These were quite yummy, especially when slightly warm. My favorite was is that they bars stayed soft, even after a couple days.
Peanut Butter & Jelly Bars
Source: Recipe from the Barefoot Contessa, Ina Garten
Makes 24 bar cookies
Ingredients:
- 2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1 1/2 c. sugar
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 2 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
- 2 c. creamy peanut butter (recommended: Skippy)
- 3 c. all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1 1/2 c. raspberry jam or other jam (I used blackberry preserves)
- 2/3 c. salted peanuts, coarsely chopped
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350.
Grease a 9×13 pan. Grease and lightly flour the pan. (You can also lay parchment paper on bottom of pan, and grease & flour that.)
Cream the butter and sugar on medium speed until light yellow, about 2 minutes. Lower the mixer to low speed and add the vanilla, eggs, and peanut butter. Mix until all ingredients are combined.
Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt and gradually add to peanut butter mixture. Mix just until combined.
Spread 2/3 of the dough into the prepared pan and spread over the bottom with a spatula. Spread the jam evenly over the dough. Drop small bits of the remaining dough evenly over the jam. (Note: The original recipe said that the dough would spread in the oven, but mine did not.) Sprinkle chopped peanuts on top of bar cookies and bake for 45 minutes, until golden brown.
