Ingredients
Scale
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 4 cups fresh peaches, peeled and sliced
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar (for filling)
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9×13 inch baking pan with butter or line it with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the sides for easy removal later. Peel your peaches and slice them into thin wedges about 1/4 inch thick.
- In a large mixing bowl, cream together the softened butter, 3/4 cup granulated sugar, and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg and vanilla extract. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, and baking powder. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture, mixing until a crumbly dough forms.
- Reserve about 1.5 cups of the dough mixture for the topping. Press the remaining dough firmly and evenly into the bottom of your prepared baking pan to create a solid crust. You can use the bottom of a measuring cup to help flatten it out.
- In a medium bowl, toss the sliced peaches with the lemon juice. In a small ramekin, mix the 1/2 cup sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Sprinkle this sugar mixture over the peaches and toss gently until every slice is well-coated. The cornstarch will help thicken the juices as they bake.
- Spread the peach mixture evenly over the unbaked bottom crust. Take the reserved dough and crumble it with your fingers over the top of the peaches, ensuring some fruit still peeks through. Place the pan in the oven and bake for 45 to 50 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and the peach filling is bubbling.
- Remove the pan from the oven and set it on a wire rack to cool completely. This is the most important step; the bars need to set so they don’t fall apart when you cut them. Once cooled, lift the bars out using the parchment overhang and slice them into 16 squares.
- Cook Time: 1 hour 5 minutes