Peanut Butter & Jelly Oat Bars

I turned a childhood (or adulthood, really) favorite into a breakfast/snack/dessert situation to give you some Peanut Butter & Jelly Oat Bars! The base and crumble are packed with peanut butter, sandwiched around a perfectly sweet strawberry jam layer. Oats are added to both the base and topping to add additional texture, but they remain oh so soft.

And guess what! They freeze incredibly well, so feel free to store the leftovers for another time. See the bottom of the post to find out the best way to freeze these bad boys.

To make the Peanut Butter & Jelly Oat Bars, start by making the quick strawberry jam, then make the base, then the oat crumble!

• Hull and slice the strawberries, then add them to a saucepan over medium heat and add the sugar.
• Stir occasionally, allowing the strawberries to release their juices and help them along by mashing them down with the back of a wooden spoon or rubber spatula.
• Next, mix together the cornstarch and water, drizzle into the strawberries, and stir. Allow the mixture to bubble for about 30 seconds, then turn off the heat.
• Fold in the strawberry jam/preserves and allow to sit while preparing the rest of the bars.

• Start by pulsing ¾ cup of the rolled oats in a food processor (or blender) until they break down slightly. It should not turn into powder.
• Whisk together the flour, processed oats, baking soda and salt in a bowl.
• In a stand mixer with the paddle attachment (or using a hand mixer), combine the butter, peanut butter and sugar.
• Add the egg and vanilla and mix again, then scrape down the sides.
• Drop in the dry ingredients and mix on low speed until the dough comes together and the flour is just incorporated.

Remove ¼ of the peanut butter dough and place into a bowl. Next, add the remaining whole rolled oats to the dough and combine them using a spoon or fork. Use the utensil to break up the dough into chunks as the oats get combined. It should resemble a crumble/streusel topping.

Assembling the bars

• Line an 8x8" square pan with parchment paper slings so you can easily remove the bars to cut them. Preheat the oven to 350℉.
• Press ¾ of the peanut butter base into the bottom of the pan, being sure to get the dough the whole way to the sides and corners.
• Bake the base in the preheated oven for 20 minutes.

• Remove the base from the oven and spread the strawberry jam evenly over top.
• Finally, sprinkle the oat crumble over top of the strawberries.

• Continue baking the bars for another 10-15 minutes until the crumble layer gets slightly brown.
• Allow the bars to cool fully in the pan. Once fully cool, cut and serve.

Yes (ish) and no. You cannot use steel cut oats for this recipe as they will be much too hard without any liquid added. You can use instant or quick cooking oats in a pinch, but they will not provide as much texture as intended with the recipe. Stick with rolled oats if you can!

Yes. Be sure to cool them on a wire rack (or so the base is lifted off of the counter) so the air can circulate. Keep the bars in the pan until they are completely cool. You need the strawberry layer to cool down and set up or else it can squish out while cutting into the bars if they’re still too hot! No bueno.

Store the bars in the pan at room temperature, uncovered. Covering the pan will lock in too much moisture and will cause the bars to get overly soft much more quickly.

YES! These freeze exceptionally well. Wrap the cut bars tightly in plastic wrap, then place into a ziplock bag or Tupperware. These keep in the freezer for two months. When ready to enjoy, remove the plastic wrap and allow the bars to thaw at room temperature on a plate.

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