Gluten-Free Peanut Butter and Jelly Bars

These Peanut Butter and Jelly Bars have all the goodness that you adore about the beloved sandwich but in a cookie bar form. These bars are gluten-free and addictively good!

Sometimes you just need a PB&J treat, especially in the form of a cookie bar. These yummy peanut butter and jelly bars have the perfect balance of sweet and salty.

What makes these bars gluten-free?

These peanut butter bars are made using almond flour. The almond flour is the base to the cookie dough, but also adds a lovely texture and nuttiness to the final product.

What is in these Peanut Butter and Jelly Bars?

In the Cookie Bars

• Almond Flour - This is the only flour in these bars.
• Baking Powder, Baking Soda, and Salt
• Unsalted Butter
• Creamy Peanut Butter - Make sure you are using creamy peanut butter for this recipe, not crunchy.
• Light Brown Sugar (packed) and Honey
• Egg
• Pure Vanilla Extract
• Raspberry Jelly - Strawberry and grape jelly would work great as well.
• Crushed Peanuts - Crush the peanuts by hand or using a food processor.

In the Peanut Butter Icing

• Confectioner's Sugar, sifted
• Smooth Peanut Butter - Slightly warmed for the best consistency.
• Milk or Water - Works best when warmed.
• Pure Vanilla Extract

How to make these gluten-free cookie bars

1. Preheat the oven to 350° F. Grease and line an 8-by-8-inch square baking pan with parchment, set aside. 
2. For the cookie bars: In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the almond flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. 
3. In the bowl of a standing mixer, beat the butter, peanut butter, light brown sugar, and honey until light and fluffy. Add the egg and vanilla extract, mix until incorporated. Add the dry ingredients, mixing only until combined. 
4. Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Smooth the batter out into an even layer. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until set. *These bars are sticky and soft when they come out of the oven. Allow the bars to cool for about 5 minutes. Spread the jelly onto the bars, making sure every surface is covered. Sprinkle with the crushed peanuts. Cool completely before icing. 
5. For the icing: In a small bowl, whisk together the warmed peanut butter and confectioners' sugar, add the liquid (milk or water) 1 tablespoon at a time, until a smooth icing forms. Add the vanilla extract, whisk until incorporated. Drizzle icing over the cooled bars.

Ingredient Substitutions

While I have not yet played with ingredient substitutes for this recipe, thus far. Here are some options that I think would be great.

• Use a different flavored jelly such as strawberry or grape.
• Substitute the peanut butter for almond or cashew butter. And, replace the crushed peanuts with crushed almonds or cashews.
• If you don't have almond flour, you can experiment with cup-for-cup gluten-free flour or oat flour. You can use regular all-purpose flour too, but these bars will no longer be gluten-free.

Other Recipes You'll Love

• Fudgy Brownies with Peanut Butter Frosting
• Peanut Butter Swirl Brownies
• S'mores Cookie Bars
• Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars

I hope you enjoy these peanut butter and jelly bars. They pair perfectly with a cold glass of milk. These bars are sticky, so they're best eaten with a fork. Enjoy an updated version of your favorite childhood sandwich by making a batch of these cookie bars. Comment below if you make this recipe!