You knew this was going to happen right? And, can anyone explain to me why it’s a banana doing the dance?
Anyway.
If you’ve been around for a while you know I love back to school time. Summer is a’right I guess, but fall is where it’s at.
And so, in the tradition of new school shoes and fresh notebooks, I give you this year’s lunchbox treat.
What could be more back to school than peanut butter and jelly? Turns out, most things–unless you want a call from your child’s principal about breaking the nut free zone policy.
What’s a kid to do?
This is where sunbutter saves snack time. Made from sunflower seeds rather than tree nuts or the dreaded P legume, some schools allow this creamy (or crunchy) peanut butter stand-in.
Paired with your jam or jelly of choice (you could even wax healthy and go no sugar added), these make a hearty school lunch or after school treat (and will save well for care packages).
These aren’t delicate little fancies. They’re hearty, slightly sweet and nutty.
In fact, I’m pretty sure that if you fed one to a kindergartener, they might not be hungry until the fifth or sixth grade.
Happy back to school everyone!
Sunbutter and Jelly Bars
adapted from Ina Garten’s Peanut Butter and Jelly Bars
Ingredients
- 1/2 lb, 2 sticks unsalted butter at room temp
- 1 1/2 C sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs at room temp
- 2 C creamy sunbutter (just use the entire jar–mine was 16 ounces)
- 3 C all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1 1/2 C of your favorite jam (I used grape here because it’s tradition but would have rather used strawberry or raspberry, just my opinion)
- 1/4 C roasted and salted sunflower seeds tossed in 2 TBS granulated sugar
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9X13 inch pan with parchment paper then grease entire pan.
- In a medium bowl, sift together flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a Kitchenaid fitted with a paddle, cream together butter and sugar until mixture is light, about two minutes.
- Turn speed to low and add vanilla and eggs one-at-a-time. Add peanut butter and mix until well combined.
- With mixer on low, slowly add flour mixture. Mix until just combined.
- Spread 2/3 of the dough into the prepared pan using a knife (offset is easiest) to spread it evenly.
- Spread the jam evenly over the dough.
- Drop small globs of the remaining dough evenly over the jam. Don’t worry if the topping doesn’t cover the jam completely.
- Sprinkle with sunflower seed and sugar mixture.
- Bake for 45 minutes until top is golden brown. A note on this–start checking at 35 minutes–the last two times I’ve made this recipe they were perfect at 38 minutes.
- Allow to cool completely. Cut into bars and store in air-tight container.