8 New Ways to Make a PB&J

While peanut butter and jelly are considered an inseparable pair for good reason, some especially compelling newcomers to the nut butter and jam aisles have forced the question: Why can't that dynamic duo involve watermelon seed butter and chia jam? Or CBD almond butter plus damson plum? We can't stop raving about these updated combinations that are sure to excite both PB&J loyalists and change-seekers alike.

READ MORE: Our Favorite PB&J Recipes

1. 88 Acres Roasted Watermelon Seed Butter

Watermelon season is fleeting, but this unexpected seed butter extends the best part of summer by imbuing subtle sweetness, delicate, chunk-free texture, and just a hint of toasty salinity into sandwiches year-round.

88 Acres Organic Watermelon Seed Butter (2 Pack) $27 at amazon.com

2. OmMade Espresso Ecstasy Peanut Butter

Associate Features Editor Nina Friend loves this peanut butter made from Virginia peanuts. It makes for an ideal balance of sweet and bitter, and founder Radhika Murari adds just enough espresso powder for it to be flavorful without overpowering the deliciously nutty taste.

OmMade Espresso Ecstasy Peanut Butter, $20 at www.ommadepb.com

3. Field Trip Chickpea Butter

Easily the thickest (and closest to peanut) of the butters mentioned here, Field Trip Chickpea Butter tastes like tahini's and peanut butter's long-lost cousin. Be warned: It'll quickly overpower delicate jams, which is why the bold, vanilla-centric flavor of BRINS' banana jam is our favorite pairing.

Field Trip Chickpea Butter, $8 at amazon.com

4. Groovy Butter Stone Ground Almond Butter

Hemp-derived CBD is a key part of the package with this intensely creamy, drizzle-worthy almond butter, and while we can't confirm that it will make you chill, it does beg to be paired with Ayako & Family's tart and floral damson plum jam–and no one can be super-stressed while eating plum jam.

Groovy Butter Stone Ground Almond Butter, $22 at groovybutter.com

5. Oswald Co. Blueberry Chia Smash

Surprisingly smooth for a seeded jam and more tart than sweet, this jam shines when used as an accompaniment to sweeter nut butters like 88 Acres' roasted watermelon seed offering or even when spooned generously on top of an already sweetened yogurt.

Blueberry Chia Smash (3-pack), $25 at bubblegoods.com

6. Heidi's Raspberry Red Chile Ginger Jam

Senior Food Editor Mary-Frances Heck says that this jam tastes more like raspberries than fresh raspberries do. The addition of the red chile brings a mild, warm piquancy that accentuates the fruitiness of the preserves, and the ginger just absolutely explodes in your mouth. Pair this with a straightforward peanut butter for maximum impact.

Heidi's Raspberry Red Chile Ginger Jam, $10 at heidisraspberryfarm.com

7. Brins Banana Jam

The jam mavens at BRINS in Brooklyn have made bananas, a beloved PB&J add-on, more convenient. Vanilla beans are a definitely noticeable sweetener here, but they don't overpower the fruit; stir this jam into oatmeal or slather it on rice cakes with some Oswald Co. Blueberry Chia Smash.

Brins Banana Jam, $10 at brinsjam.com

8. Ayako & Family Damson Plum Jam

We're especially fond of the herbaceous, vibrant red currant notes in this jar made exclusively with damson plums by second-generation jam maker Alessandra Hisako Gordon; it evokes the nostalgia of a classic Concord grape jelly.

Ayako & Family Damson Plum Jam, $14 at ayakoandfamily.com