Happy Hump Day! With things starting to normalize a bit more for some (not so much for others) I’m thinking we all can come to an agreement on one thing. PB&J’s are just the greatest invention ever, aren’t they? With school starting up again and kids getting ready to go back in some form or another, I figured this would be the perfect time to share one of my favorite recipes with you. If I’m certain about anything right now, whether you’re going to in person classes or doing your classes virtual, PB&J is bound to be in your schedule.
PB&J was a staple in my life growing up, and was literally the only sandwich I would allow my mom to send me to school with. I truly never got sick of it. Even now, I LOVE peanut butter and jelly. Sometimes (most of the time) when I make one for Oliver, I make one for myself too. I can’t help myself, they’re just too good. Something about the combination is just so comforting and so nostalgic. It almost doesn’t get any better. …Until today. Because today, I’m letting you in on a little secret. I found something that beats it. Something that takes peanut butter and jelly to a whole new level.
Peanut Butter and Jelly Bars.
These bars are crunchy, creamy, fruity, and just the right amount of salty-sweet all packed into one. With these laying around you may begin to wonder if you even need to buy bread anymore. Just replace your sandwiches with these bad boys. I promise you won’t be sorry.
Disclaimer: You may in fact be sorry when you’re mom finds out you’re eating sweets for lunch. It’s probably best to pack both the bars and the sandwich for good measure.
Looking for a few other back to school recipes? Here are some ideas:
Try this recipe out and let me know what you think in the comments below. Happy Baking!
Back to School PB&J Bars
Ingredients
Crust + Topping:
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1 lb butter, room temperature
- 1 1/2 tsps vanilla
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 tsps salt
- 1 cup dry roasted peanuts, salted, chopped
PB Filling:
- 8 oz butter, room temp
- 2 cups creamy peanut butter
- 1 1/2 tsps vanilla
- 1 3/4 cups powdered sugar, sifted
Other:
- 12 oz strawberry or raspberry jam
Instructions
Crust + Topping:
- In a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment cream together butter, brown sugar and vanilla. Add in flour and salt and mix until combined.
- Divide dough into 1/3's. (I like to level out the dough in the mixing bowl by gently patting it down and then drawing sections in the dough with my finger.) Take 2/3's of the dough and press it evenly into a half-sheet pan lined with parchment. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-22 minutes or until dough starts to turn golden brown.
- Add chopped peanuts to the remainder of dough and mix until combined. (I usually do this by hand or with a wooden spoon.) Set aside until ready to use.
PB Filling:
- While the crust is baking, in a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream together butter, peanut butter and vanilla. Add powdered sugar and mix until combined.
Assembly:
- When the crust is finished baking let cool 4-5 minutes. Once the crust has slightly cooled, spread peanut butter filling evenly over top.
- In a piping bag or ziplock with a corner cut off, pipe jam in a zig-zag pattern over top of peanut butter filling. Sprinkle top with pieces of reserved dough.
- Bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes or until top is reaching golden brown in color.
- Remove from oven and let cool completely. Cut into bars or squares and store in refrigerator for up to 1 week.
