Fresh Peach Crumble Bars with Cake Mix
These easy Fresh Peach Crumble Bars start with a buttery cake mix crust, followed by juicy fresh peaches and a brown sugar oatmeal-pecan crumble. They're a simple and delicious way to use fresh peaches!
You will find a full printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Sometimes a recipe comes about simply because you have something in the refrigerator that needs to be used.
That's exactly what happened with these easy peach crumble bars.
After making my Easy Peach Coffee Cake with Cake Mix, I had about 2 ½ cups of chopped fresh peaches left over. I certainly wasn't going to let them go to waste, so I started thinking about what else I could make.
Since I love using boxed cake mixes as the foundation for easy dessert bars, the answer seemed obvious.
Fresh peach crumble bars!
These start with one of my favorite simple cake mix crusts. The fresh peaches go in the middle, and then things get really good: I took some of the cake mix mixture I'd reserved and added brown sugar, old-fashioned oats, and chopped pecans to turn it into a delicious crumble topping.
Simple ingredients. Lots of fresh peach flavor. And another great use for a box of cake mix!
Easy Peach Dessert Bars with Cake Mix
If you've followed Out of the Box Baking for any length of time, you know I love finding new things to do with boxed cake mixes.
One of my favorites is using them as a base for dessert bars.
A box of cake mix combined with melted butter and an egg creates a quick, buttery crust with almost no work at all.
For this recipe, we're going to reserve about a cup of that mixture before pressing the remainder into the baking dish.
That reserved portion becomes our crumble topping with the addition of brown sugar, oats, and pecans.
One cake mix, two layers. Easy!
What to Expect from These Peach Crumble Bars
I have to tell you: these bars completely surprised me. I made them simply because I had 2 ½ cups of fresh peaches left after baking my peach coffee cake, but they ended up being one of my favorite desserts I've made in a long time. The buttery cake mix base, gooey peach center, and crunchy oatmeal-pecan crumble are an incredible combination.
I think it comes down to three simple components: a buttery cake mix crust, a layer of sweet fresh peaches, and a rustic oatmeal-pecan crumble topping. The cinnamon adds just enough warmth to complement the peaches without overpowering them.
These are perfect for summer when fresh peaches are plentiful, but the cinnamon, brown sugar, oats, and pecans also give them a cozy flavor that's perfect as we head toward fall.
Ingredients
You'll find a full printable recipe card at the bottom of this post, but here's a quick look at what you'll need.
For the Cake Mix Crust
- 1 box yellow cake mix
- ½ cup butter, melted
- 1 large egg
- A sprinkle of ground cinnamon
For the Peach Filling
- 2 ½ cups chopped fresh peaches
- ¼–⅓ cup granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- A sprinkle of ground cinnamon
- Pinch of salt
For the Crumble Topping
- 1 cup reserved cake mix crust mixture
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- ½ cup old-fashioned oats
- ½ cup chopped pecans
How to Make Fresh Peach Crumble Bars
Preheat your oven to 350°F.
Prepare a 9×13-inch baking dish with nonstick baking spray.
Place the cake mix in a large bowl. Add a sprinkle of cinnamon.
Add the melted butter and egg and mix until a thick, crumbly dough forms.
Remove 1 cup of the cake mix mixture and set it aside. You'll use this for the topping.
Press the remaining mixture into a thin, even layer across the bottom of the prepared 9×13-inch baking dish.
Bake the crust for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside while you prepare the remaining layers.
Make the Fresh Peach Filling
Place 2 ½ cups chopped fresh peaches into a bowl.
Add the sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice, cinnamon, and pinch of salt. Stir gently until the peaches are evenly coated.
Spread the peach mixture evenly over the partially baked crust.
Make the Oatmeal-Pecan Crumble
Add the brown sugar, oats, and chopped pecans to the reserved cup of cake mix mixture.
Use your fingers to combine the ingredients, breaking the mixture into loose crumbles.
Scatter the crumble evenly over the peaches. You don't need to cover every bit of fruit. Those little glimpses of peach between the crumbles are part of what makes these bars so pretty.
Return the pan to the oven and bake for approximately 30–35 minutes, or until the topping is golden and the peach filling is hot and cooked through.
Cool completely before slicing into bars.
Serve and Enjoy!
Slice these into bars in any size or shape you enjoy. I went with rectangles. Then serve (with or without whipped cream). You'll flip over how crumbly, moist, and delicious they are! Loaded with peach flavor and the crunch from the nuts and oats, these really are the perfect bars!
Variations on These Peach Crumble Bars
Skip the nuts: Leave out the pecans for a nut-free version.
Add a glaze: Drizzle completely cooled bars with a simple powdered sugar glaze.
Serve them warm: These would make a wonderful plated dessert served slightly warm with vanilla ice cream.
Change the cake mix: Butter golden or white cake mix should work in place of yellow.
Try another fruit: This basic concept could work beautifully with apples, nectarines, or berries.
How to Store Peach Crumble Bars
Because these contain a generous amount of fresh fruit, store leftover bars covered in the refrigerator. They should stay fresh for several days.
You can enjoy them chilled, bring them to room temperature before serving, or briefly warm individual portions in the microwave.
Frequently Asked Questions
I prefer peeled peaches in baked desserts like this because the filling has a softer texture, but you can leave the skins on if you don't mind them.
As the peaches bake, they'll release juice. Cornstarch helps thicken those juices so you end up with a peach filling instead of liquid soaking through the bars.
The oats give the reserved cake mix mixture more texture and help transform it into a true crumble-style topping.
You can, but I prefer old-fashioned oats because they provide more texture.
Yes. The pecans are completely optional.
I wouldn't! The peach filling needs time to cool and set. You'll get much cleaner slices if you allow the bars to cool completely before cutting them.
Absolutely. Simply omit them from the topping. You could add another ¼ cup or so of oats if you'd like a little more crumble, but you don't have to replace the pecans with anything.
Yes. Drain them extremely well before using them. You'll need 2 ½ cups diced, drained peaches. I would also blot them gently with paper towels to remove as much excess liquid as possible. Because canned peaches are usually packed in syrup or juice and may already be quite sweet, you may want to reduce the sugar in the peach filling.
More Peach Recipes from Out of the Box Baking
If you've got more fresh peaches to use, be sure to check out my Easy Peach Coffee Cake with Cake Mix, along with my other peach favorites, including Peach Bread Pudding, Brown Sugar Peach Cobbler Muffins, Easy Peach Cake with Caramel Glaze, and Easy Peach Cobbler with Pie Crust.
Thanks for Stopping By!
If you make these bars and love them, please leave a comment or review. And before you leave, why not pin some photos to your Pinterest boards?
About the Baker
I'm Janice, the baker and recipe developer behind Out of the Box Baking. I love taking simple ingredients—especially boxed cake mixes—and turning them into easy desserts anyone can make.
These Fresh Peach Crumble Bars came about because I had 2 ½ cups of peaches left after another baking project. Sometimes using up what's already in the refrigerator leads to the best ideas!
Peach Crumble Bars with Cake Mix
Ingredients
- Cake Mix Crust
- 1 box (15.25-ounce) yellow cake mix
- ½ cup (1 stick) butter, melted
- 1 large egg
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Peach Filling
- 2 ½ cups fresh peaches, chopped
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Pinch of salt
- Oatmeal-Pecan Crumble
- 1 cup reserved cake mix crust mixture
- ¼ cup packed brown sugar
- ½ cup old-fashioned oats
- ½ cup chopped pecans
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray a 9×13-inch baking dish with nonstick baking spray.
- In a large bowl, combine yellow cake mix and cinnamon.
- Add melted butter and egg. Mix until a thick, soft dough forms.
- Remove 1 cup of the cake mix mixture and set it aside for the crumble topping.
- Press the remaining mixture into a thin, even layer across the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Do not prebake.
- In a separate bowl, combine chopped peaches, granulated sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice, cinnamon, and salt. Toss gently until the peaches are evenly coated.
- Spread the peach mixture evenly over the cake mix crust.
- Add brown sugar, oats, and chopped pecans to the reserved cup of cake mix mixture.
- Work everything together with your fingers, breaking the mixture into rough crumbles.
- Scatter the crumble mixture evenly over the peaches. Don't worry about completely covering the fruit.
- Bake for approximately 40–45 minutes, until the topping is golden brown, the edges are thoroughly baked, and the peach filling is hot and set.
- Remove from the oven and place the pan on a wire rack.
- Cool completely before cutting. The peach filling will continue to thicken and set as the bars cool.
- Cut into 15 bars and serve.
Notes
No prebaking needed: The thin cake mix crust bakes beautifully underneath the peaches during the full 40–45 minute bake.
Fresh peaches: There's no need for all of your peaches to be equally ripe. A combination of softer and firmer peaches works well once they're chopped and baked.
Nut-free option: Omit the pecans. You can add a little extra oatmeal to the crumble if desired.
Canned peaches: Substitute 2 ½ cups well-drained canned peaches. Pat them dry before using and consider reducing the sugar if they're packed in syrup.
Cooling matters: Don't rush the cooling process. The warm peach filling will be quite soft but thickens considerably as it cools.
Storage: Cover and refrigerate leftovers. Bring to room temperature or briefly warm individual bars before serving.
Serving idea: Warm one slightly and add a scoop of vanilla ice cream. That would basically turn it into peach crumble à la mode.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 15 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 409Total Fat: 15gSaturated Fat: 6gUnsaturated Fat: 10gCholesterol: 30mgSodium: 440mgCarbohydrates: 65gFiber: 3gSugar: 36gProtein: 5g
The nutrition information is a product of online calculators. I try to provide true and accurate information, but these numbers are estimates.
