You probably know this about me by now, but I like fancy things. I have since I can remember.
I have two memories from preschool: being sent home for chicken pox, which I did not have at the time, and wanting a dress similar to one a girl named Allison was wearing.
I wore Mom’s clothes, bought high heels before any other girl my age, wouldn’t leave the house without lipstick at age five, and hated playing and getting dirty at recess.
An early obsession with home shopping channels led to ordering a gaudy giant cubic zirconia ring when I was about six. I wore it for years and it was set in real gold. Now I’ve graduated to other real stones, though my parents probably wish I would have stayed in the home shopping phase.
It’s just in my blood, you know, to wear makeup and hair spray my hair until it doesn’t move and wear dresses and heels and jewelry. I can’t explain it, it’s there, in m DNA.
This attraction to fancy things extends into other realms like food. Definitely food. Like when I have fish shipped in from Seattle (shout out to my friends at Pike’s Place Fish!) or order truffles whenever a restaurant happens to have them (okay this has only happened once, but I’m ready for a sequel).
And these Peanut Butter and Jelly Cheesecake Bars. I know you’re like nothing is fancy about a PBJ anything, but you are oh so wrong.
First combining anything with cheesecake automatically takes it up a notch, but the real fancifying ingredients are the red currant jelly and peanut brittle.
Sure, you could use plain old grape jelly to top off this decadent treat (just make sure you use jelly whatever flavor you choose), but when I saw red currant in the store I knew I had to buy it. The bright, slightly tangy flavor is perfect and something different without being weird.
I know you are thinking the peanut brittle is just a garnish, but it’s not. At all. It adds crunch and a buttery peanutty flavor that brings the whole thing together.
Get fancy and make these bars!
Peanut Butter and Jelly Cheesecake Bars #SundaySupper
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
- Yield: 24 bars 1x
Ingredients
Crust
- 4 cups graham cracker crumbs
- 1 ½ sticks unsalted butter, melted
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
Filling and topping
- 32 ounces cream cheese
- 1 cup creamy peanut butter
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 4 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste
- 1 ½ cups red currant jelly
- ½ cup peanut brittle, coarsely chopped
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 9 by 13 inch baking pan.
- Make the crust. In a medium bowl, stir together graham cracker crumbs, melted butter, sugar, and salt until combined and the crust holds together when pressed. Pour into the prepared pan and press firmly into the bottom and ¾ the way up the sides of the pan. Bake for about 12 minutes until light golden brown. Cool while you make the filling.
- Reduce oven to 325 degrees F.
- Make the filling. In a large bowl cream the cream cheese and peanut butter using a hand or stand mixer until light and fluffy. Add in the sugar slowly while the mixer is running. Add in the eggs one at a time until fully incorporated. Beat in the vanilla bean paste and mix until light fluffy and well combined. Pour into the baked crust. Bake for 40-45 minutes until golden brown on top and the filling wiggles in the center. Cool for about 2 hours.
- Once the cheesecake has cooled for awhile, heat the jam in a medium microwave safe bowl in 30 second increments, stirring in between, until melted without too many lumps. Pour evenly over the cheesecake and tilt it to cover the surface completely. Refrigerate at least 4 hours and up to overnight until set completely.
- Once chilled, cut into bars, sprinkle with peanut brittle, and serve. Bars may be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or frozen individually wrapped in parchment and foil and placed in a zipper bag for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature about 1 hour.
Notes
Filling adapted from Martha Stewart
Additional chilling time is necessary
Don’t forget to check out the other Sunday Supper dishes. Thanks to Wendy from Wholistic Woman for hosting!
Finger Foods
- BLT Crostini Sliders with Avocado Aioli by Casa de Crews
- Easy Caprese Puff Pastry Bites by The Weekend Gourmet
- French Onion Palmiers by Cooking With Carlee
- Homemade Mozzarella Cheese Sticks by Grumpy’s Honeybunch
- Middle Eastern Deviled Eggs by A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures
- Mushroom and Blue Cheese Gougeres by Turnips 2 Tangerines
- Simple Greek Pinwheels with Tzatziki Dipping Sauce by A Mind “Full” Mom
- Soppressata Puffs by Cosmopolitan Cornbread
Hors d’oeuvres
- Baba Ganoush by The Crumby Cupcake
- Baked Fruit and Nut Camembert by SundaySupper
- Caesar Salad Wonton Cups by Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks
- Cucumber Bites with Creole Shrimp and Guacamole by Life Tastes Good
- Dates with Goat Cheese, Prosciutto and Truffle Honey by Monica’s Table
- Drunken Asparagus with Feta and Prosciutto by Wholistic Woman
- Italian Chicken Meatballs by Cindy’s Recipes and Writings
- Japanese Meatballs by NinjaBaker.com
- Loaded Hasselback Potatoes Mini Size by Crazed Mom
- Mini Caprese Bites With Balsamic Drizzle by My Sweet Savings
- Pork Dumplings by A Day in the Life on the Farm
- Prosciutto and Blue Cheese Pear Bites by Jersey Girl Cooks
Seafood
- Lime Shrimp Cups by Our Good Life
- Mini Crab Cakes by My Savory Spoon
- Oysters Rockefeller by Caroline’s Cooking
- Scallop Crudo with Citrus by Cricket’s Confections
- Shrimp Martini by Palatable Pastime
- Southwestern Shrimp Spring Rolls by The Freshman Cook
- Tuna Poke Mochi Waffles by Brunch-n-Bites
Sweets
- Gluten Free Champagne Cake Pops by Gluten Free Crumbley
- Loaded Chocolate Dipped Potato Chips by Desserts Required
- Mini S’mores Tarts by That Skinny Chick Can Bake
- Peanut Butter and Jelly Cheesecake Bars by Pies and Plots
- Sweet Dijon Pecan Baked Brie Bites by Soulfully Made
- Wine Gummy Bears by Culinary Adventures with Camilla
Veggies
- Baked Eggplant Fries with Basil Dipping Sauce by Dizzy Busy and Hungry
- Blue Cheese Asparagus Bites by Hardly A Goddess
- Broccoli Pesto Potato Bites by Simple and Savory
- Mushroom Purses by Seduction in the Kitchen
- Roasted Carrot Soup by From the Bookshelf
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Hi Laura, what gorgeous looking bars, love the peanutbutter and jelly clasic combo.
Boy, you sure fancified this classic combination of peanut butter and jelly! I’d definitely be back for seconds!
Peanut brittle takes this cheesecake to that decadent level that we ALL love!!
Red currant jelly may be the jewel of jellies! Of course anything with PB and cheesecake works for me. Fun hearing about your fancy fancies =)
What an amazing take on the classic. Who wouldn’t love to have one of these bars and feel so adult eating them. Live the red currant jelly – what fun to play with the flavors with different jellies/jams. This is a winner!
These are so cute!! I love it!!!
I could bite right into that pie slice, it looks so decadent and delicious!
Fancy Schmancy….perfect for a Girlie girl.
These look amazing! I am a PB&J girl myself, and not very fancy, but I like how you fancied this up!
Can’t go wrong with PB&J!
Truffles are always a worthy sequel. And seconds of this would be equally worthy. Wow! What a nice looking dish. And I’ll bet the flavor is amazing. Thanks!
What a great idea! My husband would go crazy over these!! Thanks for sharing!
These bars look truly scrumptious!
Mmmm yum! This is PB&J perfection!! And I like fancy things too hehehe 🙂