Peanut Butter and Jelly Cheesecake Bars

Ah, the classic pb&j. I’ve been craving it all week, and I am excited to share this recipe with you! The best part about this recipe is that you don’t have to turn your oven on! This is a no-bake recipe because let’s be honest, sometimes we don’t have the time or energy to get into a baking project but need a quick & delicious dessert.

Graham Cracker Crust

• unsalted butter- 6 oz. (3/4 cup)
• classic graham crackers- 2 packages (about 16 crackers)

Directions:

1. Melt the butter in a small saucepan on medium heat.
2. In a food processor, pulse the graham crackers until they have broken down into “sand like” crumbs.
3. Pour the melted butter onto the graham crackers and mix until crumbs stick together.
4. On a parchment lined 9×12″ baking pan, press the crumbs onto the pan, ensuring the mixture is sticking together and is pressed evenly over the pan.
5. Reserve in the fridge for 10 minutes to chill.

PB Cheesecake Filling

• cream cheese- 2, 8 oz. packages, at room temp.
• chunky peanut butter- 1 cup
• smooth peanut butter- 1 cup

Directions:

1. In a bowl, cream together the cream cheese and peanut butter.
2. Whip on medium until mixture is smooth and combined well.
3. Evenly spread mixture onto graham cracker crust, and reserve in fridge until you’ve made and cooled the strawberry jelly.

Tip: if you are using natural peanut butter, and want to add more sweetness add about 1/4 cup of white sugar to the cheesecake filling. If you are using a peanut butter such as JIF or SKIPPY, make this recipe as is. Those brands already have sugar added to them and if you add more sugar it will be overly sweet! (In my opinion).

Strawberry Jelly:

• 1 container fresh strawberries, destemmed and cut into quarters
• white sugar- 1/2 cup

Directions:

1. In a medium saucepan on medium heat, cook the strawberries on medium high heat with the sugar, stirring occasionally.
2. Allow the mixture to come to a boil, reduce heat to medium and gently boil for about 15 minutes, stirring to ensure there is no burning. The strawberries will start to break down, you can also encourage the process by using a wooden spoon to mash the strawberries around in the pan.
3. The mixture will have reduced a little bit after the 10 minutes and become gelatinous.
4. With the heat off, add about 1 tbsp. of warm water to the jelly, and stir to incorporate.
5. Allow jelly to cool completely before spreading on top of bars.
6. Once jelly has cooled, spread on top of bars and let set in the fridge for 10 minutes. Cut & enjoy!

• 

• 

There you have it. A classic snack that will bring both joy and nostalgia to your day. These bars are delicate, I suggest serving with a fork or spoon for full enjoyment. I hope you’ve enjoyed this recipe! Make sure to share this recipe with someone that loves pb&j! Happy baking friends!