Trader Joe’s Peach Bellini Jam is one of our top summer finds, and it’s not just for spreading on toast—nor is any jam or fruit preserve, for that matter. Here are 15 ways to use jam or jelly that you might not have tried, with a special shout-out to peach jam since it is high summer.
A Shout-Out to Trader Joe’s Jam
There’s a lot to love about Trader Joe’s, and their seasonal products are one of the big draws. When they inevitably vanish from shelves for the year, it’s a little devastating—though still not as much as when non-seasonal items go; please don’t mention their recently discontinued German pumpernickel pretzels to me, because the pain is still too fresh.
Related Reading: Trader Joe’s Employee Spills Secrets (Including Seasonal Item Intel)
Some staples like Everything but the Bagel Sesame Seasoning are in no danger of ever disappearing (we hope), and at least the seasonal stalwarts only go away for a short while (who cares about Pumpkin Spice Lattes—tell me when TJ’s pumpkin waffles and pumpkin spice cream cheese spread are coming back).
Related Reading: Rank Your Favorite Trader Joe’s Seasonal Items
Their condiment aisle is but one treasure trove containing its share of seasonal treats. Alongside the usual jam and jelly flavors that play nice with peanut butter all year long, you’ll find summery selections like the lovely (and of course, limited-edition) Strawberry Fruit Spread with Natural Rose Flavor, and my favorite, Peach Bellini Jam.
: Peppery Peach Burrata—#tjsrecipe link in bioA balanced blend of peaches (the true star of the summer stone fruit group) and Prosecco, with just the right amount of sugar, it’s superb.
If you don’t live near a Trader Joe’s, you can buy plenty of their products online, including the Peach Bellini Jam, but there is a huge markup…so you might want to try Stonewall Kitchen’s Bellini Jam instead (which I can’t personally vouch for, but I’m generally in love with all their chutneys and sauces, so would wager it’s pretty great; plenty of positive reviews attest to that too).
Stonewall Kitchen Bellini Jam $7.95
The same combo of peaches and sparkling wine in a gorgeous golden preserve.
How to Use It
Here are 15 fantastic ideas for how to use peach jam (whether Peach Bellini Jam or otherwise), but there are scores more. And almost all of them apply equally well to other fruity flavors of jam, jelly, or preserves (though some, like the aforementioned strawberry-rose spread, might not be all that great with blue cheese, so use your judgment—and your tastebuds).
1. Pair It with Cheese & Crackers
Basic, yes, but just plain good. Dollop a bit of Peach Bellini Jam on top of cheese and crackers; both soft, fresh cheeses like goat, feta, and brie and hard, aged cheddar or gouda work well with it—even a sharp blue cheese sparkles against the sweet fruit flavor. Try subbing it in for fig jam in our Goat Cheese Crostini recipe (and keep the fried sage, because it’s also great with peach).
2. Stir It Into a Drink
A spoonful or two of peach jam (or any jam) is a great secret-weapon drink enhancer, whether mocktail, cocktail, or simply a glass of bubbly (you could even double down and make your Peach Bellini extra-peachy). Try it in iced tea—ideally made with white tea—and lemonade too.
3. Use As a Glaze for Grilled or Roasted Meat
Chowhound
Brush some peach jam onto grilled chicken or pork tenderloin in the last couple minutes of cook time for a sweet and savory bite; mix it with some salt, pepper, cayenne, garlic, and a touch of lemon juice or white balsamic vinegar first if you want a bit more complexity. Try swapping in Peach Bellini Jam for the apricot preserves in our Glazed Pork Tenderloin recipe, but leave out the cumin.
4. Melt It Into a Dessert Sauce
Chowhound
Need to improvise a chic and easy dessert (or just want to gussy things up a little for yourself because you deserve it)? Melt some Peach Bellini Jam into a sauce to pour over pound cake, fresh fruit, and whipped cream—or ice cream, of course. Grilled peaches are a nice addition in either case.
5. Use It As a Pizza Sauce
Brushed on a pizza crust instead of tomato sauce, peachy jam is the perfect partner for prosciutto and fresh mozzarella or burrata (plus red pepper flakes for a kick), or paired up with a funkier cheese like blue or brie.
Related Reading: How to Grill Pizza
6. Use It As a Sandwich Spread
Chowhound
Along those same lines, peach jam works fabulously as a sandwich spread for grilled cheese (ham optional but highly recommended), or for cold cheese/meat sandwiches too—but be sure to use a worthy bread, not the super squishy stuff. If you want to veer closer to PB&J territory, Peach Bellini Jam and almond butter is a nice twist.
7. Mix It Into Homemade Ice Cream
Chowhound
Swirled into homemade vanilla ice cream before it’s fully frozen, this jam makes for an easy peaches-and-cream style scoop. You don’t need an ice cream maker, either. (If you’re looking for a template, try using Peach Bellini Jam in place of the quick strawberry sauce in our Easy Strawberry Cheesecake Ice Cream recipe; keep the Biscoff cookie swirl if you like since its cinnamon-spice notes pair well with peaches too. And if you’ve yet to make your Trader Joe’s run, pick up a jar of their cookie butter while you’re there!)
8. Use It to Fill Hand Pies
Chowhound
Peach Bellini Jam makes a great filling for homemade Pop Tarts, especially if you drizzle a Champagne glaze on top. Never got that out of a box, nor will you ever.
9. Mix It Into Vinaigrette
Chowhound
Spoon some jam into a repurposed mason jar with oil, vinegar, salt, and pepper and shake it up into a simple vinaigrette to dress peppery greens like arugula (add fresh fruit to the salad too if you have it, particularly peaches or nectarines). If you’re down to the last dregs of your jam, just make the vinaigrette right in the almost-empty jar. Good to the last drop.
Related Reading: The Ultimate Guide to Perfect Salad
10. Use It to Candy Bacon
Chowhound
Ummm, yes, please. Make your bacon in the oven and when it’s almost done, brush both sides with Peach Bellini Jam for a fruity take on the classic candied bacon—perfect beside peach French toast or peach pancakes for a summer brunch (naturally, you can daub some more peach jam on top of those too)!
11. Use It In Fruit Salad
Chowhound
Whisk this (or any other) jam into a dressing for fruit salad and pair like with like (i.e., use the peach jam for a salad based on stone fruit), to intensify the flavors and add a little sheen.
Related Reading: 18 Secret Ingredients for Fruit Salad
12. Use It to Dress Up Yogurt
Chowhound
Casually fold some golden jammy goodness into your morning yogurt for a summery boost; leave streaks for a pretty marbled effect and bolder pops of sweet jam flavor against the tangy yogurt instead of fully incorporating it (unless you prefer that, of course). You can also freeze the fruit-swirled yogurt in ice pop molds for a healthy frozen treat any time of day.
13. Use It As a Glaze for Baked Goods
Chowhound
Melt jam and brush it on top of a fruit tart or Peach Upside Down Cake to add extra shine and sweetness. Or melt and brush onto the top of a plain pound cake or between layer cake layers so it soaks in a bit and adds a subtle fruity flavor; you can top it with a glaze or frosting (and if you do, the jam makes a nice flavor enhancer for that too).
14. Turn It Into a Spicy Dipping Sauce
Chowhound
Mix Peach Bellini Jam with as much Sriracha as you want for a fruity-spicy dipping sauce for summer rolls, salad rolls, spring rolls, egg rolls, fried shrimp, and even chicken nuggets (trust; it’s almost like dipping them in hot honey—a.k.a., the best chicken nugget dipping sauce of all time—but with a summery twist).
Related Reading: 50 Creative Ways to Use Sriracha, Just for Starters
15. Use It As a BBQ Sauce Secret Ingredient
Chowhound
Mix a healthy portion of peach jam (or any other flavor you fancy) into your favorite barbecue sauce for a a shortcut version of our Nectarine Barbecue Sauce recipe. Slather it on whatever you want—from chicken skewers to shredded jackfruit—and revel in the sweet-spicy flavors of true summer BBQ.
If you’re in need of more inspiration, check out this oldie-but-goodie Chowhound thread on what to do with peach jam. Or let us know your favorite ways to use up jam in the comments.
