Peanut Butter & Jelly Crumble Bars
40aprons.com/peanut-butter-jelly-bars/The ultimate sweet treat for PB&J lovers these Peanut Butter and Jelly Bars feature a buttery peanut butter shortbread-style base, a thick layer of your favorite jam or preserves, and an oaty peanut butter crumble topping!
Recipe Makes (Approximate):
Equipment
- 8x8-inch metal pan
- baking parchment
Ingredients
Peanut Butter Base
- 1 cup creamy peanut butter (not natural/drippy)
- ¾ cup unsalted butter (melted and slightly cooled)
- 1 cup packed light brown sugar
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 large egg yolk
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
Jam Layer
- 1 ¼ cups jam or preserves (strawberry, raspberry, grape, or mixed berry all work)
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice (optional but great if the jam is very sweet)
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch (only if your jam is thin or runny)
Peanut Butter Crumble Topping
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ cup old-fashioned oats
- ⅓ cup packed light brown sugar
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 5 tablespoons unsalted butter (melted)
- ⅓ cup creamy peanut butter
- ¼ cup chopped peanuts (optional but excellent)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line an 8x8-inch metal pan with parchment paper, leaving overhang on two sides so you can easily lift the bars out of the pan later.
- In a large bowl, whisk together melted butter, peanut butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until smooth. Whisk in eggs, egg yolk, and vanilla.
- Add flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda. Stir until just combined. The dough will be thick and soft, almost like a peanut butter cookie dough/blondie batter.
- Press about two-thirds of the peanut butter dough into the bottom of the pan. Use slightly damp hands or a spatula to press it into an even, compact layer.
- In a small bowl, stir together the jam with lemon juice if the jam is a little sweet. If the jam is loose, stir in the cornstarch. Spread the jam evenly over the base, leaving about a ¼-inch border around the edges so it does not bubble too aggressively against the pan.
- Dollop the remaining peanut butter dough over the jam in small pieces.
- For the crumble, stir together flour, oats, brown sugar, and salt. Add melted butter and peanut butter. Mix until clumpy. Stir in chopped peanuts if using.
- Scatter the crumble over the jam and peanut butter dollops, leaving a few little jam pockets visible.
- Bake for 35–42 minutes, until the top is golden, the edges are set, and the center looks puffed and no longer wet. A toothpick inserted into a peanut butter section should come out with moist crumbs, not raw batter. Avoid testing through a jam pocket.
- Cool completely in the pan, then chill for at least 1 hour before slicing. This is what makes them cut into thick, clean bars instead of collapsing.
Recipe Notes
Choosing your peanut butter: Use regular creamy peanut butter like Jif or Skippy, not natural peanut butter. Natural PB can make the base oily, crumbly, or weirdly dense.
Portion sizes: This recipe can yield either 16 good snack or dessert-sized bars, or 9 very large, bakery-style squares depending on how you cut them. With a very sharp knife you could also get them smaller for bake sale-style bites.
Storage: Store the cooled bars in an airtight container at room temperature for 3-4 days, or in the refrigerator for up to a week. I like them cold from the fridge, but you can also let them sit at room temperature for 10–20 minutes if you prefer a softer texture!
Optional peanut butter drizzle: Drizzle the cooled bars with a quick glaze made from ¼ cup peanut butter + ½ cup powdered sugar + 2 to 3 tablespoons milk + pinch of salt.
Nutrition Information (Approximate)
Calories: 497calProtein: 4gFat: 14gSaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 0.5gCholesterol: 53mgSodium: 200mgPotassium: 63mgTotal Carbs: 22gFiber: 1gSugar: 3gNet Carbs: 21gVitamin A: 405IUVitamin C: 0.5mgCalcium: 29mgIron: 1mg
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