5 Things You Can Make Right in an Almost-Empty Peanut Butter Jar

Don’t waste a single smidge.

Try as you might, it’s almost impossible to get every last bit of peanut butter out of the jar, even with a spatula. There’s always some of the creamy (or crunchy) goodness left under the top lip of the jar and in the bottom creases.

It seems a shame to waste it, but other than give it to the dog to stick his face in and lick the last bits out, what can you do? Turns out, a lot! You can use the ends of the peanut butter in the container as the jumping-off point for a recipe made right in the jar.

Much like using up every last bit of jam by making salad dressing, flavored milk, or sparkling jam water right in the jar, there are foods and drinks you can make right in an almost-empty jar of peanut butter, like a Shaken Peanut Butter Espresso.

Put the spatula away and let the last bits stay for these five recipes that you can make in a glass or plastic peanut butter jar, although you may want to stay away from any of the microwave recipes if your jar is plastic.

Peanut Butter Milk

Leave about 2 tablespoons of peanut butter in the jar, grab an immersion blender, and gather these ingredients: 3/4 cup whole milk, 1 tablespoon sugar, and 1/8 teaspoon vanilla extract. Add them to the jar of peanut butter and blend them together with the immersion blender. You can also add a little chocolate syrup if you like. If you don’t have an immersion blender, add all the ingredients, screw on the lid, and shake, shake, shake until everything comes together.

Peanut Butter Hot Chocolate

Pour whole milk and hot chocolate mix into a glass peanut butter jar with a couple of teaspoons still in it. Stir. Microwave until it’s warmed through, making sure not to let it boil or the milk will spill over. Stir again to incorporate the peanut butter that’s loosened from the jar. If you have leftover peanut butter in a plastic jar, warm the milk on the stove first. Then add it and the hot chocolate mix to the jar and stir.

Peanut Sauce

On Instagram, @vegan_bowlsrecipe adds 2 tablespoons soy sauce, 1 1/2 tablespoon rice vinegar, the juice of 1 lime, 2 tablespoons maple syrup, 1 tablespoon fresh grated ginger, 2 tablespoons hot sauce (such as Sriracha), and 2 tablespoons warm water to the leftover peanut butter (about 5 tablespoons) in a jar. She then shakes it all until it's completely mixed, and voila! Peanut sauce! You can use the sauce for chicken satay, to pour over noodles, or as a dip for raw vegetables.

Overnight Oats

You can use your favorite peanut butter overnight oats recipe or adapt this Peanut Butter and Jelly Overnight Oats recipe for a jar with about 2 tablespoons of peanut butter remaining. The recipe makes enough for four servings, so we suggest you half the amounts of the almond milk, oats, chia seeds, maple syrup, salt, and strawberry preserves to make two servings in your peanut butter jar.

To ensure the peanut butter mixes well with the rest of the ingredients, add the almond milk first, shake hard, or mix with an immersion blender. Then add the remaining ingredients and mix together before letting them sit overnight in the refrigerator.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Snack Mix

This is one of the recipes you should use for peanut butter in a glass jar. Start with a jar with about 2 tablespoons of peanut butter left in it, add 1 teaspoon vegetable oil and 1/4 cup chocolate chips. Microwave on high at 15-second intervals, stirring after each interval, until the ingredients in the jar form a smooth sauce.

On a baking tray, spread out salty, crunchy snacks such as Rice Chex, mini pretzels, nuts, and broken-up potato chips. Pour the peanut butter-chocolate mix evenly over the snacks. Refrigerate until the sauce is hard. Break up the pieces on the tray if needed and serve.