Vegan Peanut Butter And Jelly Bars
Are you looking for a peanut butter and jelly recipe that is vegan? Well, look no further than these PB&J oatmeal bars! These hearty peanut butter and jelly “sandwiches” are made with an oatmeal crust instead of bread. You’ll only need 9 ingredients to make this healthy snack or breakfast.
PB & J- a classic old as time. A childhood favorite for many!
I mean, I lived off peanut butter and jelly sandwiches when I was a kid. Crunchy and creamy peanut butter. Strawberry, grape, apricot jam… I’ll take any combo of peanut butter and sweet fruit jelly.
Now that I have my kids of my own, I love sharing one of my favorites with them- except now it has a fun and healthier twist on it.
They are PB&J oatmeal bars! It’s a wholesome, vegan dessert that everyone will love. Sweet strawberry jam sandwiched between a whole-wheat peanut butter crust- so good.
Inspiration Behind This Vegan PB And J Bar Recipe
I think I’ve made 956 different versions of these peanut butter and jelly oatmeal bars in the quest for perfection. Part breakfast bar, part cookie, part gooey peanut butter, and jelly sandwich. Part what I want to eat every day for breakfast!
I originally set out to make a chewy peanut butter bar that could sub-in for a nourishing bowl of oatmeal. One packed with chia seeds, flax, rolled oats, and a smidge of peanut butter for good measure. And, I made them!
Though, no one really wanted to eat them.
Sure, they were packed with nutrients, but they were way too dense and dry to be anything other than compost food. So, back to the drawing board.
From there, I tweaked my original concept a bit. They’ve still got enough fiber to be considered a breakfast bar, but just enough sweetness to enjoy for an afternoon snack or dessert.
Hearty, chewy, and oozing with strawberry jelly, it’s a PB&J sandwich in bar form!
Note: For a complete list of ingredients and instructions on how to make this breakfast bar recipe, keep scrolling down until you see the recipe card!
Tips For Making Yummy Peanut Butter and Jelly Bars
Are you excited as I am? I hope you are!
Here are a few of my tips and hacks for when it comes to making the oatmeal bars so they turn out perfect every time.
- For easy cleanup, I recommend lining the baking pan with two sheets of parchment paper, crossed in the middle, and a bit of overhang over the side. Once the bars are completely cool, grab onto the parchment overhang to pull the finished bars out of the pan. Then, slice and enjoy. This method is my favorite for just about any baked good! It makes both cleanup and serving so much easier.
- If strawberry jelly isn’t your jam (see what I did there?), you can easily swap it out for another kind! I bet grape or raspberry would work great!
- To make this recipe gluten-free, make sure you use gluten-free all-purpose flour and gluten-free oats.
- Dairy-free? I used vanilla almond milk to bind all the ingredients together!
- If you don’t like peanut butter, use almond butter instead.
- I recommend heating up the strawberry jam a bit before placing it over the peanut butter layer. On version #877, I dolloped the jam onto the batter and it didn’t spread as much as I’d like in the hot oven. Melting, then spreading the jam ensures that every bite of these bars is packed with both peanut butter and jelly flavor.
Mmmm, peanut butter & jelly forever!
What To Serve With These Peanut Butter and Jelly bars Oatmeal Bars
When I was little, I loved to eat my pb&j with a glass of cold milk so that’s what I do. These pair well with an ice cold glass of almond or oat milk. The nuttiness of the milk really compliments the peanut butter.
If you want to get really nutty for dessert, heat up one of the peanut butter and jelly bars and serve it with a scoop of vegan vanilla ice cream. It’s like having the pb&j sandwich without all the mess!
I hope you enjoy these peanut and jelly bars as much as we do. If you try it, make sure to come back, leave a comment and rate it. Your feedback helps others and seeing you make my recipes makes my day!
More Baked Goods Recipe:
- Chewy Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Bars
- Apple Pie Bars
- Fresh Cranberry Bars
- Triple Chocolate Granola Bars
- No-Bake Almond Granola Bars
Video
Vegan Peanut Butter and Jelly Bars
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup creamy peanut butter
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1/3 cup brown sugar
- 1 cup whole-wheat pastry flour, see note
- 1 cup old fashioned oats
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk
- 3/4 cup strawberry jam
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 8×8″ baking dish with parchment paper for easy removal. I like to criss-cross two sheets of parchment paper to lift up the bars once baking.
- Place the peanut butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer and mix on medium-high until fluffy. If you don’t have an electric mixer, use a hand mixer.
- Add in vanilla extract and mix until combined.
- Add in the flour, oats, salt and baking powder and mix together on medium speed. Drizzle in almond milk until a dough forms.
- Remove 2/3 of the dough and gently roll into a ball with your hands. Place in the middle of the pan and press to fit. Place it in the middle of an 8×8 baking dish, pressing it to fit.
- Warm the strawberry jam in a small saucepan or in the microwave until slightly melted. This will make it easier to spread.
- Pour the jam over the bars and crumble the remaining dough on top. Don’t worry if the dough doesn’t completely cover the jam, it will spread a little when cooking.
- Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until set and golden on top. Let cool completely, then cut into 12 squares.