I can hardly believe that back to school time is upon us again! My kids don’t officially start for another few weeks, but we’ve already started the process of shopping for new clothes and school supplies. Since I pack my kids’ lunches every day, I’ve also been thinking a lot about lunchbox ideas, and compiling a list of easy recipes to have on hand when school starts. My kids get bored easily with sandwiches, but I’m often too tired in the morning to come up with lunches that are very fancy or exciting. We usually stick to a simple protein (like ham slices, turkey slices, string cheese, or hummus) with some whole grain crackers, and a fresh fruit and vegetable (usually sliced apples, grapes, carrot sticks, or snap peas). It’s simple, delicious, and quick to pack, and my kids will always eat it! I always like to send them with a little treat on Fridays, to celebrate that we made it through another week of school, and these peanut butter and jelly bars are perfect for that! They always put a smile on my kids’ faces, and they look forward to finding their little treat every week. These bars are so simple and delicious!
Peanut Butter and Jelly Bars
The full recipe is at the bottom of this post, but here’s what you’ll need:
butter peanut butter brown sugar egg flour old-fashioned oats jam of your choice (raspberry, strawberry, apricot, etc.)
These peanut butter and jelly bars are so simple and quick to mix up! The dough has just six ingredients that you probably already have in your pantry and fridge, and you can easily mix it by hand or with a mixer. The dough will be very crumbly and thick, but keep mixing until it’s all mixed together.
Once the dough is finished, you’ll press about 2/3 of it into a greased or parchment lined 9 x 13 pan in an even layer. I usually just use my hands to press it down, and it works great.
Next, spread a cup of jam over the top of the dough. I used homemade raspberry jam (my favorite!) but store bought jam will also work well. Make sure to spread the jam as evenly as possible, so you can get that sweet jammy flavor in every bite.
Next, sprinkle the remaining dough over the top as evenly as possible. It should be pretty crumbly and easy to sprinkle.
Bake the bars until they’re golden brown and crisp on top, then let them cool completely before slicing and serving.
These peanut butter and jelly bars are the perfect balance of sweet and salty, and crispy and chewy. I love the combination of sweet jam and salty peanut butter, and the buttery crumbly topping is to die for.
These bars will keep for up to a week if stored in an airtight container, so they are perfect for making ahead of time and enjoying whenever the craving strikes. We’ve brought them on road trips several times and they always hold up really well. They are so flavorful and delicious!
If you’re looking for a nut free (but equally tasty) version of these bars, be sure to check out these strawberry crumb bars. And for more completely delicious bars that are perfect for lunchbox treats or after school snacks, be sure to check out these M&M’s cookie bars, loaded peanut butter cookie bars, and snickerdoodle cookie bars. Happy baking! These crunchy and sweet peanut butter and jelly bars are the perfect after school snack. They’re so easy to make, and totally delicious!
