Use those fresh summer peaches to make a batch of peach crumb bars! The buttery shortbread crust, sweet peach filling, and crumble topping make this an irresistible dessert treat.
If you love a classic peach cobbler, you'll want to give these peach crumb bars a try. They're the perfect summer treat for picnics and potlucks!
These bars start with a buttery, dense shortbread crust, much like my well-loved walnut bars. The peach filling is sweet (but not too sweet!) and lightly spiced with cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger. And the crumble topping? Arguably the best part.
Serve peach crumb bars at your next summer party or potluck. They're perfect for the Fourth of July.
Ingredients and substitutions
- Butter - Unsalted butter and the listed salt can be substituted with salted butter if desired.
- Sugar - We're using a combination of granulated and brown sugars in the crust, as well as brown sugar in the peach filling.
- Vanilla - Adds flavor to the crust.
- Salt - Enhances the flavor of the crust.
- Flour - I've only tested this recipe with all-purpose flour, so I can't say for sure how it would work using flour alternatives. To prevent wasting ingredients, I recommend searching for a recipe that's developed using ingredients you'd like to use instead of making substitutions in this recipe.
- Spices - I like to add just a bit of cinnamon to the crust for added flavor and warmth. Cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg add warmth to the peach filling.
- Peaches - You'll need about three medium peaches for this recipe.
- Lemon juice - Just a hint of lemon juice in the filling helps preserve the color of the peaches and balances with the sweetness.
- Flour - Thickens the peach filling as it bakes. Flour can be substituted with cornstarch in the peach filling only.
Tips and tricks
How to peel peaches easily - Bring a pot of water to a boil. Score the bottom of each peach with an "x". Drop peaches into boiling water for 1 minute, then remove and transfer to an ice bath until easy to handle. Skin will peel back easily.
Slicing peaches - Slice your peaches into even, ½ inch thick slices to ensure they bake evenly in the oven. Varying thick and thin slices can create mushy spots throughout your cobbler.
Properly measure your flour - My biggest tip when making shortbread is to properly measure your flour. To do this, I highly recommend using a kitchen scale for 100% accuracy. If you don't have a scale, I recommend the spoon and level method. Use a spoon to gently add flour to your measuring cup, then level off the top with a knife.
Why measuring flour is tricky - When scooping your flour with the measuring cup from a bin or bag, this compacts the flour into the cup, adding up to 25% extra flour to your recipe. The most common complaint I receive about shortbread recipes is that the dough is too dry - this is because too much flour has been added.
Crumbly dough is okay - Shortbread dough will look a little crumbly when mixing the ingredients together, but should hold together when pinched between two fingers (see photo above).
Pressing crust into the pan - Press your crust firmly into the pan. If you're having trouble, try using the bottom of a measuring cup to press the crust down.
Pan size - This recipe will fit into a square 8x8 or 9x9 baking pan.
Storage
Peach crumb bars will keep for 3 to 4 days in a sealed container at room temperature.
Bars can also be frozen for up to 3 months in a tightly sealed, freezer-safe container. To thaw, place on the countertop and remove the lid to allow to thaw for 1 to 2 hours.
Frequently asked questions
Yes, frozen peaches will work, but you'll want to thaw them and pat them dry first so that your filling doesn't turn out too wet.
Canned peaches will work, but your filling will be noticeably softer and a little mushy compared to using fresh or frozen peaches. I recommend using peaches in juice, not syrup. Pat your peaches dry before adding to your filling so it doesn't turn out too wet.
It sounds like too much flour was added to your crust. Shortbread can be finicky when you're not using a kitchen scale to measure ingredients. I recommend weighing your flour for best results. Flour can get compacted into measuring cups, which adds too much flour to the recipe and causes it to turn out dry.
I peel my peaches for desserts, but you're welcome to leave the skin on if you prefer them this way.
Recommended
📖 Recipe
Peach Crumb Bars
Ingredients
Crust
- ¾ cup (170 g) unsalted butter, room temperature
- ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- ¼ cup (53 g) brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 ¼ cups (270 g) all-purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
Filling
- 3 medium peaches, peeled and sliced
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- ½ cup (106 g) brown sugar
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
- ⅛ teaspoon ginger
- ⅛ teaspoon nutmeg
Instructions
Crust
- Preheat oven to 375℉. Line an 8x8 baking pan with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a bowl, add butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar. Using a hand mixer or stand mixer, beat until creamed and fluffy, about a minute. Add vanilla extract and mix to combine. Add flour, salt, and cinnamon and mix until a dough forms. Dough will look crumbly but holds together when pinched between two fingers.
- Reserve 1 cup of dough mixture and set aside for later.
- Press remaining dough into an even layer in prepared baking pan. Set aside
Filling
- In a large bowl, add peach slices, lemon juice, flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg. Stir until evenly incorporated.
- Pour filling over crust and spread into an even layer. Crumble reserved crust over the filling.
- Bake for 45 to 50 minutes, or until streusel is set on top and filling is bubbling in the center.
- Allow to cool completely to room temperature before slicing and serving.
Equipment Recommendations
Notes
- Bars will keep for 3-4 days at room temperature in a sealed container. If storing in the refrigerator, allow to come to room temperature before serving.
- I highly recommend using a kitchen scale to measure your flour. Adding too much flour to a shortbread crust will cause it to turn out very crumbly and dry. If you don't have a kitchen scale, use the spoon and level method: use a spoon to add flour to your measuring cup, then level off the top with a knife. Scooping flour using your measuring cup compacts flour into the cup and adds up to 25% extra flour to your recipe.
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