Celebrate the best of peaches this summer with these fresh peach crumb bars! A buttery, shortbread base is topped with a hefty layer of diced peaches and a perfectly spiced oat crumble.
Way back when I was a young pup, the thought of eating a peach just didn’t compute, a fuzzy skin, what?! Thank god I grew out of that confusion for peaches to become one of my absolute favorite fruits. Nothing beats a perfectly ripe peach.
You can find other peach recipes both sweet (like these peach and blueberry muffins) and savory (peach and prosciutto salad, anyone?!) around here!
Ingredients
These peach bars have three main components: the shortbread base, peach filling and oat crumble. Peaches do not have a lot of texture on their own, so I loved the subtle crunch the oats provided in the topping. I just didn’t want to overpower the delicate fruit by adding the oats everywhere!
Shortbread
- All-purpose flour.
- Unsalted butter. Grab a decent brand if possible, the shortbread base really relies on the butter flavor.
- Egg. This is not usual in all shortbreads, but it does help to give a more sturdy base to hold all those beautiful peaches up!
- Brown sugar. Peaches and brown sugar are a literal match made in heaven.
Peach Filling
- Ripe peaches. Bright and fresh peaches in peak ripeness are best here. Too ripe and the filling will mush completely when baked. Unripened and the filling will not bring out the peach flavor.
- Brown sugar & granulated sugar.
- Spices. Ginger is a great counterpoint to a peach, they blend beautifully. A little cinnamon rounds out the flavor.
- Cornstarch. Adding a touch of cornstarch prevents a wet peach filling.
- Fresh lemon juice. Lemon serves two purposes – prevents the peaches from browning and brightens the flavor.
Oat Crumble
- Old-fashioned rolled oats. Avoid quick-cooking oats, they do not have the same texture when baking. You don’t need to overcorrect to a steal-cut oat either. Classic Quaker works best.
- All-purpose flour. We need a mix of both flour and oats for the best crumble texture.
- Brown sugar & granulated sugar.
- Spices. We bring back the ginger and cinnamon here to reinforce the flavors.
- Unsalted butter.
Making Peach Bars
While there are three components to make, each one is very easy on their own. There’s a few things to keep in mind while baking!
Fresh ripe peaches needed. Using perfectly ripe peaches have the best flavor, and this crumb bar is all about the peaches! Remove the skins for a better peach compote texture. A vegetable peeler works well here, no fancy techniques needed.
Limit moisture. Letting the peach filling sit for a bit before adding to the crust will allow some of the liquid in the fresh fruit to escape. You can leave that behind to avoid a soggy bar.
Keep the crumble chilled. Using a chilled oat crumble on top helps to keep the little bits of crumbs together while baking. Using a room temperature butter makes for a better clump, so I like to make this first, then pop into the fridge to chill while making the remaining bake.
Baking time is critical. After some trial and error, a two-stage bake is key for a baked crust and a great peach filling texture. If you bake everything in one go, you end up with either an underbaked crust or completely mushy filling.
Frequently Asked Questions
I do not recommend using canned peaches here. The texture will not be the same and they have much more liquid making for a soggy bar.
Peach bars can be made and left at room temperature for up to 2 days, or stored in the fridge for a week. Avoid freezing the bars.
Metal is typically a better all-around choice for baking. Glass shines for casseroles but metal is a better heat conductor and bakes more evenly. If you are using glass, you will need to reduce the oven temperature by 25° and keep an eye on the color!
Fresh Peach Crumb Bars
Equipment
- 1 13" x 9" metal baking pan
Ingredients
Oat Crumble
- 60 g all-purpose flour
- 44 g old-fashioned rolled oats
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar packed
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 113 g unsalted butter cubed, room temperature
Shortbread Crust
- 339 g unsalted butter room temperature
- 160 g brown sugar packed
- 1 large egg
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 360 g all-purpose flour sifted
- 1 teaspoon salt
Peach Filling
- 650 g ripe peaches, peeled and pited, and in 1/4" – 1/2" cubes approx. 5-6 peaches
- 3 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 3 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Lightly grease a 13" x 9" metal baking pan and line with a sheet of parchment so the paper overhangs the pan slightly. This will help to remove the bars after baking.
- Oat crumble. Whisk together flour, oats, sugars, spices and salt. Using finger tips, rub butter into flour until mixture clumps together. Place is fridge until ready to use.60 g all-purpose flour, 44 g old-fashioned rolled oats, 2 tablespoons brown sugar, 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger, 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 113 g unsalted butter
- Shortbread crust. In the bowl of a stand-mixer fitted with paddle attachment, or with a hand-mixer, whip together butter and brown sugar on high until light and fluffy, about 4-5 minutes. Scrape down sides with paddle attachment as needed.339 g unsalted butter, 160 g brown sugar
- Mix in egg and vanilla extract on low until combined. Slowly add flour and salt and stir until mixture just starts to come together but is still crumbly.1 large egg, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, 360 g all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon salt
- Turn dough into the prepared pan. Pat into a smooth layer using fingertips. If dough is sticking to hands, sprinkle hands with water. For a completely smooth crust, run a bench scraper over the surface. Bake in oven for 15-20 minutes until crust is a light golden brown.
- Peach filling. While crust bakes, combine all ingredients for the peach filling in a large bowl and let stand for 5-10 to release juices.650 g ripe peaches, peeled and pited, and in 1/4" – 1/2" cubes, 3 tablespoons brown sugar, 1 tablespoon granulated sugar, 2 teaspoons ground ginger, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1 teaspoon salt, 2 teaspoons cornstarch, 3 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
- Creating the bars. While crust is still warm, top with an even layer of the peach filling (leaving juices behind) and scatter oat crumbles around top. Bake for another 45-55 minutes until peaches are bubbling and crumble is a golden brown.
- Cool completely in baking pan before slicing. Use parchment paper to lift bars from pan.
Notes
- Baked bars can be left at room temperature for up to 2 days, or refrigerated for a week.
- Do not freeze bars.
Disclaimer: We test all recipes using the metric weights shown, we cannot guarantee outcomes when switching to US measurements.
