These gluten-free peach crumb bars use a single shortbread-style dough for both the crust and the crumb topping, with a juicy peach filling spiced with cinnamon and nutmeg pressed in between. No chilling, no rolling, no complicated steps.
The same dough works for both the base and the topping, so you press most of it into the pan, add the filling, and crumble the rest over the top before baking. Fresh peaches work best in summer, but frozen peaches work year-round. The bars also slice cleanly once fully cooled, which makes them a good option for bringing somewhere.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Ingredient Notes
- Gluten-Free Flour Blend – I use Bob’s Red Mill 1-to-1 Gluten-Free Baking Flour (blue bag) for this recipe.
- Unsalted Butter – Make sure it’s melted before adding it to the dough. This is what gives the crust that rich, shortbread-like texture. To make this dairy-free or vegan, swap in melted Earth Balance vegan buttery sticks or coconut oil in the same amount.
- Peaches – Fresh peaches are my first choice here. You’ll need about 4 medium peaches, peeled and diced, to get 3 cups. Frozen works too. Don’t thaw them first. Just toss them frozen with the filling ingredients and the cornstarch takes care of the extra liquid.
- Cornstarch – This is what keeps the filling from getting soupy. Don’t skip it.
Parchment paper
Line your pan with parchment paper before pressing in the crust. It makes lifting the bars out for slicing much easier, and you won’t lose the bottom crust when you try to get them out of the pan.
Recipe FAQs
es, for this recipe I recommend peeling the peaches. Unlike cobbler where the skin softens into the filling, the peach filling in crumb bars is diced and more compact, and unpeeled peaches can leave chewy bits of skin in each bite.
Yes. Do not thaw them first. Toss them frozen with the filling ingredients and bake as directed. The cornstarch will absorb the extra liquid as the bars bake.
Yes. Use a 9×13-inch baking dish and keep the baking time the same, checking at 45 minutes.
Expert Tips
Storage Instructions
Refrigerator: Store in an airtight container for up to 4 days. The bars hold their shape better when kept cold and the filling continues to set up overnight.
Freezer: Freeze individual bars wrapped tightly in plastic wrap for up to 2 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before serving.
Make ahead: The bars can be baked a day ahead and stored in the refrigerator. They slice even more cleanly the next day once fully chilled.
Serving Suggestions
These bars are good at room temperature or cold straight from the refrigerator, which makes them a natural fit for cookouts and potlucks since you can make them ahead. Serve them after a spread of gluten-free fried chicken and gluten-free pasta salad, or build a full peach-forward summer meal by starting with a grilled peach burrata salad and finishing with these bars and a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Gluten-Free Peach Crumb Bars
Ingredients
For the Crust:
- 2 cups gluten-free flour blend - I used Bob's Red Mill 1-to-1 Gluten-Free Baking Flour (in the blue bag), which contains xanthan gum
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup unsalted butter - melted and slightly cooled
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
For the Filling:
- 3 cups peaches - peeled and diced (from about 4 medium peaches)
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon salt
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Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a 9×9-inch baking dish with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together 2 cups gluten-free flour blend, ¾ cup granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, and 1 teaspoon salt.
- Stir in ¾ cup unsalted butter and 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract until the dough comes together. It will look crumbly.
- Reserve 1 scant cup of the dough and set aside for the topping. Press the remaining dough firmly and evenly into the bottom of the prepared baking dish.
- In a separate bowl, toss 3 cups peaches that have been peeled and diced with ¼ cup granulated sugar, 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, 2 tablespoons cornstarch, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, ½ teaspoon nutmeg, and ½ teaspoon salt until the peaches are evenly coated.
- Pour the peach filling over the crust and spread into an even layer.
- Crumble the reserved dough evenly over the peach filling.
- Bake at 350℉ for 45-50 minutes, until the topping is golden brown and the peach filling is bubbling around the edges.
- Let cool completely before slicing. For the cleanest cuts, refrigerate for 30 minutes before slicing.
Notes
- Gluten-Free Flour: I tested this recipe with Bob’s Red Mill 1-to-1 Gluten-Free Baking Flour (blue bag). I cannot verify other flour blends will produce the same results as I have not tested them.
- Dairy-Free/Vegan: Substitute melted vegan butter such as Earth Balance vegan buttery sticks for the unsalted butter.
gorgeous and perfect for peach season!
haha luckily i have lots of friends to eat the leftovers and exercisetv (thanks to you) to keep me from gaining 500 lbs!
I adore you for providing me with all these amazing recipes! What do you do with all the leftovers? I would be in a serious food coma 24/7 from all the baking you do hahah. I also appreciate that this recipe has the same crust for the top and bottom. I’m always discouraged by fruit crumbles because there is a crust recipe and a daunting “top crumble” recipe, too. love this!
This is just the best recipe. It is DELISH! It is hard to navigate dietary restrictions and this doe not taste like you a missing out. It was a hit and there arent any leftovers!
Thanks so much Susie!!
I love this recipe!!!!!!!! Holy amaze balls! I did t even really like peaches until I made this. Now I think peaches are my favorite. It’s super easy and super delicious. I add chopped pecans and it was next level!!!
I’m definitely adding chopped pecans to mine next time! Love it!
Very happy with the result. Tasty and is keeping well. I would love a crunchier top, but not sure that would last over the course of a few days…?