Description
Golden brown butter crumbs blanket a sweet, tangy peach filling, releasing a warm, nutty aroma as you bite through crisp edges into soft, juicy fruit. These bars balance crunchy texture with summery sweetness.
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 large egg
- 2 cups fresh peaches, peeled and diced
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a 9×9-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang for easy removal.
- In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter, swirling occasionally, until it turns golden brown and emits a nutty aroma, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool for 5 minutes.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, 3/4 cup granulated sugar, light brown sugar, baking powder, and salt. Reserve 1 cup of this mixture for the topping.
- Add the cooled brown butter and egg to the remaining flour mixture and stir until coarse crumbs form. Press half of the crumb mixture firmly into the bottom of the prepared pan.
- In a separate bowl, combine the peaches, cornstarch, 1/4 cup granulated sugar, vanilla extract, ground cinnamon, and lemon juice. Spread the peach filling evenly over the crust.
- Sprinkle the reserved crumb mixture over the peaches, then bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the top is golden brown. Cool completely in the pan on a wire rack, then refrigerate for at least 2 hours before slicing into bars.
Notes
- Store bars in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days or refrigerate for up to 5 days.
- For even browning, stir the butter constantly and scrape the pan’s bottom when browning.
- Add 1/2 cup chopped pecans or almonds to the topping for extra crunch.
- Frozen peaches (thawed and drained) can be used when fresh peaches are not in season.