Peaches and Cream Cookie Bars -
A chewy cinnamon-spiked blondie base holds a layer of vanilla cream topped with homemade peach pie filling. You're going to love these cookie bars!
My little man picked the peaches for these bars from a local farm in Pennsylvania. CJ, loves seeing where his food comes from. We've made peach picking a late-summer tradition. Then, we go for apples and pumpkins in the fall. As the weather warms back up, we're all about the strawberries.
Do you and your family have any farm traditions?
You'll need 8 big peaches for this recipe.
Tip: Here's a super-simple way to peel peaches. Boil them for thirty seconds, then plunge them in ice water (to stop the cooking).
The peels slip right off. This only works if your peaches are ripe. If they aren't ready, those skins will hang on to the fruit the way a three-year-old hangs on to your leg at nap time.
Now for the pie filling. Dice the peaches. Put them in a large pan with 1/2 cup of brown sugar, 2 teaspoons of lemon juice, 1/4 teaspoon of salt, 1/4 teaspoon of cinnamon, and a pinch of nutmeg. Cook over medium heat for ten to fifteen minutes. You want them to be soft but not mushy.
In a small glass, combine 2 tablespoons of cornstarch and two tablespoons of water. Stir that into the peaches. Cook for two minutes longer. Place the peach pie filling in the fridge to cool.
The cookie base is so simple, you don't even need a mixer! First whisk together 1 and a half sticks of melted butter, 3/4 cup of brown sugar, 3/4 cup of white sugar, three eggs, two teaspoons of vanilla, 1/4 teaspoon of cinnamon, and 1/4 teaspoon of salt.
Stir in two cups of flour.
Spread the cookie dough in a 13x9 inch pan. Bake at 350-degrees for 25 minutes. Cool completely.
Next, we get to dive into a vanilla cloud. Beat 4 ounces of cream cheese with 1/2 cup heavy cream, 1 cup of powdered sugar, and 1 teaspoon of vanilla until it's light and fluffy.
Spread the vanilla cream on the cooled cookie base.
Top with cooled peach pie filling.
Enjoy the fruits of your labor!
While I love the chewy cookie bottom, you could also use a vanilla cake as the base for the peaches and cream topping.
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- 8 large peaches, peeled and diced
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- pinch of nutmeg
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons water
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 and 1/2 sticks butter, melted
- 3/4 cup brown sugar
- 3/4 cup white sugar
- 3 eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoons vanilla extract
- In large saute pan, combine peaches, brown sugar, lemon juice, cinnamon, salt, and nutmeg. Cook over medium heat for 10 to 15 minutes until peaches are soft but not mushy. Stir occasionally.
- In small glass, stir together water and cornstarch. Slowly pour mixture into peaches. Cook, while stirring for two minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in vanilla extract. Cool completely.
- Preheat oven to 350-degrees.
- In large mixing bowl, whisk together butter, brown sugar, white sugar, eggs, vanilla extract, cinnamon, and salt. Stir in flour until just combined. Pour into ungreased 13X9 inch baking pan. Bake for 25 minutes, until edges are set and top is golden. Remove from oven. Cool completely.
- In large mixing bowl, whip cream, cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract until light and fluffy. Spread over cooled cookie base. Top with peach filling. Serve.
- Store tightly covered in refrigerator for up to two days.
- Instead of a cookie base, you can also use a vanilla cake base.