Peach Crumb Bars
These buttery peach crumb bars layer a shortbread crust, juicy spiced peaches, and a golden crumb topping into the easiest sliceable summer dessert you'll make on repeat.
Why You'll Fall in Love With These Peach Crumb Bars
If you are searching for one of the easiest dessert recipes fruit lovers can agree on, these peach crumb bars are it. They have a buttery, cookie like crust on the bottom, a juicy spiced peach filling in the middle, and a crumbly golden topping that shatters slightly when you bite in. They travel well, slice into neat squares, and taste like a cross between peach pie and streusel cake. Whether you're planning a backyard cookout or just want something simple to bake this summer, this recipe belongs on your short list.
What makes it so dependable is that one simple dough does double duty. You press most of it into the pan for the crust, then crumble the rest over the filling for the topping. No rolling pins, no fussy lattice work, just a bowl, your hands, and a little patience while the bars cool.
Before we get baking, it's worth talking about why the right tools and ingredients matter here. A sturdy metal baking pan helps the crust brown evenly instead of staying pale and soft, a good pastry cutter makes quick work of cold butter without warming it in your hands, and a sharp paring knife makes peeling fresh peaches far less of a chore. These are the kinds of small upgrades that make a home baker's life easier.
The Secret to a Perfectly Buttery Crumb
The base of this recipe is a simple shortbread style dough made from flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and a generous amount of cold butter. The trick is keeping that butter cold all the way until it goes into the oven. Cold butter melts slowly as the bars bake, which is exactly what creates craggy, distinct crumbs instead of one flat, greasy layer.
Work the butter into the dry ingredients with a pastry cutter, two forks, or just your fingertips, stopping as soon as the mixture looks like coarse sand with a few pea sized lumps left. A beaten egg and a splash of vanilla then pull everything together into a dough that is sturdy enough to press into a crust, yet loose enough to crumble into topping.
Chef's Tip: If your kitchen is warm, pop the bowl of dough in the fridge for ten minutes before pressing it into the pan. Cold dough presses more evenly and helps the bars hold their shape once baked.
Fresh, Jarred, or Canned, Any Peach Will Do
One of the best things about this recipe is how flexible it is with peaches. In the height of summer, ripe fresh peaches give you the brightest flavor and prettiest color, making this one of the most satisfying desserts to make with fresh peaches all season long. Just peel and slice them, then toss with sugar, cornstarch, and a little lemon juice to thicken the juices as they bake.
Outside of peach season, this turns into one of the easiest recipes with jarred peaches or canned peaches you can make. Simply drain them well so the filling doesn't turn watery. In a pinch, you can even swap in canned peach pie filling instead of making your own from scratch, turning this into a true five minute assembly job. Whichever route you choose, the buttery crumb topping will taste just as good.
Building the Bars
Once your crust is pressed into the pan and your peach filling is mixed, layering the bars is simple. Spread the peaches evenly over the crust, then scatter the reserved crumb mixture over the top in loose, uneven clusters rather than packing it down flat. Those uneven clusters are exactly what give the finished bars their rustic, bakery style topping.
Ready to make it? Here is the full step by step recipe.
Peach Crumb Bars
These buttery peach crumb bars layer a shortbread crust, juicy spiced peaches, and a golden crumb topping into the easiest sliceable summer dessert you'll make on repeat.
Ingredients
- 3 cups all-purpose flour, for the crust and crumb topping
- 1 cup granulated sugar, for the dough
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 3/4 tsp salt, divided between dough and filling
- 1 cup unsalted butter, cold, cut into small cubes
- 1 large egg, lightly beaten
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats, adds texture to the crumb
- 4 cups fresh peaches, about 5 medium peaches, peeled and sliced, or substitute well-drained canned or jarred peaches
- 3/8 cup granulated sugar, for the peach filling
- 3 tbsp cornstarch, thickens the peach filling
- 1 tbsp lemon juice, freshly squeezed
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
Instruction
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9x13-inch baking pan and line it with parchment paper, leaving a little overhang on the sides for easy lifting later.
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, 1 cup sugar, baking powder, and half the salt.
Add the cold cubed butter and work it into the flour mixture with a pastry cutter, two forks, or your fingertips, until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs with some pea-sized pieces of butter remaining.
In a small bowl, whisk the egg and vanilla extract together. Stir this into the flour mixture along with the oats, mixing just until combined and crumbly.
Press about two-thirds of the crumb mixture firmly and evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan to form the crust. Set the remaining crumb mixture aside for the topping.
In a medium bowl, toss the sliced peaches with the remaining sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice, cinnamon, and remaining salt until evenly coated.
Spread the peach filling evenly over the crust.
Scatter the reserved crumb mixture over the peaches in loose, uneven clusters, leaving some filling peeking through.
Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, until the top is deep golden brown and the filling is bubbling gently at the edges.
Let the bars cool completely in the pan, at least 2 hours, before lifting out using the parchment overhang and slicing into squares.
Equipment
- 9x13-inch baking pan
- Parchment paper
- Large mixing bowl
- Pastry cutter or fork
- Medium mixing bowl
- Sharp paring knife
Notes
Storing, Freezing, and Make Ahead Tips
These bars genuinely taste better after a few hours of resting, which makes them one of the better make ahead peach desserts for entertaining. Let them cool completely in the pan, then store covered at room temperature for up to two days, or in the refrigerator for up to five days. For longer storage, wrap individual squares tightly and freeze for up to three months, then thaw at room temperature or warm gently in the oven before serving.
If you're prepping for a party, make the dough and peach filling separately up to a day ahead and refrigerate them, then assemble and bake the morning of your event.
Perfect for Your Next Cookout
Sliceable, portable, and sturdy enough to eat with your hands, these peach crumb bars are exactly the kind of peach dessert recipe people ask for again and again at cookout dessert tables. Pack them in a single layer in a container, bring a stack of napkins, and watch the pan disappear before the burgers are even off the grill.
