Sweet Peach Cinnamon Streusel Bars (Printable View)
Buttery peach bars with cinnamon streusel topping, perfect for summer desserts and gatherings.
# What You’ll Need:
→ Buttery Shortbread Crust
01 - 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
02 - 2/3 cup granulated sugar
03 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
04 - 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
→ Fresh Peach Filling
05 - 3 cups fresh peaches (about 4-5 medium), peeled and diced into 1/2-inch pieces
06 - 1/4 cup granulated sugar
07 - 2 tablespoons cornstarch
08 - 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
→ Cinnamon Streusel Topping
09 - 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
10 - 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
11 - 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
12 - 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
13 - 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold and cut into small cubes
# Cooking Steps:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 9x9-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on two sides for easy removal.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, beat softened butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add flour and salt, mixing until a crumbly dough comes together.
03 - Press dough evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan. Bake for 15 minutes until the edges are lightly golden. Remove from oven and set aside.
04 - While the crust bakes, combine diced peaches, sugar, cornstarch, and lemon juice in a medium bowl. Toss gently until peaches are evenly coated and cornstarch is fully dissolved.
05 - In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Cut in cold cubed butter using a pastry cutter or your fingers until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with some larger pieces remaining.
06 - Spread the peach filling evenly over the warm pre-baked crust. Sprinkle the streusel topping uniformly over the peaches, covering the entire surface.
07 - Return pan to oven and bake for 30 minutes, or until the streusel is deeply golden and the peach filling is bubbling around the edges.
08 - Allow bars to cool completely in the pan on a wire rack. Once fully set, lift the parchment overhang to remove the slab, then slice into 12 even bars.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The buttery crust alone is worth making this recipe, and it comes together in about five minutes with no fancy equipment needed.
- Fresh summer peaches turn into something almost magical when they bake under a crunchy cinnamon streusel, and the texture contrast will have everyone reaching for seconds.
- These bars travel beautifully for potlucks and picnics, and they taste even better the next day when the flavors have had time to mingle.
02 -
- If you cut into these bars while they are still warm, the filling will ooze everywhere and you will end up with a delicious but very messy situation.
- The crust dough will seem too dry and crumbly when you first mix it, but trust the process and press it firmly into the pan with your hands or the back of a measuring cup.
- Frozen or canned peaches work in a pinch, but drain them thoroughly first because excess moisture will turn your filling into soup no matter how much cornstarch you use.
03 -
- The secret to a truly crunchy streusel is keeping your butter as cold as possible, so cube it first and stick it back in the fridge until the exact moment you need it.
- Score the top of the baked bars lightly with a knife while they are still slightly warm, then let them finish cooling completely before cutting through, and you will get perfectly clean edges every single time.