Bored Of The Basic PB&J? Spice It Up For An Unexpected Kick

Almost everyone in the United States is well-acquainted with the delicious comfort of a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. While this nostalgic treat is undeniably tasty, Americans love it so much that we've invented lots of creative ways to upgrade an ordinary PB&J, from using crunchy peanut butter and seasonal fruit spreads to infusing the sandwich with the piquant goodness of cayenne pepper.

While a spicy PB&J might sound odd, it makes sense when you realize how well spicy flavors pair with both peanuts and fruit. After all, Thai peanut sauce is deliciously hot, and chile-infused Tajín is a traditional Mexican topping for all types of fruit, so infusing your sandwich with these flavors is definitely an upgrade. Additionally, it's super easy since all you have to do is stir cayenne, or your favorite hot sauce, into your favorite peanut butter to taste. The heat brings complexity to the peanut butter and awakens the tartness in sugary jelly, taming what can sometimes be cloying sweetness.

Speaking of jelly, you can also upgrade your PB&J with sweet and savory bacon jam infused with the spicy ingredient of your choice, or simply whisk some minced jalapeños into strawberry jam. It's also fairly easy to bloom and marry all the flavors and give your PB&J an indulgent makeover by sticking it in the air fryer.

One of the reasons peanut butter tastes so good infused with spicy flavor is because a spoonful of the plain stuff is great for taming spice on the palate after you eat something slightly too zesty. Its natural oils help soften the heat from the capsaicin usually responsible for making things taste spicy, so you get that gorgeous burn without totally wrecking your mouth. The same goes for blending spice with the sweetness of jelly or jam; the sugars smooth the rough edges of spicy flavor to create a balanced tanginess that's still warm and delicious.

The aforementioned suggestions are great for initial experimentation, but once you get the hang of combining flavors, the sky's the limit. For instance, jalapeño pineapple jam and sriracha-infused peanut butter sprinkled with coconut flakes is a spicy, tropical dream of a sandwich, especially on a sweeter bread such as King's Hawaiian rolls. Orange marmalade is also a great choice for blending with spicy flavors, such as equal parts spicy pepper jelly. Stir some smoky chili powder and melted chocolate chips into your peanut butter to take full advantage of all the best flavor combinations.

If you're a true connoisseur of heat and spicy things, you should also choose your bread carefully. A sweeter bread offers relief from the heat, but a spicy bread, such as jalapeño sourdough or homemade cayenne sandwich loaves, can take the interior flavors to new horizons.