It can be creamy or chunky, salty or natural — but no matter how you spread it, there's no denying that peanut butter is a stellar nutty topping. Every year, peanut butter takes the spotlight on March 1 for National Peanut Butter Lover's Day, but true fans know there's a proper way to celebrate peanut butter every day — cooking and baking with it, of course!

More From Delish: 18 Recipes Using Peanut Butter

Whether you like peanut butter for breakfast, in a sandwich, or in a rich dessert, we've got recipes that put the spread in the limelight. So go ahead, pick up a jar and head to the kitchen. Your family and friends are bound to shower you with thanks for providing such peanut buttery goodness.

Peanut Butter for Breakfast

<p>Whip up this breakfast treat with dependable staples right from your pantry: pancake mix, peanut butter, and chocolate chips.</p> <p><b>Recipe: </b><a href="/recipefinder/peanut-butter-chocolate-chip-pancakes-3440" target="_blank"><b>Peanut Butter and Chocolate Chip Pancakes</b></a></p>
Charles Schiller

Peanut Butter Pancakes

Banana-Peanut Butter Smoothie
Kate Mathis

Banana-PB Smoothie

<p>This easy open-faced sandwich makes a great snack or meal for young kids. A sprinkling of wheat germ adds an extra dose of good-for-you fiber.</p><br /><p><b>Recipe:</b> <a href="http://gogonow.org/recipefinder/peanut-butter-apple-muffin-recipe%22 target="_blank"><b>Peanut-Butter Apple Muffin</b></a></p>
Courtesy of Martha Stewart

Peanut-Butter Apple Muffin


PB&J Updates

<p>If you want a cookie sandwich-themed party, add <a href="http://gogonow.org/recipefinder/peanut-butter-jelly-cookies-desserts%22 target="_new">PB and J Sandwich Cookies</a> to the menu. You'll have to make the peanut butter-oatmeal cookies and sweet peanut butter filling in advance, but leave the sandwich creations to the kids.</p><br /> <p>You don't have to limit the filling to peanut butter and jelly. You can offer an assortment of fillings, like different-flavored jams, marshmallow, Nutella, and bananas.</p>
Iain Bagwell

PB&J Sandwich Cookies

<p>Inspired by National Sandwich Day, Flor de Caña rum teamed up with top mixologists to create cocktails like this PB&J created by Gianfranco of Tippling Bros.</p><br /> <p><b>Recipe:</b> <a href="/recipefinder/pbj-rum-cocktail-fdc1110" target="_blank"><b>PB&J Cocktail</b></a></p>
Courtesy of Flor de Cana

PB&J Cocktail

<p>A lunchbox favorite takes a trip to the dessert section with smile-inducing results. Peanut butter flavors the cake batter <i>and</i> the frosting, which yields a truly nutty cupcake.</p><br /><p><b>Recipe:</b> <a href="/recipefinder/peanut-butter-cupcakes-recipe" target="_blank"><b>Peanut Butter Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Frosting and Jelly</b></a></p>
Courtesy of Martha Stewart

Cupcakes with PB&J Frosting

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Perfect Peanut Butter Cookies

<p>No cookie table is complete without some classic creations. These tasty treats are kid-friendly, easy to prepare, and can be made in advance of the big day (store them in a tightly covered container at room temperature for up to two weeks or in the freezer for up to three months).<p><br/> <p><b>Recipe: </b><a href="/recipefinder/peanut-butter-cookies-4252" target="_new">Peanut Butter Cookies</a></p>
Frances Janisch

Peanut Butter Cookies

<p>These cookies will have a moist, brownie-like texture the day you make them and get crispier the following day. You can also make them with other favorite chocolate candies.</p><br /><p><b>Recipe:</b> <a href="/recipefinder/peanut-butter-surprise-cookies-recipe" target="_blank"><b>Peanut Butter Surprise Cookies</b></a></p>
Courtesy of Martha Stewart

Peanut Butter Surprise

<p>Moon pies are classic Southern sandwich cookies. Rebekah Turshen, the pastry chef at Nashville's <a href="http://cityhousenashville.com/">City House</a>, spreads crispy sugar cookies with chocolate and peanut butter, then sandwiches them around a marshmallow filling.</p><p><b>Recipe:</b> <a href="/recipefinder/chocolate-peanut-butter-moon-pies-recipe-fw0910"><b>Chocolate–Peanut Butter Moon Pies</b></a></p>
Con Poulos

Chocolate-Peanut Butter Moon Pies

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Peanut Butter On the Dessert Table

From Redbook January Recipes
Iain Bagwell

Peanut Butter Blondies

<p>Take your favorite childhood spread beyond the sandwich with this lusciously creamy cheesecake.</p> <p><b>Recipe:</b> <a href="http://gogonow.org/recipefinder/peanut-butter-swirl-cheesecake-desserts%22 target="_blank"><b>Peanut Butter Swirl Cheesecake</b></a></p> <p><strong>Related: <a href="http://gogonow.org/recipes/cooking-recipes/peanut-butter-desserts-012609%22 target="_blank">Perfect Peanut Butter Desserts</a></strong></p>
Iain Bagwell

Peanut Butter Cheesecake

<p>In this takeoff on the campfire classic, Grace Parisi replaces crunchy graham crackers with buttery store-bought pound cake, sandwiched with marshmallow fluff and peanut butter and served alongside a cup of warm melted chocolate for dipping.</p> <p><strong>Recipe:</strong> <a href="../../../recipefinder/peanut-butter-pound-cake-smores-recipe" target="_blank"><strong>Peanut Butter Pound Cake S'mores</strong></a></p>
Stephanie Foley

Peanut Butter Pound Cake S'mores

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Classic Pair: Peanut Butter and Bananas

<p>This is one of those happy-accident recipes. While Beth Lipton was baking at a bed-and-breakfast in Venice Beach, CA, a guest requested banana bread. She didn't have enough butter, so she swapped in peanut butter. She's been making banana bread that way ever since.<br /><br /> <b>From:</b> <i>You Made That Dessert? Create Fabulous Treats, Even if You Can Barely Boil Water</i> ©2009 by Beth Lipton. <a href="http://search.barnesandnoble.com/You-Made-That-Dessert/Beth-Lipton/e/9780762750085/?itm=1&USRI=You+Made+That+Dessert" target="_blank">Buy the book</a></p> <p><strong>Recipe:</strong> <a href="http://gogonow.org/recipefinder/peanut-butter-banana-bread-recipe%22%3E%3Cstrong%3EPeanut Butter and Banana Bread</strong></a></p>
Mark Russell

PB and Banana Bread

Give your PB&J an update with peanut butter, bananas, and any jam of your choice sandwiched between cinnamon-raisin swirl bread. Healthy and tasty: You can't beat that!<br /><br /><b>Recipe: <a href="/recipefinder/PB&J" target="_blank">PB&J with Bananas</a></b>
Theresa Raffetto

PB&J with Bananas

<p>Talk about a grab-and-go breakfast: This bagel topped with nut butter and banana slices is ready in just five minutes and easy to eat on the run.</p><br /> <p><b>Recipe: </b><a href="/recipefinder/bagel-gone-bananas-recipe-ew0910" target="_blank"><b>Bagel Gone Bananas</b></a></p>
Ken Burris

Bagel Gone Bananas