Fried PB&J Recipe: Make The Purple Cow’s Famous Dessert at Home

This crispy, golden peanut butter and jelly sandwich turns a childhood favorite into an unforgettable dessert.

Fried PB&J

The Purple Cow

A peanut butter and jelly sandwich is already one of America's favorite comfort foods. At The Purple Cow, owner Lisa Bernstein took the childhood classic one delicious step further by dipping it in batter and frying it until golden brown. The result is one of the restaurant's signature desserts, with a crisp exterior giving way to warm, gooey peanut butter and sweet grape jelly. It's nostalgic, unexpected and guaranteed to bring out your inner kid. "We had a fryer in the original location and needed a hot item on the menu to qualify for a liquor license," Bernstein says. "I love PB&J, so I thought, why not fry it? We also did fried mac and cheese balls and fried grilled cheese with tomato soup."

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Ingredients

  

• Vegetable oil for frying
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup whole milk
• 2 eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 slices bread white, sourdough or your favorite variety
• 2-3 tablespoons All Natural Jif peanut butter
• 2-3 tablespoons Smucker’s Grape Jelly
• Powdered sugar for dusting

Instructions

 

• Heat 2 to 3 inches of vegetable oil in a heavy pan to 375 degrees.
• In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.
• In a separate bowl, whisk together the milk, eggs and vanilla. Add the dry ingredients, and whisk until smooth.
• Spread the peanut butter on one slice of bread and the jelly on the other. Assemble the sandwich, remove the crusts and gently pinch the edges together to help seal the filling.
• Dip the sandwich into the batter until fully coated, allowing any excess batter to drip off.
• Carefully lower the sandwich into the hot oil, and fry for 2 to 3 minutes per side, or until golden brown.
• Drain briefly, dust with powdered sugar and serve warm.

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Why Peanut Butter & Jelly Is America’s Favorite Sandwich

Few sandwiches are as iconic as peanut butter and jelly. The combination balances creamy, salty peanut butter with sweet fruit preserves, creating a simple meal that’s satisfying, portable and requires no cooking. The first published peanut butter and jelly recipe appeared in 1901 in the Boston Cooking School Magazine of Culinary Science and Domestic Economics. The sandwich became a household staple after World War II, when peanut butter, grape jelly and sliced bread were all included in U.S. military rations. Returning soldiers helped make PB&J a lunchbox favorite, a title it still holds more than a century later.

Creative Ways to Enjoy Peanut Butter & Jelly

Cookies: Bake thumbprint cookies filled with jelly, then drizzle with melted peanut butter.

French toast: Stuff a sandwich with peanut butter and jelly, dip it in an egg mixture, and cook like French toast.

Waffles: Spread peanut butter and jelly between two waffles for an easy breakfast.

Milkshake: Blend vanilla ice cream, peanut butter and a spoonful of grape jelly.

Banana bites: Sandwich peanut butter between banana slices, and drizzle with warm jelly.

Oatmeal: Stir peanut butter into hot oatmeal and swirl in your favorite jam.

Yogurt parfait: Layer vanilla yogurt with granola, peanut butter and berry preserves.

Ice cream topping: Warm peanut butter and jelly separately, and drizzle over vanilla ice cream.