Peanut Butter and Jelly Treat Bars
Kick it Old-School with Peanut Butter and Jelly Bar Cookies
Who says you can't transform the classic peanut butter and jelly combo into a scrumptious dessert? Recreate the magic with these chewy bar cookies. The deliciousness doesn't stop at the sandwich - baked goodness is just a mix away!
- Yield: 18 (3-inch by 1.5-inch) bars
- Difficulty: A piece of cake, literally!
- Estimated Time: 1 hour, 30 minutes including cooling time
Ingredients (9)
- 1 cup all-purpose flour, plus a bit more for dusting
- 1 cup rolled oats
- 1/3 cup tightly packed light brown sugar
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 cup chunky all-natural peanut butter (without any added salt or sugar)
- 10 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces and kept at room temperature, plus extra for coating the baking pan
- 1 heaping cup chunky strawberry jam
Let's Get Started!
- Heat up the oven to 350°F, get a rack in the middle. Grease a 9x9-inch metal baking pan with a bit of softened butter, then dust it with flour, shaking off any excess. Set it aside for the moment.
- Combine flour, oats, sugars, salt, and baking soda in a large mixing bowl. Use your own two hands to get a little messy and mix in the chunky peanut butter. Continue kneading until the ingredients are uniformly combined. Toss your room temperature butter in there and keep squishing everything together until the butter is fully incorporated and no large chunks remain.
- Plop two-thirds of the mixture into the prepared pan. Smooth it out by pressing it down tightly and evenly with a measuring cup that's been dusted with flour. Stick the rest of the mixture in the fridge—we'll come back to it shortly.
- After 15 minutes in the oven, the edges should start to turn golden brown. Pull the pan out, putting it on a cooling rack.
- Plop the jam over the crust and use a spatula or butter knife to spread it into an even layer. Be cautious not to disturb the crust beneath. Take the reserved oat mixture and break it up into pieces around the size of almonds. Sprinkle evenly over the jam.
- Give your masterpiece another round in the oven for about 20-25 minutes, until the jam is bubbling and the topping is golden brown.
- Move the pan to a cooling rack and let it chill for a solid hour and a half. Once it's cooled, slice it into 18 bars—3 inches by 1.5 inches.
Enjoy your homemade Peanut Butter and Jelly Bar Cookies packed for lunch, or tuck them into a picnic basket! If you're craving more bar cookie recipes, check out CHOW for some scrumptious ideas.
Fun Fact: The classic peanut butter and jelly sandwich, also known as a PB&J, is a staple in American cuisine. It was particularly popular during World War II because of the frugal nature and simplicity of the recipe, with peanut butter serving as a cheap protein source. Yum!
- Mix the chunky strawberry jam with the reserved oat mixture to resemble nuts in size, then sprinkle evenly over the baked crust.
- If you're seeking more bar cookie recipes after your Peanut Butter and Jelly Bar Cookies, explore CHOW for a variety of scrumptious ideas.
- The creditline for this Peanut Butter and Jelly Bar Cookies recipe is a275d8616370bb5a06eb1065c6f7dcb5.
