These peanut butter and jelly bars are made with a peanut butter cake mix cookie crust. They are the perfect dessert to make for National Peanut Butter and Jelly Day!
Ahhh…what a classic…peanut butter and jelly! Many of us could never count the number of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches in their childhood. National Peanut Butter and Jelly Day celebrates this lunchbox staple. I decided to try making a dessert that included one of my favorites…cake mix…of course! These bars are soft, chewy, crunch and gooey. The crunchy part comes from the crunchy peanut butter which is my husband’s favorite. It’s funny how when you are married to someone for 18 years (okay not quite but our anniversary is next week so close enough) you start to become more like the other person. Prior to Brian, I had never eaten crunchy peanut butter and now I grab the crunchy more often than the creamy. But don’t tell him because he is still trying to figure out why the crunchy peanut butter disappears so quickly!
The top includes peanut butter chips and small crumbles of the cookie crust. The gooey part of the bar is the grape jelly that is in them. Grape jelly is another thing that Brian brought to our life although I have not converted on this one…yet. I still love strawberry and raspberry jellies the most. But my kids, on the other hand, they aren’t quite sure what to do with a PBJ that includes a jelly besides grape!
I started with a Pillsbury white cake mix, Peter Pan crunchy peanut butter, Smucker’s low sugar grape jelly, peanut butter chips, canola oil and eggs.
Mix together the cake mix, eggs and canola oil. Remove 1/2 cup of the mixture to use for the topping. Press the rest of the mixture into a lined pan and spread grape jelly over it.
Bake the bars at 350°F for 20-25 minutes.
I love all of the different textures in these peanut butter and jelly bars!
Cut the peanut butter and jelly bars into large slices and enjoy them with a glass of milk.
Happy Peanut Butter and Jelly Day!
- 1 white cake mix
- 2 eggs
- 1/3 cup canola oil
- 1/2 cup crunchy peanut butter or creamy
- 1/2 cup grape jelly or other flavor
- 1 cup peanut butter chips
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Preheat oven to 350°F.
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Mix together cake mix, eggs, oil and peanut butter.
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Set aside 1/2 cup of the mixture.
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Press remaining mixture into a parchment lined, greased 8x8" square pan.
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Spread jelly over the crust in pan.
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Mix the 1/2 cup of cookie mixture with the peanut butter chips until large crumbles appear.
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Sprinkle the crumbles evenly over the crust in the pan.
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Bake at 350°F for 20-25 minutes.
Love peanut butter? Check out these recipes:
Tracy says
Delicious. Made them with white chocolate chips instead of peanut butter chips because it’s what I had in the pantry. So soft and chewy. Yum. Thanks for sharing this recipe.
Sophie says
Made the recipe as posted and had no problems at all. Aside from the dough being a little oily, it was easy to spread and put together. I looked exactly as your pictures. I was not able to find grape jelly so I used what I had, raspberry jam, and I don’t think it will make a difference. Now, for the hard part, it needs to cool so I can cut it. Thanks Tonia
Michele says
I am cooking these right now and mine are now going on 30 min and are still very giggly. Temp is set @ 350. The outside crust around the edges are starting to burn. Am I doing something wrong?? Followed recipe to a “T”.
Michele says
I think it was the Jelly keeping it moist in the middle. As it cooled it came together. Family LOVED it! Thanks!
Peter says
I made these yesterday and it came out like cake and not like bars. The batter consistency was so liquidity. Your recipe is wrong, you should double check the ingredients. You don’t need the 1/3 cup of oil at all and only need one egg. You want the consistency of a cookie dough, and from my past experience from a cake mix to cookie dough is 1/2 cup of butter and one egg. You already have 1/2 cup of peanut butter, it’s more than enough oil in the batter. Next time, please check your recipe before sharing. Thanks.
Tonia says
We enjoyed these bars as the recipe appears in the post but thanks for stopping by to share your version of my recipe, Peter. I hope you enjoy them more when you make them again!
Andrea says
Made these to take to my sons preschool Sunday school class. So tasty, used strawberry jam. I think that I will do it in a 9×13 pan next time. It seemed like it was a little too thick for me.
Tonia says
I would love to hear how they work in a 9×13! If you try it, stop by and let me know!
Andrea says
I made these in a 9×13 pan for my husband to take to work to share and it worked great. I did use a little more jam. Other than that worked great. He said everyone at work loved them.
Tonia says
Good to know! I will try that if I am making these for more people. Thanks Andrea!
lisa@cookingwithcurls says
Oooh…these look so good!!! I will have to give these a try, thanks for sharing 🙂
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
We make a version of these and they are DELICIOUS! The boys love them! Pinned!
Liz Fourez says
I’m the only fan of crunchy peanut butter in my house, and I like it that way! More for me : )
These bars look amazing, Tonia! I can’t wait to try them!
Liz
Mackenzie says
My boys (and husband) would LOVE these; how fun!
Mackenzie 🙂
Kevin R. from KC says
These look awesome. It says only reserve 1/2 cup of topping, but your beautiful pictures look like its heavy with topping. Just checking, great recipe and I will be making these soon.
Tonia says
Thanks for stopping by Kevin! Yes, I only reserved 1/2 cup but it is mixed with 1 cup of peanut butter chips so that brings the topping up to 1 1/2 cups. Plus, the pan is only 8×8. Great question…I was wondering if 1/2 cup was going to be enough while I was making the bars!
Kevin R. from KC says
Thanks for the response. I’m making these for my boys tonight.
Dorothy @ Crazy for Crust says
These are stunning Tonia! They look good enough that I want to climb into my computer screen for a bite!
Tonia says
Thanks Dorothy!
Tobi Bacon says
I got these in the oven right now:)
Cathy@LemonTreeDwelling says
Oh YUMMM!! I am always drawn to anything peanut butter…and we all know jelly is the perfect complement! When I was pregnant I ate pb&j every day….it is such a comforting combo. Thanks for sharing – pinning!
Joy @ Baking-Joy says
Happy PB and Jelly day indeed! I had no idea it was today and I’m happy to say that I found peanut butter and jelly icecream today 🙂 Your recipe looks fantastic, is on my list to try 🙂
Tonia says
Ohhh…PBJ ice cream? Did you buy it or make it?
Lyuba@willcookforsmiles says
This is so clever 🙂 Making a PB&J cookie bar. Love it!
Tonia says
Thanks Lyuba!
Kate says
Your peanut butter and jelly bars look amazingly good!! PB&J’s are my favorite, so these are going on the “to make” list! =)
Tonia says
Thanks Kate!
Shannah @ Just Us Four says
I love peanut butter chips! I add them to my granola instead {or with} little chocolate chips when I wanted it sweetened up a bit! These bars sound delicious…a perfect combination!
Tonia says
Great idea Shannah! I will have to try that!
Anne @ Domesblissity says
Are you kidding me Tonia? Peanut butter chips? I’m moving to America! See you in about 20 hours! This looks gorgeous.
Anne xx
Tonia says
Come on over! We would love to have you!
tanya says
Looks like comfort food to me! I love that this comes together with a cake mix! Makes my life so much simpler (and tastier)
Tonia says
For sure! Thanks Tanya!