The Amish breakfast I’ve eaten once a week for 25 years

My whole family is hooked.

Growing up, my family had a small RV that we used to take camping. We’d leave Chicagoland and drive to Michigan or Indiana, settling in for a few nights at a campground. My cousins would sometimes join, and all of us kids would insist on sleeping in a tent instead of the RV. We never lasted a full night in the tent, but it was fun to try!

One fateful day, the whole crew went to an Amish restaurant for a big breakfast before the drive home. I ordered pancakes, and to my surprise, they came topped with peanut butter. But it wasn’t just any peanut butter—it was some of the best peanut butter I had ever tasted.

My whole family tried it and got hooked. From then on, we had peanut butter on pancakes or waffles at least once a week.

It wasn’t until I was in college that I realized why that peanut butter tasted so good. For a while, I had just chalked it up to vacation magic when you eat a really great meal away from home—the circumstances made it special.

Then I learned that Amish peanut butter is actually a specific recipe made with three key ingredients.

What Is Amish Peanut Butter?

Amish peanut butter tastes so good because it’s much sweeter than regular peanut butter. It combines peanut butter, marshmallow fluff, and a little maple syrup to make it sweet, creamy, and easily spreadable.

You can buy it in jars at specialty stores around Amish country, but you can also make a batch at home, like I do. I use about one cup of peanut butter, 3/4 cup of fluff, and 1/4 cup of maple syrup. I put everything into a high-walled glass bowl, then mix it with a spoon.

If the mixture seems sticky and difficult to blend at first, give it a little time. It will soften as you stir. You can also add a little hot water, one tablespoon at a time, until it reaches the consistency you want.

The jar I keep at home is a little thinner than regular peanut butter, since I want it to spread easily.

How To Enjoy Amish Peanut Butter

Once you’ve made it, you can keep it in the fridge for a week. It’s excellent on pancakes, waffles, and toast. You can also mix it into oatmeal or overnight oats.

My favorite way to eat it is every Sunday morning, on a nice crispy waffle fresh off the waffle iron. I top it with sliced bananas and a few dashes of cinnamon.

This combination transports me back to those carefree campground vacation days with my family, which might actually be sweeter than the peanut butter itself.