as a favorite, especially compared to newer flavors. As a grape fan myself — though I'd never turn down either flavor — I had to place strawberry lower on the list.

The reason strawberries may be less popular than grapes is that grapes are a little sweeter, with a more dessert-like flavor and nostalgia for classic PB&J sandwiches. After all, when thinking of a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, you may be more likely to picture grape jelly over strawberry — and if not, the two may be switched in the ranking for you. Nevertheless, both classic options are staples and can easily take residence in the freezer. In mine, I'd stock a few other versions first. 

A fun play on the phrase "Up and at 'em," the second high-protein Uncrustable option is filled with peanut butter and apple cinnamon jelly. Delicious and unique, this flavor was a hit among my other testers and me, some even admitting that the flavor was their favorite overall. The problem, though, was again the hefty amount of peanut butter, which was especially evident when eaten frozen (as many Uncrustables fans prefer). The peanut butter, which thaws faster than the apple jelly, takes over the palate, resulting in a thick, chewy mouthfeel. How much this mattered seemed to depend on how thawed the sandwich was, but overall, it lost sandwich points when compared to other great options.

It isn't all bad — if it were, it wouldn't be ranked so close to the top. The apple cinnamon jelly is warmly spiced and flavorful, dancing on the tongue in a much more savory way than the sweeter jellies. This sandwich is perfect for fall and winter when it can be paired with apple ciders, mulled wines, or teas. It's also one of the better-tasting, palatable sandwiches early in the morning, which I'd imagine is the source of the playful name. Considering its higher protein content, this one is solidly one of the best, but it falls just short of the highest rankings.

When I introduced my testers to the many new flavors of Uncrustables, I couldn't help but tell them how good the peanut butter and chocolate-flavored hazelnut spread sandwich was. Unlike the plain chocolate-flavored hazelnut spread version that doesn't include peanut butter, this one is much more balanced, still tasting a bit like dessert but with a more salty flavor. I'd compare this one closer to a Reese's Cup, but with a fluffy bread exterior that makes it easy to eat any time of the day.

Hazelnut is a different flavor from peanut butter, and, along with chocolate, tastes nuttier, more earthy, and even a little bit wheaty or grainy. Peanut butter, on the other hand, has a milky sweetness and distinctly salty flavor, which we are used to tasting in peanut butter-chocolate treats. Because I love the flavor of peanut butter and chocolate combined, this sandwich is an easy favorite for me, and one I'd consider eating even for breakfast. The only reason it falls just short of the top three is that the remaining flavors are so much stronger, with better versatility for anytime snacking.

With complete understanding that this may be a hot take, I'm ranking the peanut butter and grape jelly flavor at number three on the list. This flavor was a steady favorite among my other testers and those I mentioned the ranking to, always among the first flavors listed. It's a favorite for good reason, as I mentioned with the strawberry: grape jelly is as classic as it gets, and for many, it's a source of nostalgia. Though I personally prefer two flavors a little bit more, this could very well be your number one choice, and I support it.

What earns each of the top three their coveted spots is largely their versatility, which is already clear in the grape jelly alone. Not only can you eat the grape jelly flavor any time of the day, but you can also enjoy it frozen or thawed with little risk to its taste or texture. In fact, some testers insisted on eating it frozen, enjoying the popsicle-like texture of the jelly within. A flavor that tastes like all our best childhood memories, this one earns a top spot among the best.

Trust me when I say this: Peanut butter and honey spread is the most underrated Uncrustables sandwich. The combination of peanut butter and honey tastes sophisticated, like it was made for adults, with a little less sweetness and a little more versatility than those with chocolate or jelly. The honey, while still lightly sugary, is far less sweet than jelly, making this sandwich better for those who want something straightforward without having to muscle through the stickiness of the peanut butter alone. The honey adds moisture and sweetness to the peanut butter without overdoing it, making it one of my favorite flavors overall.

What's best about the peanut butter and honey spread sandwich is its versatility. Not only will adults appreciate its subtle sweetness, but kids won't miss the jelly's sugar because the honey still provides a subtle sweetness. Better, it makes a perfect breakfast sandwich, afternoon snack, or late-night treat, pairing well with coffee, tea, or even a little whisky. It's a sandwich I'd regularly stock my freezer with, which earns it a spot in the top two.

Try as I might to not base the ranking on my personal preference, I can't help but rank the raspberry as the best Uncrustable sandwich. In fact, I'm convinced that anyone who claims grape to be the best hasn't yet tried raspberry, the tart and juicy equivalent of the deep purple jelly. Yes, it's likely you have to have an affinity for raspberry flavoring to prefer this one over the others, but nevertheless, I insist: It's the best flavor of the bunch.

From a technical perspective, the raspberry also seems to be filled more generously and thaw a bit faster than the other sandwiches, though only by a small margin. At the end of the day, the grape, strawberry, and raspberry are all similar vehicles, and which one ranks highest for you may depend entirely on which flavor you most prefer. If you haven't tried raspberry yet, I'd urge you to do so — it might just become your new favorite flavor, too.

It isn't easy to rank nine great sandwiches. All have good bread, even if made with whole wheat, and all but the added protein varieties have about the same amount of filling. To determine the lowest-ranked flavors, I considered those with a less pleasant mouthfeel or an unbalanced flavor, followed by those that felt too much like dessert. I then invited friends to try the flavors and took note of their preferences, averaging the responses with my own opinion to create a list of agreed-upon options. Finally, I considered which flavors are most versatile, evaluating whether they were better thawed or frozen (or both), and whether they could be eaten at any time of the day, any day of the week.