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Peach Melba Crumble Bars

This recipe creates delightful Peach Melba Crumble Bars, featuring a buttery sugar cookie base and crumble topping, sandwiching a luscious filling of peach preserves and fresh raspberries. It's a sweet, fruity treat perfect for sharing, combining classic flavors in a convenient bar format.
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Total Time 2 hours 30 minutes
Servings: 16 people
Course: lunch/dinner
Cuisine: American
Calories: 4014
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Main
  • 1 pouch 17.5 oz Betty Crocker™ sugar cookie mix
  • 1/2 cup cold butter cut into pieces
  • 3/4 cup peach preserves
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 1 cup fresh raspberries

Equipment

  • 1 9x13 Inch Baking Pan
  • 1 Large Mixing Bowl
  • 1 Pastry Blender or Fork For cutting butter into cookie mix
  • 1 Spatula or Offset Spatula For spreading filling and pressing crust
  • 1 Small Saucepan (optional) For gently warming preserves if needed

Method
 

  1. Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Grease a 9x13 inch baking pan or line with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the sides for easy lifting.
  2. In a large bowl, combine the Betty Crocker™ sugar cookie mix with the cold butter pieces. Use a pastry blender or your fingertips to cut the butter into the mix until coarse crumbs form.
  3. Press about two-thirds of the crumb mixture evenly into the bottom of the prepared baking pan to form the crust.
  4. In a separate small bowl, stir together the peach preserves and lemon juice until well combined.
  5. Spread the peach preserve mixture evenly over the cookie crust in the pan.
  6. Evenly scatter the fresh raspberries over the peach layer.
  7. Crumble the remaining cookie mixture over the raspberry layer, ensuring it covers the fruit and preserves.
  8. Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until the topping is golden brown and the filling is bubbly.
  9. Remove from the oven and let cool completely on a wire rack before cutting into bars. This is crucial for the bars to set properly.
  10. Once cooled and set, use the parchment paper overhang to lift the entire slab from the pan, then cut into 16 even bars.

Notes

Ensure your butter is truly cold and cut into small pieces; this is crucial for achieving that signature crumbly texture in the crust and topping. If raspberries are out of season, quality frozen raspberries can be used, but do not thaw them completely before adding to prevent excessive moisture. A gentle warming of the peach preserves with the lemon juice can help them spread more evenly and meld the flavors. For an elevated presentation, a light dusting of powdered sugar after cooling, or a drizzle of a simple vanilla glaze, would be excellent. Avoid overbaking to maintain a tender crumb and vibrant fruit flavor.