Peach Bars are the best make-ahead summer treat. They take 15 minutes of easy prep, 9 ingredients from your pantry and have a delicious crumb topping!
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Why this Peach Crumb Bars Recipe is a Keeper
I love this recipe so much because it’s such an easy sweet treat! It’s quick and oh so delicious. A perfect summer surprise for your family and friends.
- 15 Minute Prep: This recipe only takes 15 minutes of work before letting your oven do the rest.
- Easy Ingredients: You will need just 9 ingredients to complete this easy dessert. Once you’ve made this recipe, you’ll always want ripe peaches desserts.
- Family Friendly: This great recipe for peach dessert bars will quickly become a family favorite! These bars taste like a slice of summertime paradise.
- Adaptable: This buttery peach recipe is super customizable, so feel free to make it unique.
- Makes Great Leftovers: Throw the peaches and cream crust and crumb topping, if you have any, in the fridge to enjoy for the next couple days.
If you’re looking for more easy summer dessert recipes, try these Smores Bars, Blueberry Cherry Dump Cake and Summer Berry Trifle.
What is Brown Butter and What Does it Taste Like?
Brown butter has a rich, nutty flavor. The browning of milk solids in the butter develops a caramelized taste and smell which adds depth and complexity to desserts and meals.
Ingredient Notes to Fresh Peach Crumb Bars
You will only need just a few simple ingredients to make this peach bar recipe. You may need to get a couple ingredients next time you go out, but they’re all really easy to find at the store.
- Peaches: We are using sliced canned peaches to make this dessert. If you can get your hands on some fresh peaches during peach season, it’ll makes this treat even better. Make sure to peel and chop the peaches.
- Unsalted Butter: Use unsalted butter when you make this recipe. If all you have is salted butter, you won’t need to add any more salt to the fresh peach crumb bars.
See the recipe card below for a complete list of the ingredients with measurements.
Variations and Substitutions for Easy Peach Crumble Bars
These sliced peach pie bars are super easy to customize. There are so many different varieties of these bars you could make.
- Different Nuts: Walnuts or pecans would both be great in this recipe for peach bars to add a delicious crunch.
- Gluten Free Ingredients: Swap for your favorite gluten free flour to mix with the diced peaches to make this perfect recipe gluten free!
- Sugar Free Alternatives: To cut down on sugar, use fresh peaches and a non-sugar sweetener.
Easy Recipe Pro Tip
Nuts absorb some of the excess moisture from the peaches, helping to prevent a soggy bottom.
How to Make Peach Bars
This easy peach crumble recipe takes a little bit of effort but it’s so worth it. Recipes with peaches are my favorite, so follow these super easy 6 steps to make your own with crumble on top!
These are the basic steps for making Peach Bars with Crumb Topping. Refer to the full, printable recipe card below for detailed instructions.
1. Prep Dish and Peaches
Preheat the oven to 350°F and line an 8×8 baking pan with parchment paper.
Transfer the peaches that have been drained into a mixing bowl and proceed to mash the slices into smaller pieces. Remove any excess juice from the sweet peach slices and transfer them to a saucepan.
2. Cook Peaches
Place the saucepan over medium heat and add the lemon juice and sugar to the mashed peaches. Cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the peaches begin to break down and a syrupy consistency is achieved.
3. Brown the Butter
As the peaches cook, add 2 sticks of butter into a separate saucepan. Cook over medium heat until butter has turned brown and nutty. Whisk together the browned butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt in a large bowl.
4. Form Brown Butter Crust
Combine the flour to the crumble mixture and stir until a dough with a crumbly texture is formed. Put 3/4 of the dough into the prepared baking dish. Use your hands to shape the crumb mixture into the base of the pan.
5. Assemble Peach Bars
Add nutmeg and cinnamon after removing the peaches from the heat. Spread the peach mixture evenly over the brown butter pastry crust. Use the remaining crust and crumble to create a streusel crumble topping on top of the peaches.
6. Bake Dessert and Cool
Place in the oven and bake until the streusel turns golden brown, which should take about 45 minutes. Allow to cool before slicing into bars for at least 30 minutes.
Recipe FAQs for the Best Peach Pie Bars
Store peach crisp in an airtight container in the fridge. Delicious peach crumb bars with a buttery crust and crumble topping stay good for up to 5 days.
When picking the perfect juicy peaches, look for ones that are fragrant and are soft to gentle pressure. Avoid the ones that are overly hard, have bruises/blemishes and are a pale yellow. The color of the peach’s skin should be vibrant and free from wrinkling.
Sure! I haven’t tested this recipe using other fruits, but feel free to experiment with fruits such as blueberries, raspberries or even a combination of different fruits and berries.
Yes! You can use both fresh or frozen peaches in this peach dessert recipe. If using frozen peaches, thaw and drain them before using in this easy recipe for homemade peach bars.
Expert Tips for Making This Homemade Peach Crumb Bar Recipe
- Double the Recipe: If you want even more of your new favorite peach filling, simply increase the ingredients proportionately and split it into two batches.
- Drizzle with Icing: For a little extra sweetness and visual appeal, drizzle the cooled peach bars with a simple icing made from powdered sugar and milk.
- Peach Jam: Using a peach jam instead of making the peach filling will intensify the peach flavor in every bite. Heat the peach jam slightly to make it more spreadable, and then spread it evenly over the crust.
- Top with Ice Cream: Serve these bars warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and a little extra peach pie filling.
- Creamy Peach Filling: Use this sweet peach filling recipe in other wonderful peach recipes. Try it in your favorite peach cobbler recipe or in a pastry like peach pie.
More Peach Dessert Recipes
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Peach Bars with Crumb Topping
Equipment
- 8 x 8-inch baking dish
- medium saucepan
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Ingredients
Brown Butter Crust
- 16 tablespoons Unsalted butter, browned and slightly cooled
- ⅔ cup Packed light brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon Cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon Nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- 2½ cups All-purpose flour
Peach Filling
- 1 15 ounce can sliced peaches, drained and mashed, or 2 cups fresh peaches, peeled and diced
- 2 tablespoons Lemon juice
- 3 tablespoons Granulated sugar
- ¼ teaspoon Cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon Nutmeg
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line an 8 x 8-inch baking dish with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on two sides for easy removal.
- Place the drained peaches in a mixing bowl and mash them until only small pieces remain. Transfer the peaches to a small saucepan and stir in the lemon juice and granulated sugar. Cook over medium heat for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the peaches soften and the mixture thickens to a syrupy consistency.
- Meanwhile, melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Continue cooking until it turns golden brown and develops a nutty aroma. Remove from the heat and let cool slightly.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the browned butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Stir in the flour until a crumbly dough forms.
- Press about three-quarters of the crumb mixture firmly into the bottom of the prepared baking dish to form an even crust.
- Remove the peach filling from the heat and stir in the cinnamon and nutmeg.
- Spread the peach filling evenly over the crust.
- Sprinkle the remaining crumb mixture evenly over the peach filling.
- Bake for about 45 minutes, or until the topping is golden brown and the filling is bubbling around the edges.
- Allow the bars to cool in the pan for at least 30 minutes. Lift them out using the parchment paper and cut into 9 squares before serving.
Christina’s Notes
- Browning the butter adds a rich, nutty flavor that makes these bars extra special. Watch it closely so it doesn’t burn.
- If using canned peaches, drain them well before mashing so the filling doesn’t become too runny.
- For an extra-special finish, drizzle the cooled bars with a simple icing made from powdered sugar and milk.
- Serve the bars slightly warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream for an easy summer dessert.
- Store the bars in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Freeze the fully cooled bars in an airtight container for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator or at room temperature before serving.
- Scale the recipe: Simply adjust the serving size in the recipe card and the ingredients will update automatically.
- Make your own All Purpose Seasoning: When a recipe calls for All Purpose Seasoning, you can use my homemade All Purpose Seasoning recipe or substitute salt and pepper to taste.
- Meat doneness: I always use a meat thermometer to test for doneness when cooking meat.
- Use unsalted butter: I use unsalted butter so I can control the salt level in the recipe.
- Preheat the oven: Unless otherwise noted, always preheat your oven before baking.
For more helpful information about this recipe, such as variations, substitutions and other pro-tips, check out the blog post.