We are at the peak of peach season here in NE Ohio...and that means fresh peaches are sweet, juicy, and priced just right at your market right now! These Easy Peach Crumb Bars are the perfect simple peach dessert recipe to make when you have peaches on hand. Sweet peaches are nestled between layers of buttery shortbread type crust for a delicious treat any time of the day!
When are peaches in season?
Summer wouldn't be summer without certain fruits like watermelon and peaches! Here in NE Ohio, local peaches start coming to market sometime late July into August. Although, across the country, peach season can start as early as May and end some time in late August to early September.
Did you know that despite the state of Georgia's nickname, the Peach State, the majority of the peaches sold in the US are grown in California? Domestically, the top four states that produce the most peaches are California, South Carolina, Georgia, and New Jersey.
How to Buy Peaches
- When shopping for peaches, use your eyes and your nose. First look for any obvious brown spots or blemishes on the peach. Check for soft spots. If the peach has either, move on to another one.
- Next sniff the peach. Does it smell like peaches? Peaches should have a nice, faint peach smell.
- Consider what you are buying the peaches for. Eating out of hand? Choose a deep yellow colored peach that is slightly soft to touch, but not mushy. Using the peaches in a recipe that will require cooking or baking? Choose peaches that are firm, but not hard. A firm peach will give a little with a gentle squeeze and means it is slightly under ripe. Under ripe peaches are perfect for cooking and baking and tend to be easier to peel and cut than a fully ripe peach. Slightly under ripe peaches can be easily ripened by placing them in a brown paper bag and setting them on the counter for a few days. However, if a peach is picked when it is green, it will not ripen at all!
- There are two basic categories of peaches: Freestone and Clingstone. Freestone peaches have pits that easily detach from the flesh. Clingstone have pits that grip the flesh, making it more difficult to slice or eat out of hand. The majority of canned peaches are of the clingstone type. For this Easy Peach Crumb Bar recipe, you'll want to look for freestone peaches if you're using fresh peaches.
These Easy Peach Crumb Bars are the perfect way to enjoy all those summer peaches!
Easy Peach Crumb Bars are easy to make. If you have a large capacity food processor, the dough comes together easily without much effort. But you don't need a food processor to make the dough. You can get the job done with a pastry blender and a little elbow grease!
Can I use canned or frozen peaches in Peach Crumb Bars?
The answer is, "YES!" You can use either canned or frozen peaches in place of fresh peaches in this recipe. You may need to make a few adjustments though.
You may want to increase the cornstarch a bit because both canned and frozen peaches will give off more liquid.
If you elect to not defrost frozen peaches, you may need to increase the bake time a bit.
You may need to decrease the bake time if you use canned peaches because they have started to undergo the cooking process during the canning process. I would also recommend using sliced peaches vs. diced peaches if you are using canned peaches in this recipe.
We really enjoyed these Easy Peach Crumb Bars! The buttery shortbread type crust is so nice with the fresh peaches. When I made this batch, I used the lower amount of peaches called for in the recipe, but I think I will use more fruit the next time I make them.
Make sure you store any leftovers in the fridge, since there is fresh fruit inside. You may find that the crust softens after a day or two of storage (if they last that long!).
peach crumb bars
Dessert
American
Yield: 15 servings
Easy Peach Crumb Bars
Fresh peaches are nestled between a buttery crumb crust for an irresistible sweet treat everyone will love!
prep time: 10 minscook time: 45 minstotal time: 55 mins
ingredients:
- 4 - 5 cups fresh diced slightly under ripened peaches without skin (1 1/2" dice)
- 3 tsp. cornstarch
- 1 TBS lemon juice
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar, divided
- 3 cups all purpose flour
- 1 tsp. baking powder
- 1 tsp. kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
- 1 cup cold, unsalted butter, diced
- 1 large egg, slightly beaten
instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Spray a 9" x 13" pan with cooking spray or grease pan.
- Combine diced peaches with lemon juice, 1/2 cup granulated sugar, and cornstarch. Set aside.
- In large capacity food processor, combine the flour, 1 cup of granulated sugar, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Add in cold butter and process until butter forms pea sized clumps. With processor going, slowly add the beaten egg. Process until the mixture becomes a crumbly dough, but the mixture should not look dry.
- Press half the dough firmly into the prepared pan creating the bottom crust.
- Spread the reserved peach mixture evenly over the dough in the pan.
- Sprinkle the rest of the dough evenly over the peaches. Press down slightly.
- Bake in oven for 35 - 45 minutes, depending on your oven. Bottom crust should be golden brown and top crust should have a slight golden brown appearance.
- Cool completely before cutting into bars.
NOTES:
Fresh peaches can be replaced with frozen or canned peaches. You may need to add more cornstarch or adjust bake time.
Copyright © 2018 Renee's Kitchen Adventures
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