Peanut Butter and Jelly Bars — Soft and chewy PEANUT BUTTERY bars topped with strawberry jelly and a crispy oatmeal crumble topping!! Easy, no-mixer recipe that’ll be your new FAVORITE way to eat PB&J!!
Best Peanut Butter and Jelly Dessert
There’s nothing like the combination of peanut butter and jelly. So classic and perfect.
But when you combine peanut butter and jelly in dessert form and add a crumble topping, it’s even better.
The bars were a hit with kids and adults alike. I gave half the batch to a friend who declared them amazing and my family was begging for more after they demolished theirs.
It’ll be your new favorite way to eat PB&J.
Ingredients in Peanut Butter and Jelly Bars
I love how quick and easy this peanut butter and jelly recipe is! As a bonus, it uses very basic ingredients I bet you have in your pantry:
- Unsalted butter
- Creamy peanut butter
- Egg
- Brown sugar
- Vanilla extract
- All-purpose flour
- Salt
- Rolled oats
- Granulated sugar
- Strawberry jelly
For the jelly layer, I used Smuckers Fruit and Honey Strawberry Fruit Spread.
I love that it’s sweetened with honey and has a very short ingredients list. It’s wonderfully sweet and worked perfectly in the bars!
It spreads very easily which is especially nice here because the base layer bakes for 15 minutes and then you add the jelly and crumble topping. Having something that’s very easy to spread on tender, half-baked bars is a baker’s bonus.
How to Make Peanut Butter and Jelly Bars
This peanut butter and jelly dessert comes together in no time at all! Here are the basic recipe steps:
- Make the bars: In the microwave or on the stovetop, melt the butter. Then, add the peanut butter and heat for 30 seconds to soften. Whisk until smooth and combined.
- Add the egg, brown sugar, vanilla, and whisk until smooth.
- Add the flour, salt, and stir until just combined.
- Turn batter out into a foil-lined 8×8-inch pan and bake for 15 minutes.
- Make the crumble topping: Melt the butter, then add the flour, oats, sugars, salt, and stir to combine.
- After bars have baked for 15 minutes, remove pan from the oven, and spread the jelly in an even flat layer over the surface.
- Evenly sprinkle with the crumble topping mixture.
- Return pan to oven and bake until crumble topping is lightly golden browned and set.
FAQs
No! Don’t use quick cook or instant oats for the topping. They’re finer and behave like flour, which will make mixture too dry.
Of course! I love using strawberry jelly in this PB&J bars, but you may use any flavor of jam or jelly you like.
No, you can omit the crumble topping altogether if desired. In which case, you might just want to swirl the jelly into the bars before baking.
Most likely, yes. You can double the ingredients and then bake in a 9×13-inch pan.
Tips for Making PB&J Bars
Use a creamy, no-stir peanut butter for this recipe. Natural peanut butters tend to separate and can result in oily baked goods.
I recommend lining your pan with aluminum foil for easier cleanup. You don’t have to line your pan, but you DO need to grease it with non-stick spray at the very least.
Let the bars cool for about 90 minutes before slicing. The jelly needs times to cool and set up.
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Peanut Butter and Jelly Bars
Ingredients
Bars
- ½ cup unsalted butter, 1 stick, melted
- ⅓ cup creamy peanut butter, melted
- 1 large egg
- 1 cup light brown sugar, packed
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon salt, or to tast
Crumble Topping
- ¼ cup unsalted butter, half of 1 stick, melted
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- ⅓ cup old-fashioned whole-rolled oats, don’t use quick cook or instant, they’re finer and behave like flour and will make mixture too dry
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons light brown sugar, packed
- ¼ teaspoon salt, or to taste
- one 9-ounce jar Smuckers Fruit and Honey Strawberry Fruit Spread
Instructions
Bars
- Preheat oven to 350F. Line an 8-by-8-inch baking pan with aluminum foil, spray with cooking spray; set aside.
- To a large, microwave-safe bowl add the butter and heat on high power to melt, about 1 minute.
- Add the peanut butter and heat for 30 seconds to soften. Whisk the butter and peanut butter mixture until smooth and combined.
- Wait momentarily before adding the egg so you don’t scramble it. Add the egg, brown sugar, vanilla, and whisk until smooth.
- Add the flour, salt, and stir until just combined, don’t overmix.
- Turn batter out into prepared pan and bake for 15 minutes. While bars bake, make the crumble topping.
Crumble Topping
- To a large, microwave-safe bowl add the butter and heat on high power to melt, about 1 minute.
- Add the flour, oats, sugars, salt, and stir to combine. Mixture will be dry and sandy with some larger, well-formed crumble pieces; set aside.
- After bars have baked for 15 minutes, remove pan from the oven, and spread the fruit spread in an even flat layer over the surface, leaving a 1/2-inch bare margin at the edges.
- Evenly sprinkle with the crumble topping mixture.
- Return pan to oven and bake for about 25 to 28 minutes, or until crumble topping is lightly golden browned and set.
- Place pan on a wire rack to cool for at least 90 minutes before slicing and serving.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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Post brought to you by Smuckers. The recipe, images, text, and opinions expressed are my own.
Hi Averie. These bars are just what I was looking for. My grandson just loves peanut butter and jelly although I’m not sure if he would like the jelly on these bars. Can I sub peanut better for the jelly?
You mean make just an all peanut butter bar? I guess that would be fine but then they are not P & J bars.
I can’t believe the quick response. This is exactly what I told my grandson, but, I have to keep the kid happy. Thank you so much.