10 Additions That Make Peanut Butter Toast For Breakfast Even Better

In a time where grocery prices are having us question our food preferences, it's nice to have an alternative to avocado toast and eggs. One of my favorite go-to breakfasts that takes only minutes to make is peanut butter toast. It has protein, you can take it with you on the go, it will stay with you through the morning, and you can add so many ingredients to enhance its flavor. As a recipe designer and chef, flavor is my focus, but as a mother, convenience is a major factor when it comes to breakfast choices.

Now, let's talk about approaches. You can slap some Jiffy on a slice of Wonder Bread, or you can spread freshly stone-ground peanuts on a whole grain sourdough loaf, and top with fresh chia berry jam, a sprig of thyme, and flaky sea salt. Peanut butter toast is so versatile and can reach just about anyone (except for those with nut allergies). It completely transforms with just a swap in the peanut butter brand. The options are endless, so I've narrowed it down to my top 10 favorite additions that make peanut butter toast for breakfast even better. The goal is to balance flavor and texture, and to find a complementary ingredient that is pleasing to your unique palate. Peanut butter and jelly are classic, but let's explore something a little more tantalizing.

There are two directions you can steer your ship in when it comes to peanut butter toast. The first is to lean into the savory notes, and the other is to couple it with something sweet. Peanut butter is notorious for being part of a salty-sweet combo, offering both a fatty mouthfeel and a salty finish. If you're a fan of peanut butter cups, then you might just want to melt some dark chocolate on your peanut butter toast for breakfast. And I would highly recommend it.

Consider using dark chocolate, as it has a more intense cocoa flavor, is typically less sweet, and creates a stronger contrast with the peanut butter in both flavor and aesthetics. Use some hot fudge or melt a chocolate bar to create an easy drizzle. Submerge your sealed chocolate bar in hot water, then clip the end and squeeze the melted chocolate out, or use a double boiler. If you're feeling rushed, you can certainly melt chocolate in a glass microwave-safe bowl, but I would recommend heating it only slightly, stirring it, and letting it melt further outside of the microwave. For a faster way to incorporate chocolate onto your peanut butter toast, use shaved chocolate. It will melt in your mouth as you eat it, and give you a similar flavor with a slightly different texture. Pair with salted, unsweetened peanut butter, preferably chunky, for a dynamic flavor and mouthfeel.

Why is it that sliced apples with peanut butter were such a big part of my childhood, but I don't eat them now? It's the perfect snack, loaded with sweet and salty notes, fiber and protein, crunchy and smooth. Well, if you've forgotten about this quick and easy tummy filler, then it's time to bring it back, but this time on toast. I like to use a whole-grain, hearty bread with my apples and peanut butter, because both carry a strong flavor. Smooth, salted, and unsweetened peanut butter is my favorite for this combination. But if you're the kind of person who sprinkles sugar on strawberries, then you might enjoy a sweetened peanut butter coupled with your apples. You can also include a small drizzle of honey to kick up the sweetness.

Be sure that your bread is thoroughly toasted so that it can hold the weight of the apples, and select a sweet variety of apple like Honeycrisp, Gala, or Golden Delicious. Keep those slices rather thin for easy biting and chewing, and if you're interested in an extra layer of flavor, sprinkle on some cinnamon or pumpkin spice mix. However, just the simple toast, apple, and peanut butter combo for breakfast will set an incredible tone for your day.

As a born and raised Vermonter, I like to use maple syrup in just about everything. It can be used to sweeten your stir-fry, soup, and even coffee. Maple syrup already has strong breakfast connotations, so it's a familiar ingredient to pull when looking for a way to sweeten your peanut butter breakfast toast. The syrup works wonders, but for a maple sweetener that won't slide off the peanut butter onto your fingers, I'd recommend maple sugar. You can buy it granulated, similar to white sugar, or coarsely ground, which is more like a crumble topping. I prefer the coarse ground, but it's harder to find, so work with whatever you have.

Whole wheat bread or an oat-based bread both tend to pair well with the intensity and earthy flavors of the maple syrup, and are nice and chewy. Use a smooth, unsweetened peanut butter so that the maple sugar chunks run the show, and if you're using an unsalted peanut butter, be sure to add some flaky salt to finish. This may be considered an unconventional way to use maple syrup in the kitchen, but here in Vermont, there's no such thing. If you're using maple syrup instead of the granulated sugar, then spring for a chunky peanut butter to add some texture.

Peanut butter is one of those ingredients that pairs surprisingly well with endless foods, and it seems we are constantly discovering new ways to enjoy it. Cheese is a less conventional pairing for peanut butter, but hear me out. Both are dense, fatty, salty, and savory. Both carry a slight sweetness and nuttiness, and are often used alongside bread. Because of these overlaps, the pair doesn't offer much duality, but instead helps to amplify the desirable components they share. There are plenty of different cheeses you could enjoy on peanut butter toast, but one of my favorites is cottage cheese, because it offers some notable contrast.

Cottage cheese has a very fresh flavor, along with a chunky texture and chilled temperature. Use a smooth, room-temperature unsalted peanut butter for a more savory outcome. Alternatively, use a sweetened smooth peanut butter to steer the dish in a sweeter direction. Both cottage cheese and peanut butter can lean sweet or savory, and the type of peanut butter you choose for your toast will determine which direction your breakfast will go in. Mascarpone has a similar flavor, slightly tangy like cottage cheese, but with a smooth and denser texture. If cottage cheese is just too lumpy for you, try mascarpone with chunky peanut butter instead.

If you've ever leaned into the peanut butter on your burger craze, then it's likely you understand just how magnificent it can be when meat and nut butters come together. Peanut butter can add even more density to meat, which already carries notoriety in that department. It's similar to adding mayo, which is salty, fatty, and melts in your mouth. Well, beyond just burgers, peanut butter pairs well with bacon, which adds a nice crunch to the mix. In particular, maple bacon or candied bacon adds some sugars that can play up on both the savory and sweet flavors.

Go with crunchy peanut butter here. If you like your breakfast to be ultra sweet, use a sweetened peanut butter, but you may find the sweetened bacon is enough. The double crunch of the bacon and the chunky peanut butter is quite pleasing, and you'll find that just these two ingredients, along with either a sourdough or hearty bread, will be magical. This filling, protein-packed breakfast will keep you full until lunch, and although it may not seem mainstream, you'll certainly be making it a part of your routine. It borders the line of the Elvis grilled cheese sandwich that has both peanut butter and bacon, but is a simpler, more breakfast-focused open-faced version. It's a great way to use leftover bacon, and sticks to the breakfast theme. Drizzle with maple syrup for extra sweetness, and top with crushed black pepper.

Similar to sliced apples, sliced bananas add a nice moisture content to the sticky peanut butter and dry toast. It helps to prevent peanut-butter mouth, as well as adds some natural sugars to the mix. I like to use ultra-smooth peanut butter, but if you're more of a chunky peanut butter kind of person, both can work wonders. Cut your banana slices thick, and layer them generously. Sprinkle with cinnamon or a drizzle of honey if you're looking for an extra boost of flavor, and enjoy the famous duo of peanut butter and banana over toast.

I like to use sourdough bread or oat-based bread. Either way, I slice it nice and thick and let it toast until golden brown. If you have the time and want to try something even more decadent, fry your banana slices in coconut oil until they are caramelized on at least one side. This will enhance their sweetness and create a dense and creamy texture. However, breakfast is unfortunately an oh-so-often rushed meal, so fresh bananas might just be the way to go with your morning flow. Use slightly spotted bananas with strong necks, and avoid rotten bananas or ultra green ones, which can have a dry mouthfeel or bitter flavor.

Peanut butter regularly dances with many flavors, one of those being caramel. The two seem to find themselves paired together often, and for good reason. Both are sticky, dense, and smooth. Their flavors have both contrasts and similarities that make them extremely pleasing when mixed. If you know how to make your own caramel sauce, then you must reserve some to drizzle over your breakfast peanut butter toast.

Because both the caramel and the peanut butter have a sticky texture, consider opting for crunchy peanut butter to add some diversity. A nice seedy bread, loaded with flax and pumpkin seeds, can also help to create intrigue in the texture department. I would recommend an unsweetened peanut butter, as the caramel needs no help in the sugar department, and you can use either a salted or unsalted nut butter, depending on how salty your caramel sauce is. If neither the peanut butter nor the caramel has salt, then top with flaky sea salt. Do you have a sweet tooth? Try a toasted white bread instead of a seedy or whole grain option for a more dessert-like feel. If you have the time and want to add to the fun, apples make a wonderful addition to both peanut butter and caramel. The apple will add some crunch and moisture, as well as fresh and tangy notes to break up the heavy spread and sauce.

Marshmallows offer so much more than that rounded vanilla sweetness. They have such a unique texture, being fluffy as can be and reacting beautifully to a flame. Try topping your peanut butter toast with toasted mini marshmallows or charred marshmallow Fluff. You can do this by using a torch, your broiler, or heck, start a campfire if you have the time and motivation to do so. The outcome of this is a sophisticated, open-faced version of a peanut butter and Fluff sandwich that you can safely call a breakfast food. You may not be a kid anymore, but does anyone really grow out of loving marshmallows? 

Take it one step further and lean into the campfire theme by adding a dark chocolate drizzle. Use a chunky, salted, unsweetened peanut butter, whether you use chocolate sauce or not, as the marshmallows will deliver intense sweetness. This nostalgic breakfast is a fun way to start your day, enjoy a little sugar kick, and fill your stomach with plant-based protein. But don't forget, marshmallows are not vegetarian due to the gelatin, so you'll want to give a heads-up to anyone who doesn't consume meat, or opt for vegan marshmallows instead.

For those of us without a major sweet tooth but who do enjoy a nice sweet and salty combination, dried fruit is a great choice for an addition to your peanut butter toast. The fiber in the dried fruit helps you to process the natural sugars, slowing the entry of glucose into the bloodstream so you don't spike and crash first thing in the morning. This helps provide natural and lasting energy, and coupled with the peanut butter, creates a protein-rich, fiber-filled breakfast. Peanut butter toast with dried fruit is not only healthy, but also delicious.

Choose raisins, dried figs, diced prunes, chopped dates, tart dried cherries, or dried currants. Why not use a combination for layers of flavor? The fruit helps break up the sticky texture of the peanut butter, but if you're a trail-mix kind of person, then opt for crunchy, salted peanut butter. Unsweetened is my preference here, but if the dried fruit isn't enough sugar for you, then make that decision with your taste buds. This is a great travel or camping breakfast, as bread, peanut butter, and dried fruit are all shelf-stable. However, refrigerating dried fruit will help it to last longer. Technically, keeping your nut butters in the refrigerator will help them to last longer, too, but you may find that they harden and are more difficult to spread and dig into with a knife.

As a Vermonter, maple syrup is my heart and soul. However, sharp cheddar cheese is a close second. It can be enjoyed melted on an apple pie or dropped into a cup of hot cocoa. There are plenty of unconventional ways to use cheddar cheese, but I find coupling it with peanut butter to be indulgent and daring. Have you ever thought about adding peanut butter to your grilled cheese? Well, adding cheddar cheese to your peanut butter toast isn't too far off from that concept.

I would recommend toasting your bread, spreading chunky or smooth unsalted, unsweetened peanut butter on top, adding crumbled, sliced, or shredded white cheddar, and setting it under the broiler or in the toaster oven for a moment to soften. The peanut butter will melt too, creating a luxurious, silky mix of cheese and nut butter. Use a quality sharp cheddar cheese, as it will compete with the peanut butter for top dog in this breakfast selection. Enjoy it on sourdough bread, and add an extremely light drizzle of maple syrup if you want to boost the sweetness of the breakfast toast. Although this combination may seem a little out of left field, it's satisfying and worth a try. Enjoy this filling, savory, dense breakfast with a side of fruit for balance.