A great burger is a perfectly balanced equation: juicy meat atop a crispy bun, plus melty cheese with cold tomato, pickles and lettuce. For this peanut butter burger, we add a spread of PB that melts into the beef patty, creating savory umami, creamy richness and even a hint of sweetness. The resulting flavors are deliciously complex but won’t overshadow the classic burger taste.
If you’ve made your go-to burger recipe a hundred times and want to try something new, test out the peanut butter bacon burger. Trust us—this is one of our favorite unexpected burger recipes.
Peanut Butter Burger Ingredients
- Ground beef: The best ground beef for burgers is one with a slightly higher level of fat, such as 80-20. This ensures that the burgers stay juicy after cooking over the high heat of a grill.
- Seasonings: A burger with peanut butter and bacon already has a lot going on, so keep it simple here: Use a dash each of salt and pepper.
- Cheddar cheese: Savory cheddar is a classic burger topping. Use any kind of cheddar—mild or aged, classic or white.
- Hamburger buns: Any store-bought bun, traditional or even gluten-free, will work for a burger with peanut butter.
- Peanut butter: Peanut butter is both savory and a bit sweet, adding complex flavor to the peanut butter bacon burger. You want creamy peanut butter, which nearly melts into the hot burger patties.
- Bacon: Slices of bacon add a crisp texture and a deeply savory flavor to make a burger with peanut butter extra decadent.
Directions
Step 1: Shape the patties
Form the beef into six patties. Sprinkle each side with salt and pepper.
Step 2: Grill the patties
Grill, uncovered, over medium heat until a thermometer inserted into the center of the burgers reads 160°F. It should take four to five minutes per side.
Editor’s Tip: Flip the burgers only once during cooking to keep them juicy. And never squish them down with the spatula! That’s a common mistake when cooking burgers.
Step 3: Add the cheese
Remove the meat from the heat. Top each burger with a slice of cheddar. Cover and let stand until the cheese is melted, two or three minutes.
Step 4: Assemble the burgers
Spread the peanut butter on the bun tops. Place the burgers onto the bottom buns, then add bacon and finish with the top buns.
Recipe Variations
- Change up the cheese: As with all burger recipes, you can try many types of cheese here, such as Monterey Jack, American, provolone or Swiss.
- Use a different cooking method: Instead of grilling, broil or pan-fry your burgers.
- Add more toppings: Aside from peanut butter on a burger, other sweet-and-savory burger toppings include classics like caramelized onions, relish and fried eggs.
How to Store Peanut Butter Burgers
Here’s the trick to storing a peanut butter burger: Keep the patties separate from the buns and toppings. Trying to store the burger on a bun will make everything a bit soggy and sad. Store leftover patties in an airtight container in the fridge, and store any extra buns in a storage bag at room temperature.
How long do cooked burgers last?
Cooked burger patties will keep in the fridge for up to four days. To help them keep longer, refrigerate leftovers as soon as possible, ideally within an hour of cooking.
How do you reheat a peanut butter burger?
Reheat burger patties in the microwave, in a skillet on the stovetop or in the oven. (Cook on a baking sheet at 350° until the center of the patty is 160°, 7 to 10 minutes.) Whichever method you choose, flip the burgers once partway through so they heat evenly. Reheat the buns in a toaster or an oven until crisp.
Can you make peanut butter burgers ahead of time?
Peanut butter bacon burgers taste best freshly grilled, but you can shape the patties ahead of time. Follow Step 1, but wait to add the salt and pepper. Place the unseasoned patties on a tray and cover with storage wrap. Keep them in the fridge for up to two days, and remove them about 30 minutes before you’re ready to grill.
If you won’t use the patties within two days, put them in the freezer. Seal the uncooked burger patties in a freezer-safe container, where they’ll keep for up to four months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before cooking.
Peanut Butter Burger Tips
What’s the best way to shape a burger patty?
Be gentle when shaping the ground beef into patties; overmixing can make the meat tough. Lightly pat each patty into shape, trying to make it an even thickness. When giving pro tips for grilling burgers, a chef recommends dipping your thumb into the center of the patty after shaping it. The donut shape encourages even cooking and discourages the burger from swelling up in the middle.
How else can you cook peanut butter burgers?
We love to grill, but there are other ways to cook burgers. Our favorite methods include cooking burgers under the broiler, pan-frying them in a skillet or grilling them in a grill pan on the stovetop.
What can you serve with a peanut butter burger?
A burger with peanut butter and bacon tastes great with anything you’d eat alongside a classic burger. In the summer, try a classic cookout side like grilled corn on the cob, potato salad or cucumber salad. Or, make it a classic diner-style meal with a side of french fries and even milkshakes for dessert!
