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Overhead of peach crumble bars with oat crumble topping on wooden board with fresh halved peaches
Luna Hossain

Peach Crumble Bars Recipe

Buttery shortbread base layered with jammy fresh peach filling and a golden oat crumble topping — no mixer needed, chilling required for clean slices.
~327 kcal | Fat: ~12g | Carbs: ~52g | Sugar: ~32g | Protein: ~3g | Sodium: ~35mg
Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Chill Time 2 hours
Total Time 3 hours 10 minutes
Servings: 12 bars
Course: Bars & Brownies
Cuisine: American
Calories: 327

Ingredients
  

  • For the Shortbread Base and Crumble Topping:
  • - 2 cups 240g all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
  • - ¾ cup 150g plain white granulated sugar
  • - ¼ tsp 1.5g fine sea salt
  • - ¾ cup 170g cold unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch (1.25cm) cubes
  • - 1 tsp 5ml pure vanilla extract
  • - ½ cup 45g old-fashioned rolled oats (crumble topping only)
  • For the Peach Filling:
  • - 3 cups 480g fresh yellow peaches, peeled and sliced into ½-inch (1.25cm) pieces (approximately 3 medium ripe peaches)
  • - 3 tbsp 36g plain white granulated sugar
  • - 1 tbsp 8g cornstarch (cornflour outside the US)
  • - 1 tsp 5ml fresh lemon juice
  • - ¼ tsp ground cinnamon checked for freshness
  • - 3 tbsp 60g seedless raspberry jam (or peach preserves)
  • For the Optional Glaze:
  • - 1 cup 120g powdered sugar, sifted
  • - 2–3 tbsp 30–45ml heavy cream or whole milk, added one tablespoon at a time

Equipment

  • Required:
  • Kitchen scale (strongly recommended — gram weights are more accurate than volume for both flour and butter)
  • Large mixing bowl
  • Pastry blender or fingertips (for cutting cold butter into flour)
  • 9x9 inch (23x23cm) light-colored aluminum baking pan
  • Parchment paper — two sheets, cut with overhang
  • Medium mixing bowl (for the peach filling)
  • Silicone spatula
  • Paring knife and cutting board (for peach prep)
  • Wire cooling rack
  • Small bowl and fork or small whisk (for the glaze, if using)
  • Optional but recommended:
  • Oven thermometer — most home ovens run 15–25°F (8–14°C) off; confirm actual temperature before baking
  • Bench scraper — for lifting and portioning the chilled slab cleanly

Method
 

  1. Position oven rack in the middle and preheat to 350°F (175°C), then line a 9x9 inch (23x23cm) light-colored aluminum baking pan with two sheets of parchment paper running in opposite directions, each with at least 2 inches (5cm) of overhang on all sides.
  2. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together 2 cups (240g) all-purpose flour, ¾ cup (150g) granulated sugar, and ¼ tsp (1.5g) fine sea salt, then add 1 tsp (5ml) pure vanilla extract and toss briefly with a fork.
  3. Add ¾ cup (170g) cold unsalted butter cubes all at once and work into the flour mixture using a pastry blender or fingertips, pressing and smearing until the mixture looks shaggy and uneven with butter pieces ranging from pea to almond size — do not overwork.
  4. Transfer approximately two-thirds of the mixture (roughly 310g) to the prepared pan and press firmly and evenly across the entire base using the flat bottom of a measuring cup, paying attention to the corners, until the base is approximately ¼ inch (6mm) thick with no gaps or thin spots.
  5. In a medium bowl, combine 3 cups (480g) peeled and sliced fresh yellow peaches, 3 tbsp (36g) granulated sugar, 1 tbsp (8g) cornstarch, 1 tsp (5ml) fresh lemon juice, and ¼ tsp ground cinnamon, then toss gently with a silicone spatula for approximately 20 slow folds until every peach piece is coated.
  6. Scatter the coated peach mixture evenly over the pressed shortbread base, then drop 3 tbsp (60g) seedless raspberry jam in small teaspoon-sized dollops across the peach layer — approximately 9 to 12 scattered dots — do not spread the jam.
  7. Add ½ cup (45g) old-fashioned rolled oats to the reserved one-third of the shortbread mixture and toss with a fork until distributed, then scatter the oat crumble loosely over the peach filling without pressing it flat — leave it in natural clumped state.
  8. Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 40 to 45 minutes, starting to check at 38 minutes, until the crumble peaks are deep golden brown and the fruit filling is visibly bubbling through the gaps in the crumble at the center of the pan — not just at the edges.
  9. Remove from the oven and cool in the pan on a wire rack for exactly 60 minutes at room temperature, then transfer the pan to the refrigerator and chill for a minimum of 2 hours before slicing.
  10. After chilling, grip the parchment overhang on two opposite sides and lift the slab straight out of the pan onto a flat cutting surface, then use a sharp chef's knife wiped clean between every cut to slice into 3 columns and 4 rows for 12 bars approximately 2¼ x 2¼ inches (5.7 x 5.7cm) each.
  11. If glazing: sift 1 cup (120g) powdered sugar into a small bowl, add 2 tbsp (30ml) heavy cream and whisk until smooth, adjust consistency with additional cream or powdered sugar, then drizzle in a zig-zag pattern over the sliced bars from a height of about 8 inches (20cm) and allow to set for 10 minutes before serving.

Notes

- Butter must be cold straight from the refrigerator — softened butter produces flat, sandy crumble with no distinct clumps.
- Oats go into the crumble topping only — not the pressed base. Old-fashioned rolled oats only; quick oats produce sandy texture.
- Cornstarch is non-negotiable — skipping it causes the peach juice to saturate the shortbread base during baking.
- Raspberry jam: seedless preferred, high fruit content. Substitute peach preserves for an all-peach flavor profile.
- Chilling is mandatory — minimum 2 hours refrigerator time after 60-minute room-temperature cool before slicing.
- Pan: 9x9 inch (23x23cm) light-colored aluminum only — dark, glass, or ceramic pans overbrown the base before the crumble is done.
- Storage: refrigerate in a hard-sided lidded container up to 4 days. Pull 15 minutes before serving to soften the base.
- Freeze unbaked: assemble through Step 7, cover tightly, freeze up to 1 month. Bake from frozen at 350°F (175°C) for 55–65 minutes.
- Canned peaches: drain and dry thoroughly, reduce filling sugar to 1 tbsp (12g), keep cornstarch the same.
- Frozen peaches: use directly from frozen, increase cornstarch to 1 tbsp plus 1 tsp (11g), add 5–8 minutes to bake time.
- Scaling: double all ingredients and bake in two separate 9x9 inch pans — do not use a single larger pan.
- High altitude (above 3,500 ft / 1,067m): check bars at 35 minutes; no flour or sugar adjustments needed for this recipe.
- Allergens: contains gluten (wheat flour), dairy (butter, heavy cream). Naturally egg-free.
- Glaze is optional — bars in the overhead and cooling rack photos are unglazed. Glaze appears in the stacked and plated photos.