Introduction

Oh my goodness, are you ready for a little taste of pure sunshine? These Peaches and Cream Crumble Bars are like bottling up the best parts of a warm summer day and baking them into a delightful, easy-to-share treat. Maybe you remember picking fresh peaches as a kid, or perhaps just the simple joy of a perfectly ripe one dripping down your chin. This recipe brings back all those happy feelings, but in a bar form that’s sturdy enough for picnics, potlucks, or just stacking high on a plate for movie night.

Forget complicated desserts! This recipe is incredibly straightforward, comes together faster than you’d think, and disappears even quicker. It’s one of those crowd-pleasers that feels special but is secretly super simple to make. Trust me, once you try these, they’ll become a staple in your baking repertoire.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Fast: No complicated steps, just mixing and baking!
Easy: Perfect for beginner bakers or when you’re short on time.
Giftable: Wrap them up beautifully for a thoughtful homemade present.
Crowd-pleasing: Who can resist juicy peaches, creamy goodness, and a buttery crumble?

Ingredients

Let’s gather our simple treasures for these incredible bars:

Peaches: 5 cups, pitted. Use fresh, ripe ones for the best flavor, or frozen (thawed and well-drained!) in a pinch. Juicy is good, but not too wet!
Brown sugar: 1/4 cup. This adds a lovely depth and a touch of caramel sweetness to the peach filling.
Ground cinnamon: 1/2 tsp. Just a whisper of warmth to complement those sweet peaches.
Flour: 2 3/4 cups. Good old all-purpose flour is the base for our delicious crumble.
Granulated sugar: 1 2/3 cup. Provides the main sweetness for our dough/crumble layer.
Salt: 3/4 tsp. Essential for balancing the sweetness and enhancing all the flavors. Don’t skip it!
Vanilla extract: 1/2 tsp. A touch of vanilla makes everything better, adding a hint of warm aroma.
Unsalted butter: 1 1/4 cups, cold and cubed. This is key for that perfect, sandy, buttery crumble texture. Make sure it’s cold!
Heavy cream: 6 tbsp. This magic ingredient brings just enough moisture to create the pressable base layer while keeping the top crumbly.

How to Make It

Ready to bake some magic? Let’s do this!

First, preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Lightly grease and flour a 9×13 inch baking pan, or line it with parchment paper, leaving some overhang on the sides – this makes lifting the finished bars out so much easier!
Prepare your peach filling. If you’re using fresh peaches, slice them into bite-sized pieces. If using frozen, make sure they are completely thawed and drain off any excess liquid really, really well. In a medium bowl, gently toss the peaches with the brown sugar and cinnamon. Set this aside while you make the crumble.
Now, let’s make the crumble mixture! In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, granulated sugar, and salt. Add the cold, cubed butter and vanilla extract.
Work the butter into the dry ingredients. You can use a pastry blender, a fork, or even your clean fingertips (my favorite way – you can feel when it’s right!). Cut or rub the butter into the flour mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs, with some pea-sized pieces of butter remaining.
Take about 3/4 of this crumble mixture and place it back into the large bowl. Add the heavy cream and mix until just combined. It will be a bit crumbly but should hold together when you press it.
Press this cream-enhanced mixture evenly into the bottom of your prepared baking pan. Press it down gently but firmly to form the base layer for your bars.
Carefully spoon the peach filling evenly over the crust layer. Try to leave behind any excess liquid that might have accumulated in the bottom of the peach bowl.
Take the remaining 1/4 of the original dry crumble mixture (the part you didn’t add cream to) and sprinkle it evenly over the peach layer. This will be your lovely, crisp topping!
Bake for 40-50 minutes, or until the topping is golden brown and the peach filling is bubbly around the edges.
Here’s a crucial step for perfect bars: Let them cool COMPLETELY in the pan on a wire rack before cutting. I know, it’s hard to wait for warm peach goodness, but cooling allows the bars to set properly so they don’t fall apart when you slice them. Seriously, wait at least 2-3 hours, or even pop them in the fridge for an hour once they’ve cooled down a bit.
Once fully cool, use the parchment paper overhang to lift the whole slab out of the pan. Slice into squares or rectangles with a sharp knife.

Substitutions & Additions

Want to play around a bit? This recipe is pretty forgiving and fun to customize!

Other Fruits: Swap peaches for blueberries, raspberries, mixed berries, or even sliced apples or pears (you might want to pre-cook apples/pears slightly if they’re very firm).
Spice It Up: Add a pinch of nutmeg or cardamom to the peach filling along with the cinnamon.
Nutty Crumble: Mix in 1/2 cup of chopped nuts like pecans or almonds into the crumble topping for extra crunch.
Add Oats: For a chewier crumble, swap out 1/2 cup of the flour in the crumble mixture for rolled oats.
Drizzle on Top: Once the bars are completely cool, you could whisk together a simple glaze of powdered sugar and a tiny bit of milk or cream and drizzle it over the top.

Tips for Success

Here are a few little pointers to make sure your crumble bars turn out perfect every time:

Cold Butter is Your Friend: Seriously, using cold butter and cutting it in properly is key to that wonderful crumbly texture. If your butter is too soft, the crumble will be more like a paste.
Don’t Overwork the Crumble: Especially when you add the cream to the base portion, mix just until it comes together. You don’t want to develop the gluten too much, or your base will be tough.
Drain Those Peaches! Excess liquid from the fruit is the enemy of a firm bar. If you’re using frozen peaches, make sure they are fully thawed and squeeze out as much liquid as you can. Even with fresh peaches, if they seem extra juicy, you can let them sit in the sugar/cinnamon mixture for 10-15 minutes and then drain off any liquid that collects before adding them to the pan.
Cool Completely Before Cutting: I know I said it before, but it’s worth repeating! Warm bars are delicious, but they are messy and won’t hold their shape. Patience pays off here.

How to Store It

These bars keep wonderfully, assuming they last that long!

Store cooled bars in an airtight container at room temperature for 2-3 days. For longer storage, keep them in the refrigerator for up to a week. If you want to save some for later (smart!), you can freeze cooled, uncut or sliced bars. Wrap them tightly in plastic wrap and then aluminum foil. They’ll keep in the freezer for up to 2-3 months. Thaw at room temperature before serving.

FAQs

Got questions? I’ve got answers!

Can I use frozen peaches?

Absolutely! Just be sure to thaw them completely and drain off all the excess liquid before mixing them with the sugar and cinnamon. Pat them dry with paper towels if needed.

Can I make the crumble ahead of time?

Yes! You can make the crumble mixture (without adding the cream yet) and store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for a few days, or even the freezer for longer. When you’re ready to bake, just proceed with adding the cream to the portion for the base and assembling as directed.

How do I know when the bars are done baking?

Look for a lovely golden brown color on the crumble topping and visible bubbling of the peach filling around the edges of the pan. The filling should look thick and jammy, not watery.

Can I make this gluten-free?

While I haven’t tested a gluten-free version personally for this specific recipe, you can often substitute a good quality gluten-free all-purpose flour blend (one that contains xanthan gum) cup-for-cup for the wheat flour. The texture might be slightly different, but the delicious flavor combination should still work!

Heavenly Peaches and Cream Crumble Bars

These Peaches and Cream Crumble Bars are a delightful, easy-to-share treat perfect for picnics, potlucks, or movie night. This recipe is incredibly straightforward, comes together faster than you'd think, and is a simple crowd-pleaser.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Cook Time 45

Equipment

9x13 inch baking pan
Wire rack
Medium bowl
Large bowl
Pastry blender or fork or clean fingertips
Sharp knife

Ingredients

Crumble Bars

5 cups Peaches pitted, fresh or frozen (thawed and well-drained!)
0.25 cup Brown sugar for peach filling
0.5 tsp Ground cinnamon for peach filling
2.75 cups Flour all-purpose
1.67 cup Granulated sugar for crumble
0.75 tsp Salt for crumble
0.5 tsp Vanilla extract for crumble
1.25 cups Unsalted butter cold and cubed, for crumble
6 tbsp Heavy cream for base layer

Instructions

First, preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Lightly grease and flour a 9x13 inch baking pan, or line it with parchment paper, leaving some overhang on the sides.
Prepare your peach filling. If you're using fresh peaches, slice them into bite-sized pieces. If using frozen, make sure they are completely thawed and drain off any excess liquid really, really well. In a medium bowl, gently toss the peaches with the brown sugar and cinnamon. Set this aside while you make the crumble.
Now, let's make the crumble mixture! In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, granulated sugar, and salt. Add the cold, cubed butter and vanilla extract.
Work the butter into the dry ingredients. You can use a pastry blender, a fork, or even your clean fingertips. Cut or rub the butter into the flour mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs, with some pea-sized pieces of butter remaining.
Take about 3/4 of this crumble mixture and place it back into the large bowl. Add the heavy cream and mix until just combined. It will be a bit crumbly but should hold together when you press it.
Press this cream-enhanced mixture evenly into the bottom of your prepared baking pan. Press it down gently but firmly to form the base layer for your bars.
Carefully spoon the peach filling evenly over the crust layer. Try to leave behind any excess liquid that might have accumulated in the bottom of the peach bowl.
Take the remaining 1/4 of the original dry crumble mixture (the part you didn't add cream to) and sprinkle it evenly over the peach layer. This will be your lovely, crisp topping!
Bake for 40-50 minutes, or until the topping is golden brown and the peach filling is bubbly around the edges.
Let them cool COMPLETELY in the pan on a wire rack before cutting. Cooling allows the bars to set properly so they don't fall apart. Wait at least 2-3 hours, or even pop them in the fridge for an hour once they've cooled down a bit.
Once fully cool, use the parchment paper overhang to lift the whole slab out of the pan. Slice into squares or rectangles with a sharp knife.

Notes

Tips for Success:
- Use cold butter for the best crumble texture.
- Don't overwork the crumble when adding cream.
- Drain peaches thoroughly to avoid soggy bars.
- Cool bars completely before cutting.

Storage:
- Store cooled bars in an airtight container at room temperature for 2-3 days or in the refrigerator for up to a week.
- Freeze cooled, wrapped bars for 2-3 months. Thaw at room temperature.