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Peach Pie Bars

Peach pie bars with a thick, buttery shortbread base, a full layer of spiced peach pie filling, and a golden crumble top. This easy peach dessert bar bakes until the topping is golden and the filling bubbles, then slices clean after cooling.
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Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Servings: 16 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 320
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

all-purpose flour
  • 2 cup all-purpose flour For the shortbread base.
  • 0.5 cup all-purpose flour For the crumble topping.
powdered sugar
  • 0.5 cup powdered sugar For the shortbread base.
  • 0.25 cup powdered sugar Use as written for the crumble component.
salt
  • 0.25 tsp salt Helps balance the sweetness.
unsalted butter
  • 0.75 cup unsalted butter Cold and cubed, for the shortbread base (3/4 cup / 1-1/2 sticks).
  • 3 tbsp unsalted butter Cold and cubed, for the crumble topping.
fresh peaches
  • 4 cup fresh peaches Peeled and diced.
granulated sugar
  • 0.5 cup granulated sugar For the peach filling.
  • 0.25 cup granulated sugar Use as written for the crumble component.
cornstarch
  • 2 tbsp cornstarch Thickens the peach filling.
cinnamon
  • 1 tsp cinnamon For the peach filling.
nutmeg
  • 0.25 tsp nutmeg For the peach filling.
lemon juice
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice For the peach filling.

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Prep and crust
  1. Preheat the oven to 350F and line a 9x13 pan with parchment. This keeps the bars easy to lift out after baking.
  2. Pulse all-purpose flour, powdered sugar, salt, and cold and cubed unsalted butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Press the crumbs firmly into the bottom of the pan to form an even base.
  3. Bake the crust for 15 minutes until just set. The base should look set but not deeply browned.
Peach filling and topping
  1. Toss diced fresh peaches with granulated sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, nutmeg, and lemon juice. Spread the mixture over the warm crust in an even layer.
  2. Combine flour, sugar, and cold butter into crumbles for the topping, then scatter over the peach layer. Leave a mostly even crumb coverage so the top turns golden.
  3. Bake for 35-40 minutes at 350F until the topping is golden and the filling is bubbling. Look for visible bubbles at the edges as the key cue.
Cool and slice
  1. Cool completely before lifting from the pan and slicing into bars. Clean slices come from full cooling so the filling sets.

Notes

Pro tip: keep the butter cold for both the crust and crumble so the bars bake up tender and crisp instead of greasy. Store covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days; freeze bars in an airtight container for up to 2 months. For a lighter option, use a 1:1 baking sugar substitute for the granulated sugar in the filling and topping.