peach raspberry crumble bars

hi hello and happy sunday, friends!

i made these crumble bars a week ago and there is only one small square remaining in my fridge and it’s an actual tragedy, so while i type this, i’m going to daydream about the scent of bubbling, juicy peaches getting warm and sticky snuggled underneath a buttery, maple-y sweet oat crumble. it smells like thick, sparkling summer nights, like the infinite possibility of june weekends, like sunshine and the world coming alive after curling in on itself through the winter.

i’m generally Team Fresh Fruit Is Great On It’s Own, because for me that means strolling through farmer’s markets, sweating beer bottles clinked with my toes dangling off a dock, hazy, humid nights, and the bitter smell of freshly cut grass after a sunrise. i’m telling you this because i’m tiptoeing towards letting you know that these peach raspberry crumble bars are made with frozen peaches and raspberries, and i’m also letting you know that it’s 100% ok.

these peach raspberry crumble bars are the perfect bff through summer because they’re tangy, sweet, nestled in a super easy buttery crust, and topped with a golden crumble that’s made from the exact same super easy buttery crust. and again, we’re sparing the literal fruits of labor by making life the easiest and using frozen fruit. more time for outdoor activities, less time spent steaming over a hot stove.

we’re only using a few ingredients, and we’re keeping it everything-free so that all our friends can enjoy. almond flour, oat flour, melted butter (or coconut oil), maple syrup, peaches, and raspberries. easy easy, as we do.

a few things before we get started:

- i’m using frozen fruit for these bars because i’m a firm believer in two things: dessert should be easy, and fresh summer fruit is at it’s best when nibbled on solo. i’d rather not sacrifice a pound of tart, juicy fresh raspberries so they can be boiled down and buried under an oat crumble. but that’s just me doing me, and you should do you
- these bars are super easily made vegan - i’ve offered a couple of ingredient swaps below if that’s your jam
- I did these bars with peaches and raspberries, but any fruit will do. strawberries, blueberries, maybe plums? these tiny crumbly squares hold infinite potential
- i mention this below, but it’s super imperative that you let the bars cool completely before cutting. the base of the bars will LITerally crumble apart and i know i know i know it’s the worst to wait on dessert, but you must exercise the tiniest bit of patience here
- the bars will keep for a week in the fridge. i heartily recommend eating them for breakfast with a little extra filling spooned over top, maybe with a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream? i did this the night i made them and in that moment might have been the happiest gal in the whole world

peach raspberry crumble bars
makes: 9 bars
prep time: 5 minutes
cook time: 1 hour

for the dough + crumble:
1 1/2c almond flour
1c oat flour (you can make this yourself - just blend rolled oats in a blender until a fine flour forms!)
1/2c melted butter or coconut oil if vegan
1/3c maple syrup or honey - whatever you have on hand
pinch of salt

for the peach raspberry filling:
1/2lb frozen peaches
1/2lb frozen raspberries
1/4c maple syrup or honey
1-2tbsp cornstarch (arrowroot powder works great here, too)
juice from 1/2 a lemon

preheat the oven to 350.

in a large bowl, mix the ingredients for the base and crumble until a dough begins to form. you want the dough to hold together if you were to pinch it with your fingers. reserve 3/4c of the dough for the crumble topping and set aside. press the remaining dough into a parchment-lined 9x9 baking dish. bake for 10 minutes.

while the base of the bars is baking, place a sauce pot over medium heat. add the ingredients for the peach raspberry filling, bring to a simmer and stir. once simmering, lower the heat to medium low, and cook for another 5 minutes or so until the filling is thickened. add more cornstarch as needed - this will thicken the filling even more.

pour the peach raspberry filling over the base, using a soft spatula to spread evenly. sprinkle the reserved crumble over the peach raspberry filling, and bake the bars for another 35 minutes until the crumble is golden brown. once the bars are baked, let them cool completely before slicing.
*you will have some leftover filling - this is great to serve with the bars or spoon over yogurt or ice cream!