Tender peanut butter shortbread filled with homemade jam. These bars are quick and easy to make and are the perfect back-to-school snack!

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Why this recipe works

The shortbread is so, so simple! The basic shortbread I used here is one of my most popular recipes because of the use of powdered sugar and European butter. Both make these incredibly tender and delicate, and the butter gives that addictive buttery taste that you just can’t get enough of. Switching out some of the butter for peanut butter maintains that soft, delicate texture while adding a wonderful nutty taste.

I used homemade strawberry jam (basically this recipe without the basil) for the filling, but any jam, jelly, or preserve will do (such as raspberry or blueberry). The important thing is to go with your favorite, to capture that quintessential peanut butter & jelly sandwich taste.

Key ingredients

Butter. As mentioned above, always use European style butter in shortbread. It’s creamier and has less water.

Peanut butter. Be sure to use creamy, not chunky. And try to use a natural one, so you don’t add anything but pure peanut butter flavor. I used a natural peanut butter, which didn’t have a purely smooth texture but still worked well.

Confectioner’s sugar. This is the secret to the tender texture and perfect sweetness of these cookies.

Vanilla extract (optional). I usually add this, but it’s optional and not as traditional, but I think it adds the something special that these cookies need.

Salt. Only use a pinch or so if using salted butter.

Flour. Optionally, you can sift this before using, making the cookies even more tender and delicate.

Jelly or jam. Or preserve or compote. Honestly, anything that pairs will with peanut butter works here. My favorites are strawberry and raspberry, but whatever you prefer is fine!

How to make pb&j shortbread bars

1. Cream butter and peanut butter. Mix until fully blended.

2. Beat in powdered sugar. You don’t need to beat it for a long time, just make sure it’s well-combined and perfectly smooth.

3. Add vanilla and salt. Reduce salt to a pinch if you used salted butter. Be sure it’s very smooth so that the flour can be mixed in minimally.

4. Stir in flour. Technically, you could sift and whisk the salt and flour, but that requires an extra bowl, and I just don’t have the patience for more dishes.

5. Press 2/3 of the dough into a lined pan.

6. Par-bake. This helps the bottom layer bake without burning the jam or the crumbles.

7. Spread the jam. You can cool the crust if desired or just spread the jam right onto the warm crust.

8. Crumble remaining dough. Don’t worry if some jam is visible.

9. Bake until matte and slightly golden. You can’t really use a toothpick to see if it’s done, so you’re really just looking for the crumble to appear done. It should no longer be shiny and should just start to brown along the edges.

Enjoy!

Tips and FAQ’s for this recipe

Can I use a different jam?

Yes! I also LOVE these with raspberry jam, and blueberry is another fun one. Apricot is a great subtly sweet and slightly tart option. And a fun twist would be razzleberry compote! But you are welcome to use any homemade or store-bought jam, compote, preserve, or marmalade that you like with lemon.

Is store-bought jam okay?

Yes! I love my homemade jam, but honestly, sometimes you just need a quick dessert. You can use any store bought jam you’d like, but just be aware those will likely be sweeter than my homemade version.

Do I have to use European butter?

Personally, I think it makes a huge difference. It’s creamier and has a very different consistency than sweet cream butter. Since you only have a few ingredients here, you want to make sure each one is of the highest quality. But don’t worry—you can often find it at places like Costco on sale!

What if I don’t have powdered sugar?

You can technically make your own, but I can’t vouch for its efficacy in cookies (it works well in buttercream). Simply place 1 cup granulated sugar and 1 tablespoon cornstarch in a blender and mix until fine—the texture of powdered/confectioner’s/icing sugar. You can of course increase the amount, but this will give you more than you need already.

Do NOT over mix!

These will become tough and lose their flaky tenderness if you mix them too much. Be careful to stir just until the dough comes together then stop. If you find any unmixed flour, you can pat that into the rest of the dough when you roll it out.

Can I make these ahead of time?

Yes! You can make the dough and refrigerate it (well sealed) for up to three days. If you need to make them further ahead, you can bake as directed, slice, then freeze individual bars wrapped in plastic. Let come to room temperature in the plastic. You can pop them in the oven for a few minutes to get the crisp back.

My tools

Here are my must-have tools I use for making these bars. Affiliate links provided.

Mesh sieve (because sifting is KEY for a perfect shortbread)

8x8 pan

Parchment paper

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