Description
These Heavenly Summer Peach Bars feature a buttery, crumbly oat crust layered with a juicy, spiced fresh peach filling. Perfectly sweetened with a hint of cinnamon and lemon, these bars bake up golden with a chewy oat topping, delivering a delightful blend of textures and flavors that capture the essence of summer in every bite.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Crust and Topping
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cold and cubed
- 1 cup rolled oats
For the Peach Filling
- 4 cups fresh peaches, peeled and sliced
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare Pan: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 9×13-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving some overhanging on the sides to act as handles for easy removal of the bars after baking.
- Make the Crumb Mixture: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, granulated sugar, and brown sugar. Add the cold, cubed butter. Using a pastry blender or fingertips, cut the butter into the mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs with some pea-sized pieces remaining.
- Set Aside Topping and Bake Crust: Remove 1 ½ cups of the crumb mixture for the topping. Press the remaining mixture firmly and evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan to form the crust. Bake the crust for 12 minutes to par-bake.
- Prepare Peach Filling: While crust bakes, gently toss sliced peaches with cornstarch, granulated sugar, lemon juice, cinnamon, and optional ginger. Let sit for about 5 minutes to allow juice release and flavor melding.
- Assemble Bars: Remove the crust from the oven and spread the peach filling evenly over it, including all the juices. Stir the reserved crumb mixture with rolled oats, then sprinkle evenly over the peaches.
- Bake Bars: Return the pan to the oven and bake for 30-35 minutes until the oat topping is golden brown and the peach filling is bubbling around the edges.
- Cool and Slice: Cool the bars completely on a wire rack to allow the filling to set for clean slicing. Use the parchment paper handles to lift the bars from the pan and cut into 12 servings.
Notes
- Make sure to use cold butter for the crumb mixture to achieve a tender, crumbly texture.
- Allow the bars to cool completely before slicing to prevent them from falling apart.
- Peel peaches for a smoother texture, but unpeeled can be used for added fiber and rustic appeal.
- Optional ground ginger adds a subtle warmth, but can be omitted if you prefer.
- You can substitute rolled oats with quick oats for a slightly different texture in the topping.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 47 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: peach bars, summer dessert, peach crumble bars, fresh peach recipes, fruit bars, baked fruit dessert, oat crumble topping
