Peaches and Cream Crumble Bars

These Peaches and Cream Crumble Bars are a hybrid of a cheesecake and a peach pie.

It’s not often that reality matches my expectations. Sometimes what I imagine will be a beautiful and romantic stroll around the pond turns out to be an adventure in dodging angry geese and hopping over poo piles. And sometimes what I think will be a mundane trip to Sam’s Club turns out to be a laughter and fun filled date night with the hubby.

Then there are those rare occasions when all the wishful hopes you had for something actually come to fruition. It doesn’t happen often, but when it does, it feels like magic. And magic is exactly what happened with these Peach Cobbler Cheesecake Bars.

When I set out to make these, I had a very specific vision in my mind. I wanted something that would have the comforting warmth of a crumbly peach cobbler combined with the cool creaminess of a bowl of fresh peaches and milk. I wanted warm muggy evenings, trees heavy with fruit, umbrellas fluttering in the breeze. I wanted the feel and taste and texture of summer in a bar.

My expectations weren’t high or anything.

In concept, these are just a hybrid of a cheesecake and a peach cobbler, but I hesitate to use the word “just” in this case. Because really, is anything ever “just” cheesecake and cobbler? That’s like saying I “just” won the lottery last week. No biggie, right?

But I digress. The recipe is broken up into three parts. First, a shortbread crust is baked until puffy and golden brown. The crust is layered with a smear of peach jam, fresh sliced peaches, and a rich cheesecake drizzle. Finally, a gently spiced crumble tops it all off. The end result? A sweet, creamy, crumbly mess of summer goodness.

These bars taste like family reunions, the thrill of new love, the sweet steadiness of a best friend. They’re all warm spicy days and cool creamy nights. Familiar, but exciting. Comforting, with a hint of mischief.

You can serve these straight from the fridge or straight from the oven (give them about a half hour to cool a bit!).  I preferred them just a little warmer than room temp. That seemed to be the sweet spot where the cheesecake just started to meld into the peaches and the ginger and cinnamon really shined.

So find yourself a tree loaded down with fiery orange peaches, pluck a few of the best, and head home to make these bars. Pour yourself a glass of lemonade, kick your feet up, and enjoy the taste of summer.