Peach Crumb Bars
Buttery shortbread crust, juicy peach filling, and a golden crumb topping come together in these easy peach crumb bars, the perfect make ahead dessert for summer cookouts.
The Peach Dessert You'll Make All Summer Long
There is a short window every summer when peaches are at their absolute best, and these peach crumb bars are exactly how you should be spending it. A buttery shortbread crust, a layer of juicy cinnamon spiced peaches, and a crumbly golden topping all come together in one pan. If you have been searching for a dessert recipe peach lovers will request on repeat, this is it.
What makes this one of my favorite things to bake in summer is how forgiving it is. You do not need perfectly ripe peaches or fancy equipment, just one bowl, one pan, and a little patience while it cools.
Before we get cooking, the right tools and ingredients genuinely change the outcome here. A sturdy pastry cutter makes quick work of the crumb topping, and a good quality 9x13 pan with straight edges gives you clean, bakery style bars every time. Parchment paper with overhang is non negotiable if you want easy lifting and slicing.
Fresh, Canned, or Jarred Peaches, All Work Here
One of the best things about this recipe is its flexibility. Fresh peaches give the brightest flavor when they are in season, but this is also one of the best recipes with jarred peaches or canned peach pie filling when fresh fruit is not available. If you go the canned route, just drain the peaches very well and pat them dry with a paper towel before tossing them with the sugar and cornstarch. This keeps your bars from turning watery.
Chef's Tip: Slightly underripe peaches actually hold their shape better in the oven, giving you cleaner slices with less bleeding into the crust.
Building the Layers
This bar comes together in three simple layers. The base is a press in shortbread style crust, sturdy enough to slice neatly but still tender. The middle layer is where the peach magic happens, sliced peaches tossed with sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice, and warm cinnamon that thickens into a jammy filling as it bakes. On top, the reserved crumb mixture gets sprinkled over everything, creating that irresistible craggy, golden crust that makes crumb bars so much fun to eat.
The cornstarch is doing important work here. It thickens the peach juices as they bubble in the oven, so you get sliceable bars instead of a runny mess. Do not skip it, even if your peaches seem dry going in.
Tips for the Best Peach Crumb Bars
- Use cold butter and work quickly so the crumb topping stays crumbly rather than pasty.
- Toss your peaches with lemon juice right away to prevent browning and add brightness.
- Let the bars cool completely, ideally a full two hours, before slicing. This is what gives you clean bars instead of a warm peach cobbler situation, which is delicious in its own right but a different dessert entirely.
- Line your pan with parchment on all sides so you can lift the entire slab out before cutting.
Ready to make it? Here is the full step-by-step recipe:
Peach Crumb Bars
Buttery shortbread crust, juicy peach filling, and a golden crumb topping come together in these easy peach crumb bars, the perfect make ahead dessert for summer cookouts.
Ingredients
- 3 cups all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
- 1 cup granulated sugar, divided
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
- 1 cup unsalted butter, cold, cubed
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt, fine sea salt
- 1 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 tsp vanilla extract, pure
- 4 cups peaches, sliced fresh, or one 29 oz can drained and chopped
- 2 tbsp cornstarch
- 1 tbsp lemon juice, freshly squeezed
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
Instruction
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) and line a 9x13 inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the sides.
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, 3/4 cup granulated sugar, brown sugar, baking powder, and salt.
Add the cold cubed butter and use a pastry cutter or your fingers to work it into the flour mixture until it resembles coarse, sandy crumbs.
In a small bowl, whisk the egg and vanilla extract together, then drizzle into the flour mixture and stir just until small clumps form.
Press two thirds of the mixture firmly into the bottom of the prepared pan to form an even crust. Set the remaining crumb mixture aside for topping.
In a medium bowl, toss the sliced peaches with the remaining 1/4 cup granulated sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice, and cinnamon until evenly coated.
Spread the peach filling evenly over the crust in the pan.
Sprinkle the reserved crumb mixture evenly over the peaches, breaking up any large clumps with your fingers.
Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, until the top is golden brown and the peach filling is bubbling at the edges.
Cool completely in the pan on a wire rack, at least 2 hours, before lifting out with the parchment overhang and slicing into bars.
Equipment
- 9x13 inch baking pan
- Parchment paper
- Large mixing bowl
- Pastry cutter
- Wire cooling rack
Notes
Serving and Storing
These bars are wonderful slightly warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, or fully chilled straight from the fridge with your afternoon coffee. They travel well too, which makes them one of my go to cookout dessert recipes for potlucks and backyard gatherings. Just keep them in the pan, covered, until you are ready to serve.
For storage, keep leftover bars in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to five days. They also freeze beautifully. Wrap individual bars tightly in plastic wrap, then store in a freezer bag for up to three months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before enjoying.
A Few Easy Variations
If you want to switch things up, this recipe is a great base for other easy dessert recipes with fruit. Try swapping half the peaches for raspberries or blueberries, or add a handful of chopped pecans to the crumb topping for extra crunch. A pinch of nutmeg alongside the cinnamon also gives the filling a cozy, spiced depth that pairs beautifully with the sweet peaches.
However you serve them, these peach crumb bars are proof that some of the best desserts come from the simplest ingredients, treated well.
