Amish Recipe Series... Amish Church Peanut Butter Spread

When I visited an Amish community in southern Missouri last spring, I bought a couple of the traditional, faceless Amish dolls. Not all Amish communities still hold with the faceless doll rule, but many still do.


Why are the Amish dolls faceless?


Years ago, most dolls for ALL little girls were rag dolls without faces. Many of the Amish have retained this custom. It is believed that the reason is similar to the refusal to have pictures of people and is linked to the second commandment. ("Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me; And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments." Exodus 20:4-6)


At an early age, many Amish children are learning not to have images, likenesses, or idols... and a doll with a face is still considered by some as a graven image.


The recipe I am sharing with you folks today is NOT a canning recipe (so many yummy recipes have been shared with Canning Granny, including many non-canning... and I will share them all with you, hope that's OK), although you CAN store this in a mason jar, so does that count? LOL!


My opinion on this recipe is beside the point, I guess, but it seems terribly sweet to me! BUT... in most all the Amish cookbooks I've seen, the following recipe is included in one form or another, so apparently most Amish folks enjoy it. In my (our) romanticization of the Amish culture, I guess we think since they live so close to the land, that everything they do, down to what they eat, must be fresh and healthy as well. This is not the case, it seems! From what I have read, and the cookbooks I have perused... the Amish LOVE their sweets; their fat-filled goodies; and yes, even processed sugar, pasta, cheeses, etc. It is what it is!

Amish Church Peanut Butter Spread

Found on fullbellies.blogspot

"One of my kids favorite treats is a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Now imagine a peanut butter spread that is sweet enough on its own that you really don't miss the jelly. Imagine that you could almost eat it by the spoonful (though not recommended of course). I got a few Amish cookbooks for Christmas and in the midst of all the delicious recipes, some known some new to me, I found the recipe for this peanut butter spread which my kids LOVE.

It is usually served at Amish gatherings, especially on Church days where it will be served on homemade bread. It is also good on cakes, crackers, even pancakes."


1 cup light Karo syrup

½ cup peanut butter

¼ cup marshmallow crème


Mix all ingredients until smooth.

May refrigerate; let sit at room temperature a few minutes before using for sandwiches. Note: I don't refrigerate mine, I keep it in mason jars tightly closed.

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