Seriously, who didn’t at one point love a peanut butter & jelly sandwich? (excluding all of those with peanut allergies, of course) I think I requested a peanut butter & jelly sandwich for my lunch box everyday for at least 3 years straight. My mom would use a cookie cutter and shape the sandwiches into hearts & slip little notes in saying how much she loved me 
, she’s the best. So continuing on with my theme of childhood food memories I decided to make these Peanut Butter & Jelly Bars I found in one of the Everyday Food Magazines my Mommom saved for me.
I wanted them to taste exactly like the sandwiches my mom used to make so I bought Skippy brand peanut butter & Welsh’s Grape Jelly. These couldn’t be more on point! I brought a couple into work today, sat them in the kitchen and they were gone within 5 minutes, I’ve even gotten requests for more. I guess everyone likes a little throwback to their childhood. (Not that I don’t totally love pb&j sandwiches still!! 
)
Peanut Butter & Jelly Bars
Ingredients
nonstick cooking spray
1 1/2 c Ap flour
1/2 t baking powder
1/4 t salt
3/4 c pb
3/4 c brown sugar
1/2 c unsalted butter
1 large egg
1 t vanilla extract
3/4 c grape jelly
1/2 c coarsely chopped dry-roasted peanuts (I only used 1/4 c)
Preparation
Preheat oven to 350. Line an 8x8x2 in metal baking pan w/ heavy duty foil, leaving a 2 inch overhang around the edges. Coat foil w/ nonstick cooking spray.
Whisk flour, baking powder & salt in a small bowl. Using an electric mixer beat peanut butter, sugar, and butter in a large bowl until smooth. Add flour mixture, beat on low speed just to blend.
Transfer half of dough to prepared pan, place the remaining in the freezer for 10 minutes. Using fingertips press dough evenly onto bottom of pan. Spread jelly over in an even layer.
Remove dough from freezer, break into grape size pieces and scatter over jelly layer. Sprinkle chopped nuts on top.
I rolled the dough from the freezer into balls, thought it might look prettier
Bake bars until top is golden brown, about 30 min. Cool bars completely in pan on rack.
It was tough to resist just digging right in!
Using foil overhang as aid, lift bars from pan. Gently peel foil from edges. Cut into squares.
- But it was definitely worth the wait…
I still live on PB & J sometimes! Thanks for sharing, I love the sound of this. It’s so unique but crowd-pleasing!
Oh yum! PB&J has to be a childhood favorite for everyone. These bars look scrumptious. I am definitely going to make these. Buzzed!
These look fantastic, but of course I drool over anything peanut butter:-)
These are incredible! I am SO happy to buzz these! I loved PB&J when I was a kid, too! When I’m feeling a need for one and it isn’t lunch time (it never is…) I eat honey roasted peanuts and dried apricots as a snack. This is a great recipe!
Thank you!
Love the snack idea, I’m totally stealing that from you!
I loved peanut butter and jelly sandwiches too! Raspberry jam way my favorite! I love the way you made these bars, the drops of dough on the top are so cute!
Thanks Vicki! I think next time I will try them with a raspberry or strawberry jam. That sounds so good!
I love the little balls of peanut butter on top! I’ve never seen a recipe for PB&J bars that included this before. So fun! I’m still a fan of PB&J in my lunchbox. And my mom used a cookie cutter on them too when I was a kid! Love it.
Aren’t moms the best
These tasted exactly like a pb&j sandwich, it’s pretty fantastic if that’s what you’re craving
Oh I was just telling my friend I wanted to make these yesterday! Now I dont even have to search for a recipe! Awesome – they look so comforting and yummy!
They really bring you right back to home. Thanks Lindsey!
Those looks great! Look at all those balls of peanut butter!