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Peanut Butter and Jelly Cheesecake Bars

These Peanut Butter and Jelly Cheesecake Bars are the perfect combination of rich cheesecake and a PBJ sandwich. They’re simple and don’t need an oven to make.
Prep Time20 minutes
Chill Time4 hours
Total Time4 hours 20 minutes
Servings: 18
Calories: 279kcal

Ingredients

For the Crust

For the Cheesecake Filling

  • 16 oz cream cheese softened (2 bricks)
  • 1 cup powdered sugar 4.6oz, 130g
  • ½ cup creamy peanut butter (plus a tablespoon for garnish) 4.4oz, 125g
  • ¼ cup sour cream or greek yogurt, room temperature 2.2oz, 63g
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ½ cup heavy cream (35%) 4fl.oz, 125ml
  • ¼ cup grape jelly 2.6oz, 75g

Instructions

  • Line a 9x9 pan with parchment paper. This step isn’t completely necessary but it really helps in removing the cheesecake bars from the pan.
  • Pour the graham cracker crumbs in a medium mixing bowl. Add the granulated sugar and the melted butter and stir them together. The mixture with be crumbly but damp. If you squeeze it between your fingers, it should stick together.
  • Press the mixture into the bottom of your prepared pan. You can use a greased glass to press it firmly into place but I find that your clean fingers work a little better. Place the crust in the fridge to firm up while we make the filling.
  • In the bowl to your stand mixer, use the whisk attachment to beat the butter and powdered sugar on high speed until it is smooth and fluffy.
  • Add the peanut butter, sour cream (or greek yogurt), vanilla extract and heavy cream. Start the mixer on low to avoid a mess and slowly increase the speed to high. Beat until the peanut butter is fully mixed through.
  • Spoon the cheesecake filling over the cooled crust and use a spatula or the back of a spoon to smooth it out.
  • Spoon teaspoon sized dollops of the grape jelly evenly over the top of the cheesecake.
  • Use a knife or a spoon to swirl the jam into the cheesecake batter and smooth it out. Pop the cheesecake in the fridge for at least 4 hours but up to overnight.
  • Once the bars have fully chilled, remove them from the pan by lifting out the parchment paper. Drizzle smooth peanut butter over the top, slice , serve and enjoy!

Notes

  • Don't shorten the chill. They need at least 4 hours in the refrigerator, but longer is even better. Letting them chill overnight makes a big difference in how well they firm up.
  • Make sure the cream cheese is fully softened and close to room temperature, along with the sour cream. This helps everything blend smoothly and creates a perfectly creamy, lump-free filling.
  • Microwave the jelly for about 10 seconds to loosen it up. This makes it much easier to swirl into the filling—just be careful, as it can get hot.

Nutrition

Calories: 279kcal | Carbohydrates: 20g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 48mg | Sodium: 161mg | Potassium: 102mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 14g | Vitamin A: 613IU | Vitamin C: 0.5mg | Calcium: 44mg | Iron: 0.5mg