Peaches And Cream Crumble Bars Recipe

I turned ripe peaches and a shortbread style cookie crust into simple bars that deserve a spot on your Desserts To Make With Peaches list.

I stumbled on these Peaches And Cream Crumble Bars and I still can’t believe how they turned out. They have a creamy, almost pie like filling that pairs with juicy ripe peaches and a sweet crumbly crust that somehow gets crunchy in all the right spots.

I kept thinking it was missing something, then realized the tang of the cream cheese punched it up just enough, and suddenly every bite was surprising. I bake them when friends come over and they always ask for the recipe, cause they vanish too fast.

Call it a Baked Peaches Dessert and you’ll understand why.

Ingredients

• All purpose flour: Main source of carbs, low fiber, builds base and crumb structure.
• Unsalted butter: High fat content, gives flaky richness and deep buttery flavor, not healthy.
• Cream cheese: Adds tangy creaminess, provides fat and protein, makes filling luxuriously smooth.
• Peaches: Fresh peaches bring vitamins, fiber, juicy sweetness and slight citrusy tartness.
• Granulated sugar: Sweetens the bars, aids browning, mostly simple carbs with few nutrients.
• Light brown sugar: Adds molasses depth, soft chewiness and moisture, slightly less refined than white.
• Cornstarch: Thickens peach juices, prevents soggy crust, keeps filling glossy without flavor.
• Eggs: Provide structure and lift, add protein and richness to crust and filling.
• Sour cream: Adds tang and creaminess, helps tenderize crumb, contributes moist mouthfeel.

Ingredient Quantities

• 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter cold and cubed
• 1 large egg (for crust)
• 8 oz cream cheese softened
• 1/3 cup sour cream
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 large egg (for filling)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 3 to 4 large ripe peaches peeled and diced (about 2 cups)
• 2 tbsp granulated sugar
• 1 tbsp cornstarch
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• pinch ground cinnamon optional
• powdered sugar for dusting optional

How to Make this

1. Preheat oven to 350 F (175 C). Line an 8×8 inch baking pan with parchment leaving an overhang and lightly grease the paper so the bars lift out easy.

2. Make the crust/topping: in a bowl whisk together 1 1/2 cups flour, 3/4 cup granulated sugar, 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar, 1 tsp baking powder and 1/2 tsp salt. Toss in 1 cup cold cubed unsalted butter and use a pastry cutter or your fingers to rub the butter into the dry mix until you have coarse crumbs with some pea size bits.

3. Add the 1 large egg (for crust) and mix just until the dough comes together loosely. Reserve about one third of the crumb mixture for the topping and press the remaining crumbs firmly into the bottom of the prepared pan to form the crust.

4. Blind bake the crust for 12 to 15 minutes until set and just starting to color. Remove from oven and let it cool slightly while you make the filling, but don’t wait too long or it’ll set cold.

5. Make the creamy filling: beat 8 oz softened cream cheese with 1/3 cup sour cream and 1/4 cup granulated sugar until smooth, then beat in the 1 large egg (for filling) and 1 tsp vanilla extract until fully combined. Don’t overmix or you’ll get air bubbles.

6. Prepare the peaches: toss 3 to 4 large peeled and diced peaches (about 2 cups) with 2 tbsp granulated sugar, 1 tbsp cornstarch, 1 tsp lemon juice and a pinch of ground cinnamon if using. Let sit 5 minutes so they macerate and release a bit of juice; if your peaches are super juicy add a little extra cornstarch.

7. Spread the cream cheese filling evenly over the prebaked crust. Scatter the sugared peaches over the filling in an even layer, try not to bury them too deep or the filling won’t set.

8. Sprinkle the reserved crumb mixture over the peaches, pressing very lightly so some crumbs stick but you don’t compact them into a flat crust.

9. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes until the top is golden and the filling feels set in the center (it may wobble a tiny bit). Cool the pan on a wire rack for at least 1 hour, then chill in the fridge for another hour or two for the cleanest slicing.

10. Lift the bars from the pan using the parchment overhang, dust with powdered sugar if you like, slice into squares and serve warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or cold, your call.

Equipment Needed

1. 8×8 inch baking pan lined with parchment paper (leave an overhang)
2. Mixing bowls, one large for crumbs and one medium for filling
3. Measuring cups and spoons (for flour, sugars, cornstarch, salt, etc)
4. Pastry cutter or two forks, or your fingers to rub in the cold butter
5. Electric hand mixer or stand mixer, or a whisk if you dont have one
6. Rubber spatula and a wooden spoon for folding and spreading the filling
7. Chef’s knife and cutting board for peeling and dicing peaches
8. Wire cooling rack and oven mitts for safe handling and cooling
9. Fine mesh sieve or small sifter for dusting powdered sugar (optional)

FAQ

Peaches And Cream Crumble Bars Recipe Substitutions and Variations

• All purpose flour: swap for whole wheat pastry flour or a 1 to 1 gluten free flour blend. Use the same amount, whole wheat pastry will be a bit denser and nuttier, gluten free might need a touch more moisture.
• Unsalted butter cold and cubed: use salted butter and reduce the added salt to about 1/4 teaspoon, or use solid coconut oil at an equal volume but chill the crust extra since coconut oil melts faster.
• Cream cheese softened: replace with mascarpone 1 to 1 for a silkier, richer filling, or use well drained ricotta blended smooth if you want a lighter milky flavor.
• Cornstarch: swap for arrowroot or tapioca starch at the same amount, arrowroot gives a clear glossy filling, tapioca makes it a bit chewier but still great.

Pro Tips

1. Keep the butter really cold and handle fast. Toss the cubes in a food processor and pulse just until you have coarse crumbs with some pea size bits, or rub quickly by hand. If the butter warms up the crumb gets greasy and the topping will be mushy, so pop the bowl in the fridge for 10 minutes if it starts feeling soft.

2. Stop the cream cheese from getting full of air. Bring cream cheese and sour cream to room temp so they smooth out easy, then beat only until silky, not fluffy. Overbeating traps air and causes little craters or cracks when it bakes, so scrape the bowl and mix gently at the end.

3. Control peach juice so the bars don’t turn soggy. Toss the diced peaches with the cornstarch and sugar and let them sit, then blot excess juice with a towel or drain a bit before adding. If your fruit is super ripe, quickly cook it down in a skillet for a minute to concentrate flavor and thicken the liquid, or reserve the released juice and simmer it to make a quick glaze.

4. Chill before slicing and slice smart. Let the pan cool to room temp then chill in the fridge for at least an hour so the filling firms up, that makes clean cuts. Use a knife warmed under hot water and wiped dry between slices for neat edges, and store leftovers covered in the fridge, they actually taste better the next day.