To this very day one of my favorite things to eat for lunch is a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. I know most people probably stopped eating them after elementary school, but I could and would eat one every day, just ask Stephen. He loves to tease me when I can’t find anything to eat and I go directly to the cupboard and grab the jar of peanut butter. That said, when I stumbled upon this recipe I knew it was for me. It’s everything I love about PB & J but baked into delicious little bars + it’s quick to fix and you’ll most likely have the ingredients on hand. I adapted the recipe to better suit our tastes and it has turned out to be one of my favorite treats I have baked thus far! This recipe is really kid-friendly but is also great for adults too… just make sure you have a glass of milk nearby, you’ll need it!
Peanut Butter and Jelly Bars Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1 large egg
- 8 Tbsp (1 stick) unsalted butter - room temperature
- 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
- 1/3 cup dry roasted peanuts - chopped
- 3/4 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2/3 cup jam + ½ tsp cornstarch - mix together
Peanut Butter Drizzle
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 1/4 tsp vanilla
- 1 1/2 tsp peanut butter
- 1 Tbsp milk - warmed
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (175 degrees Celsius). Line an 8×8 baking pan with parchment paper. Set aside.
- In a medium-sized mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the butter, sugars, and peanut butter. Beat till smooth, approximately 1–2 minutes. With the mixing speed on low, add the egg and vanilla, and mix until incorporated.
- Slowly begin to add the dry ingredients. Mix until just combined. Remove the bowl from the stand and fold in the chopped peanuts.
- Press ⅔ of the dough into the bottom of the prepared pan. Then pour the jam mixture on top. Smooth out. Place the remaining dough in dollops over the jam. Bake for 35–40 minutes or until the top begins to brown. Remove from the oven and let cool for 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, to prepare the drizzle, in a glass measuring cup, warm the milk in the microwave (10 seconds on HIGH). Add the vanilla and peanut butter, and mix until smooth. Gradually add in the powdered sugar. Once the mixture is smooth, drizzle over the cooled bars. Cut and serve.
NOTES
Nutrition
Adapted from The Back In The Day Bakery Cookbook, PB & J Bars
How fun! My Hunny would love this. Thanks so much for linking up on Fabulous Friday at Faith, Trust & Pixie Dust. {Sorry I’m running late, I’ve been on vacation.}
Warmly, Michelle
These look yummy! My husband takes pb&j sandwiches every day for breakfast, these would probably be a elcome change.
I would love to have you link this up at my linky party! http://domesticrandomness.blogspot.com/2012/08/new-to-inlinkz-first-linky-party.html
Yum – I have been craving PB&J lately! Visiting from Friday Favs 🙂
These look delicious!! I’d love to have you link this up to Tasty Thursdays on The Mandatory Mooch. http://mandatorymooch.blogspot.com/2012/08/tasty-thursdays-2.html
Thanks, Nichi
I haven’t actually had a pb & j sandwich in a while…so I’ll just go straight for the bar!!! Yum!!!