Sweet Butter Peach Streusel Bars (Printable)
Buttery bars layered with sweet peaches and spiced cinnamon streusel, ideal for summer gatherings.
# What You’ll Need:
→ Crust
01 - 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
02 - 2/3 cup granulated sugar
03 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
04 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
→ Peach Filling
05 - 3 cups fresh peaches (about 4-5 medium), peeled and diced
06 - 1/4 cup granulated sugar
07 - 2 tablespoons cornstarch
08 - 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
→ Cinnamon Streusel
09 - 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
10 - 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
11 - 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
12 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
13 - 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold and cubed
# How-To 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, cream together the softened butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy. Add the flour and salt, mixing until a crumbly dough forms.
03 - Press the dough evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan. Bake for 15 minutes until lightly golden around the edges.
04 - While the crust bakes, combine the diced peaches, granulated sugar, cornstarch, and lemon juice in a bowl. Toss gently until the peaches are evenly coated.
05 - In a separate bowl, combine the flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Cut in the cold cubed butter using a pastry cutter or your fingers until large, pea-sized crumbs form.
06 - Remove the par-baked crust from the oven. Spread the peach filling evenly over the hot crust. Sprinkle the streusel topping uniformly over the peach layer. Bake for an additional 30 minutes until the streusel is golden brown and the filling is bubbling.
07 - Allow the bars to cool completely in the pan. Lift the entire slab out using the parchment overhang. Slice into 12 even bars and serve.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The three layers mean you get a buttery crust, jammy fruit, and a crunchy top in every single bite.
- They taste even better the next day, which makes them the sneakiest make ahead dessert for potlucks.
02 -
- Do not skip the parchment overhang or you will be chiseling bars out of the pan with a spatula and a lot of regret.
- Cold butter in the streusel is not optional because warm butter will make the topping spread into a flat sheet instead of creating those beautiful craggy bits.
03 -
- Dip your knife in hot water and wipe it dry between cuts for bakery perfect edges on every bar.
- The crust tastes even richer if you brown the softened butter first and then let it cool back to a soft solid before mixing.