Peanut Butter and Jelly Snack Bars

These delightful snack bars are a little like a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, a little like a granola bar, and a little like a cookie. This means that they bring back memories of eating peanut butter and jelly sandwiches as a kid, but they’re also a tasty, satisfying snack!

Ingredients

(Adapted from this recipe.)

• 2 cups flour (I used white whole wheat, but all-purpose should work fine)
• 2 cups old fashioned oats
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 cup natural peanut butter (smooth or chunky)
• 2 sticks butter, cut into small pieces and at room temperature
• 2 cups fruit jam (I used raspberry)

Instructions

Heat the oven to 350°F and arrange a rack in the middle. Lightly grease a 9×13 inch baking pan with butter.

Place the flour, oats, sugars, salt, and baking soda in a large bowl and whisk to combine. Add the peanut butter and, using your fingers or a pastry cutter, work together the oat mixture and peanut butter until evenly combined. Scatter the butter pieces over the mixture and, using your fingers or a pastry cutter, combine until evenly mixed.

Place two-thirds of this mixture into the prepared pan and press it firmly and evenly into the bottom; set the remaining mixture aside. Bake until the edges start to brown, about 15 minutes.

Remove the pan from the oven to a wire rack. Spread the jam over the crust in an even layer, taking care not to disturb the crust. Crumble the reserved oat mixture over the jam. Return the pan to the oven and bake until the jam is bubbling and the topping is golden brown, about 20 to 25 minutes.

Remove the pan to the wire rack and let it cool completely, about 1 1/2 hours. Cut into 24 bars and enjoy!

Notes

These bars taste quite similar to classic peanut butter and jelly sandwiches! I refer to them as “snack bars” instead of “cookie bars” because their texture is more like a granola bar than a cookie (they are dense and chewy, not delicate and light). They aren’t overly sweet, but they do satisfy you if you’re looking for a snack that is savory with just a hint of sweetness.

Both of my kiddos enjoyed these. They make a great treat for kids because the bars are similar to cookies, but they aren’t packed with sugar and the oats and peanut butter are quite filling. They do produce a lot of crumbs; however, so be prepared for this if you’re serving them to kids!

There are lots of ways you could customize these, including using different flavors of jam and adding some coarsely chopped peanuts to the portion of the dough you crumble on top of the bars. Let your kids—and the kid in you—enjoy the flavor of PB and J in these fun little bars!

What cookie bars or snack bars have you been enjoying lately?

Shared at the following:

Weekend Potluck, Modest Monday, Tuesdays with a Twist, Whisk It Wednesday, and Over the Moon.