There’s something about peach season in the Midwest that makes me want to make all the things—peach smoothies, peach bruschetta, and of course, Peach Shortbread Bars!

For years, I owned a meal prep business where we sold Old-Fashioned Sour Cream Peach Pies every summer, and let me tell you, customers went crazy for them. Since it was a limited-time item, those who got their hands on one became absolutely obsessed!

With this recipe, I took the best parts of that beloved pie and transformed it into an easier-to-make bar that still delivers all those same rich, creamy, and peach-filled flavors—without the fuss of rolling out a crust.

Three Peach and Cream bars stacked on top of each other.

This peach dessert is one of my go-to desserts for potlucks—they always disappear fast! Just like my key lime pie with its easy homemade graham cracker crust and my cheesecake stuffed strawberries, which never last long once they hit the table.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

✔ Three delicious layers – Buttery shortbread, juicy peach filling, and a crisp cinnamon oat crumble.
✔ Easier than pie – All the flavors of peach cobbler, but in a simple bar form!
✔ Use fresh or frozen peaches – No need to wait for peach season, this recipe works year-round.
✔ Perfect for any occasion – A crowd-pleasing dessert for potlucks, brunch, or a treat-yourself moment.

How to Pick the Best Peaches

A picture of a peach cut in half on a cutting board.

Growing up, my grandmother taught me how to pick the perfect peach. Here are her tips for finding the ripest, juiciest peaches:

Color & Shape – Look for a deep golden yellow color rather than focusing on pink tones. Rounder peaches tend to be riper.
Touch – A ripe peach should give slightly when gently squeezed. If it’s rock-hard, it’s not ready.
Smell – If you can smell the sweetness before even taking a bite, it’s ready to eat!

Simple Ingredients

Ingredients on a counter top to make peach crumble bars.

Recipe Notes

You can find a complete list of ingredients in the recipe card below.

Peaches: Fresh or frozen peaches work great. If using frozen, be sure the peaches are fully thawed and well-drained before adding them to the filling to avoid excess moisture.

Sour Cream: I use full-fat sour cream for the recipe, but I have had comments that Greek yogurt is a good substitute.

I don’t recommend using canned peach pie filling, as it can make the bars too sweet and runny.

Step-by-Step Directions

Step 1: Prepare the shortbread crust.

Flour, sugar and butter in a bowl to make a shortbread crust for peach crumble bars.

A shortbread crust in an 8x8 pan before baking it.

Pro Tip: What’s important here is that you get the dough pressed evenly into the bottom of the pan. Don’t worry if the top doesn’t look pretty and smooth. I use both my hands and a measuring cup to help get the dough even.

Step 2: Make the Peach Filling