Peach Crumb Bars are buttery, crumbly, and filled with sweet, juicy peaches that bake into a jammy filling. The soft crust doubles as the crumb topping, making every bite rich, fruity, and irresistible.
They taste like a cross between peach pie and a buttery shortbread cookie, but they’re so much easier to make. Perfect for peach season or any time you’re craving a cozy fruit dessert.
These bars are perfect for late summer when fresh or frozen peaches are at their sweetest. They also make a cozy fall dessert when you’re craving something fruity but still comforting.
Serve them at summer cookouts, brunches, or pack them for picnics. They’re also lovely as a casual dessert for potlucks or served warm with ice cream for a weekend treat.
If you liked this recipe, try my Apple Pie Crumb Bars or my cozy Pumpkin Banana Bread Muffins.
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Ingredients
For the Crust and Crumb
- All-purpose flour
- Baking powder
- Salt
- Granulated sugar
- Brown sugar
- Unsalted butter
- Vanilla extract
- Egg
For the Peach Filling
- Frozen sliced peaches
- Granulated sugar
- Lemon juice
- Cornstarch
- Water
- Cinnamon (optional)
- Salt
- Vanilla extract
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
Step 1: Make the crust & crumb: Combine flour, baking powder, salt, sugars, butter, vanilla, and egg in a bowl until crumbly. Press half into a lined 8×8 pan.
Step 2: Cook the filling: Simmer frozen peaches, sugar, lemon juice, salt, vanilla, and a cornstarch slurry until thickened.
Step 3: Assemble the bars: Spread the peach filling over the crust and sprinkle the remaining crumb mixture on top.
Step 4: Bake & cool: Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 35–40 minutes until golden. Cool completely before slicing.
Hint: Weighing your ingredients with a kitchen scale is the easiest way to guarantee accuracy, giving you perfect texture and consistent results every time you bake.
Substitutions
Need to make some swaps? Here are easy options:
- Frozen or Fresh Peaches: Either works—if using fresh, peel and slice before cooking. I used frozen.
- Gluten-Free: Use a 1:1 gluten-free baking flour blend; texture may be slightly softer but still delicious.
- Dairy-Free: Substitute cold dairy-free butter for the crust and topping. I like Country Crock's plant butter.
- Cornstarch: Tapioca starch or arrowroot powder can be used in the peach filling.
- Brown Sugar: Use all granulated sugar if needed, though brown sugar adds a richer flavor.
Variations
Want to change things up? Try these fun ideas:
- Peach Raspberry Bars: Swap some of the peaches for raspberries.
- Peach Almond Bars: Add ½ teaspoon of almond extract to the crust and topping.
- Glazed Bars: Drizzle a simple vanilla glaze over the cooled bars for extra sweetness.
- Cinnamon Crumb Bars: Add an extra teaspoon of cinnamon to the crumb mixture.
Equipment
- Kitchen scale
- 8x8-inch baking pan
- Parchment paper
- Mixing bowls (large, medium, and small)
- Whisk
- Pastry blender or fork (for cutting in butter)
- Spatula or wooden spoon
- Saucepan
- Measuring spoons
- Cooling rack
Storage
Store leftover bars in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days, or refrigerate for up to 5 days.
You can also freeze them for up to 2 months—wrap tightly, then thaw in the refrigerator before moving to room temperature (to minimize condensation) or warm slightly before serving.
Audrey's tip
For the best texture, let the bars cool completely before slicing—this helps the filling set and keeps the crumb topping from falling apart. If you love warm bars, just reheat a slice after cutting and serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Related Recipes
Looking for other summer recipes like this? Try these:
Easy Peach Crumb Bars
Equipment
- 8x8-inch baking pan
- Parchment Paper
- Mixing bowls (large, medium, and small)
- Whisk
- Pastry blender or fork (for cutting in butter)
- Spatula or wooden spoon
- Saucepan
- Measuring cups and spoons (or kitchen scale)
- Knife and cutting board (if chopping peaches further)
- Cooling rack
Ingredients
For the crust and crumb:
- 2½ cups all-purpose flour 300g
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup granulated sugar 100g
- ½ cup brown sugar 110g, packed
- 1 cup unsalted butter 226g, cold and cubed
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 large egg
For the peach filling:
- 4 cups frozen sliced peaches 500g, roughly chopped
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar 65g
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 2 teaspoon cornstarch
- 2 tablespoon water for mixing with cornstarch
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon optional but cozy
- Pinch salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Prep the oven: Preheat to 350°F (175°C). Line an 8x8-inch pan with parchment paper and lightly grease.
- Make the crust & crumb: In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, and both sugars. Cut in the cold butter using a pastry blender or fingertips until the texture resembles damp sand with some pea-sized clumps. Whisk together the egg and vanilla and mix it in until combined and crumbly.
- Form the base: Press about two-thirds of the mixture into the pan to form an even bottom crust. Reserve the remaining third for the topping.
- Cook the peach filling: In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine chopped frozen peaches (no need to thaw), sugar, lemon juice, cinnamon, salt, and vanilla. Cook for 6–8 minutes, stirring often, until the peaches release their juices and begin to soften.
- Make the slurry: In a small bowl, stir together cornstarch and water until smooth. Add to the peach mixture and cook for another 1–2 minutes, until thickened slightly. Remove from heat and let cool for 5 minutes.
- Assemble: Spread the peach filling over the crust. Sprinkle the reserved crumb mixture evenly over the top.
- Bake: Bake for 40-45 minutes, until the top is golden and the filling is bubbling around the edges.
- Cool: Let cool completely in the pan. Chill for 1–2 hours for clean slices.
- Serve: Slice into bars and enjoy cold or at room temperature. They’re also excellent, slightly warm with whipped cream or ice cream.
Notes
If your frozen peaches are in large slices, give them a rough chop so they layer more evenly and don’t weigh down the crust.
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