Eat Skinny: Light Peanut Butter Jelly Bars Recipe

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Guys, do I have the best 2 days of your bloggy blog life EVER coming up. For one, I have a delicious recipe for peanut butter jelly bars for your viewing pleasure today.

Secondly, I’m sharing the Robert Irvine interview tomorrow AND doing a giveaway! Wahoo! Free stuff! So please be sure to check out the ol’ blogski tomorrow to see what you can win 🙂

Now let’s talk peanut butter jelly. And you can’t actually do that without this…

I was dancing around to this in the kitchen as I prepared the bars this morning. I mean, I know I’m not the only person to think of that immediately now. Thanks interwebs! So guys, I love peanut butter and jelly. I mean, I know, bold unique statement there. But it’s so good and brings back happy waves of nostalgia with each delicious bite.  In fact, I’ve even made my favorite sandwich into a muffin too! Despite awful photographs (pre-DSLR days), those muffins were good. But not even close to being as good as these.

I mean, look at them! Look at them in all their jelly and peanuty glory!

They taste like the sandwich on steroids.  Or like the sandwich won the lottery, moved to Beverly Hills and got a makeover. Stunning, but with all those delicious flavors you grew up on. Honestly, just the best dessert ever.

Plus, these are light to boot! Made with mostly whole wheat flour, unsweetened applesauce and low-sodium peanut butter, these gooey, sweet and decadent bars only look bad for you. Aren’t those the best desserts?

Plus, you can totally eat these at lunch. I mean, they are peanut butter and jelly. Right? So pack them up all tight in a little ziplock and tote them to work in your handy dandy monogrammed lunch box. (Don’t judge me).

Recipe adapted from My Recipes.

Peanut butter and jelly bars

Yields about 18-20 bars.
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 35 minutes

Ingredients:

  •  1 cup low sodium peanut butter
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
  • 1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup white sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1 cup whole wheat flour
  • 1/2 cup AP flour
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • Dash of salt
  • 1 1/4 cup strawberry rhubarb jam
  • 1/4 cup chopped peanuts

Directions: 

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease an 8 x 8 inch baking pan with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.
  2. In a medium size mixing bowl, beat applesauce, butter, brown sugar and white sugar until mixture is fluffy and creamy. Add egg, vanilla and peanut butter and beat until mixture is fully combined.
  3. In another bowl, mix together the flours, baking powder and salt. Slowly add the flour mixture to the wet mixture until the batter is mixed.
  4. Place about 1/2 the batter onto the bottom of the prepared pan, using a spatula or your hands to push it so it covers the bottom. Spread jam over the dough. Carefully spread the rest of the dough over the jam (or just crumble it over). Then, sprinkle with chopped peanuts.
  5. Bake for about 45 – 55 minutes, or until jam is bubbly and the dough is browned. Let cool completely before you cut into bars. Serve and enjoy!

Nutritional information per bar:

Calories: 161
Fat: 8.2 grams
Carbohydrates: 18.7 grams
Fiber: 1.75 grams
Protein: 4.55 grams
Weight Watchers Points:  4

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Comments

  1. Posted by Melanie on
    Thursday, June 14th, 2012
    Peanut butter jelly!  Peanut butter jelly!  Peanut butter jelly with a baseball bat!
  2. Posted by Melanie on
    Thursday, June 14th, 2012
    Peanut butter jelly!  Peanut butter jelly!  Peanut butter jelly with a baseball bat!
  3. Posted by RavieNomnoms on
    Thursday, June 14th, 2012
    Peanut butter jelly time! This looks aweeeesome! I am such a peanut butter freak haha
  4. Posted by RavieNomnoms on
    Thursday, June 14th, 2012
    Peanut butter jelly time! This looks aweeeesome! I am such a peanut butter freak haha
  5. Posted by Stephsbitebybite on
    Thursday, June 14th, 2012
    I'm so jealous that these are in your house right now and not mine!
  6. Posted by Stephsbitebybite on
    Thursday, June 14th, 2012
    I'm so jealous that these are in your house right now and not mine!
  7. Thursday, June 14th, 2012
    I love PB&J bars. And I LOVE how you lightened these up. Oh,and I can't wait to read about Robert Irvine! 
  8. Thursday, June 14th, 2012
    I love PB&J bars. And I LOVE how you lightened these up. Oh,and I can't wait to read about Robert Irvine! 
  9. Posted by Carolyn on
    Thursday, June 14th, 2012
    Those really do look like awesome pb & j bars!
  10. Posted by Carolyn on
    Thursday, June 14th, 2012
    Those really do look like awesome pb & j bars!
  11. Posted by AnnGMorrone on
    Thursday, June 14th, 2012
    http://goo.gl/OnXhe
  12. Posted by Maggie G. on
    Thursday, June 14th, 2012
    These look awesome! I think you could even eat them for breakfast...I know I would! 
  13. Posted by Maggie G. on
    Thursday, June 14th, 2012
    These look awesome! I think you could even eat them for breakfast...I know I would! 
  14. Friday, June 15th, 2012
    Oh my, I need to make these ASAP! 
  15. Friday, June 15th, 2012
    Oh my, I need to make these ASAP! 
  16. Friday, June 15th, 2012
    OK, you've talked me into it.  I'll have a dozen! :)
  17. Friday, June 15th, 2012
    OK, you've talked me into it.  I'll have a dozen! :)
  18. Posted by PB and Peppers on
    Saturday, June 16th, 2012
    Awesome recipe!!  Congrats on making the top 9!!
  19. Posted by Purabi Naha on
    Saturday, June 16th, 2012
    This looks awesome! I love peanut butter. Congrats on making it on Top 9!
  20. Saturday, June 16th, 2012
    These look delicious, and congratulations on making the foodbuzz Top 9!
  21. Posted by Stephanie @ Eat. Drink. Love. on
    Saturday, June 16th, 2012
    These look wonderful, Claire!
  22. Posted by Lauren on
    Sunday, July 8th, 2012
    Hi Claire!  I came across this recipe on foodgawker and it caught my eye since I LOVE peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.  I made these bars yesterday and I can honestly say they are the best bar I've ever made!  I brought them to a bbq and they completely disappeared.  Thank you so much for the amazing recipe!
  23. Posted by megan on
    Friday, September 28th, 2012
    I cant wait to eat these! They are in the oven now, and smell delicious! Thanks for sharing!
    megan
    www.girlsenville.com
  24. Posted by Stacey on
    Monday, January 7th, 2013
    These were OK but kind of bland. I definitely missed the butter and think more peanut butter would have been even better.