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Easy summer peach bars. Slices of homemade dessert with fresh peaches.
Lady Maria

Heavenly Peach Bars: Easy Summer Dessert

These peach bars are a taste of summer, featuring a buttery crust, juicy peach filling, and crunchy streusel topping. Perfect for potlucks, picnics, or a sweet treat, these easy-to-make bars capture the essence of homemade goodness and are sure to become a family favorite.
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Servings: 12
Course: Dessert, Snack
Cuisine: American
Calories: 350
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour for crust
  • ½ cup 1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes (for crust
  • ½ cup granulated sugar for crust
  • ¼ teaspoon salt for crust
  • 1 large egg yolk for crust
  • 2 tablespoons ice water for crust
  • 4 cups peeled and sliced fresh peaches about 4-5 medium peaches
  • ¼ cup granulated sugar for filling
  • 2 tablespoons cornstarch for filling
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice for filling
  • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon for filling
  • ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg optional, for filling
  • ½ cup all-purpose flour for streusel
  • ⅓ cup packed light brown sugar for streusel
  • ¼ cup ½ stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes (for streusel
  • ¼ cup chopped pecans or walnuts optional, for streusel

Equipment

  • 9x13 inch baking pan
  • Parchment paper (optional)
  • Large bowl
  • medium bowl
  • small bowl
  • whisk
  • Pastry blender or fingertips
  • Fork
  • measuring cups and spoons
  • Oven
  • knife
  • Cutting board

Method
 

  1. Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Grease and flour a 9x13 inch baking pan. Alternatively, line the pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang for easy removal.
  2. In a large bowl, whisk together the 1 ½ cups flour, ½ cup sugar, and ¼ teaspoon salt (for the crust).
  3. Add the ½ cup cold, cubed butter to the flour mixture. Use a pastry blender or your fingertips to cut the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
  4. In a small bowl, whisk together the egg yolk and ice water.
  5. Pour the egg yolk mixture over the flour mixture.
  6. Use a fork to gently combine the wet and dry ingredients until the dough just comes together. Be careful not to overmix!
  7. Transfer the dough to the prepared baking pan. Use your fingers to evenly press the dough into the bottom of the pan, creating a solid crust.
  8. Bake the crust in the preheated oven for 12-15 minutes, or until it's lightly golden brown.
  9. While the crust is baking, prepare the peach filling. In a large bowl, combine the sliced peaches, ¼ cup sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice, cinnamon, and nutmeg (if using). Gently toss to coat the peaches evenly.
  10. In a medium bowl, combine the ½ cup flour and brown sugar (for the streusel).
  11. Add the ¼ cup cold, cubed butter to the flour mixture. Use a pastry blender or your fingertips to cut the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
  12. Stir in the chopped pecans or walnuts, if using.
  13. Remove the par-baked crust from the oven.
  14. Pour the peach filling evenly over the crust.
  15. Sprinkle the streusel topping evenly over the peach filling.
  16. Bake the bars in the preheated oven for 30-35 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown and the peach filling is bubbly. If the streusel starts to brown too quickly, you can loosely tent the pan with foil for the last 10-15 minutes of baking.
  17. Let the bars cool completely in the pan before cutting into squares.

Notes

For best results, use cold butter and ice water to create a flaky crust. Don't overmix the dough to avoid a tough texture. Blanching the peaches makes peeling easier. Adjust the sugar in the filling based on the sweetness of the peaches. Cooling the bars completely before cutting ensures cleaner slices. Store the bars at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. To freeze, wrap individual squares in plastic wrap and store in a freezer-safe container for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature before serving. For added flavor, consider adding a splash of amaretto liqueur to the peach filling or a pinch of ground ginger or cardamom.