Sweet Butter Peach Bars (Printable version)
Buttery crust layered with sweet peach filling and topped with fragrant cinnamon streusel crumble.
# What you need:
→ Buttery Shortbread Crust
01 - 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
02 - 2/3 cup granulated sugar
03 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
04 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
→ Fresh Peach Filling
05 - 3 cups diced fresh or canned peaches (about 4 medium)
06 - 1/3 cup granulated sugar
07 - 2 tablespoons cornstarch
08 - 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
09 - 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
→ Cinnamon Streusel Topping
10 - 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
11 - 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
12 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
13 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
14 - 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
# How To:
01 - Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a 9×13-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on two sides for easy removal.
02 - In a large bowl, cream the softened butter and granulated sugar together until light and fluffy. Add the flour and salt, then mix until the dough just comes together.
03 - Press the dough evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan. Bake for 15 minutes until the edges are lightly golden. Remove from the oven and set aside.
04 - In a medium bowl, toss the diced peaches with granulated sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice, and vanilla extract until evenly coated. Set aside to macerate.
05 - In a separate bowl, combine the flour, packed brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Pour in the melted butter and mix with a fork until the mixture forms coarse, crumbly clusters.
06 - Spread the peach filling in an even layer over the pre-baked crust. Sprinkle the cinnamon streusel evenly across the top.
07 - Bake for 25 minutes, or until the streusel topping is golden brown and the peach filling is bubbling at the edges.
08 - Allow the bars to cool completely in the pan. Use the parchment overhang to lift the slab out, then cut into 12 even squares.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The crust doubles as a sturdy base that holds together beautifully without turning soggy, even on day two.
- Fresh peaches and cinnamon together create a flavor that tastes like a pie but takes half the effort to pull off.
02 -
- Cutting these bars while they are still warm will give you a messy pile of peach crumble instead of neat squares, so resist the urge no matter how good they smell.
- If using canned peaches, drain them extremely well and pat them dry with a paper towel because excess liquid will turn the crust into a soggy layer that never sets.
03 -
- Toss the peaches with the cornstarch right before assembling so the starch does not clump up as the fruit sits and releases liquid.
- Press the crust dough firmly into the corners of the pan because any thin spots will burn before the rest of the crust is fully baked.