Peachy Bar Cookies

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line an 8"x8" pan with a sheet of parchment paper.
• Prepare the crust by mixing together the flour, powdered sugar and salt in a medium bowl until well combined.
• Stir in the melted butter just until well incorporated and no more streaks of flour remain.
• Pat evenly onto the bottom of the pan and bake for 12-15 minutes. Turning the pan halfway through to ensure even browning. It should be lightly browned around the edges.
• Let cool for at least 15 minutes while preparing the rest of the recipe.

Prepare the Topping

• Mix together the flour, brown sugar and salt in a medium mixing bowl.
• Stir in the melted butter and vanilla extract just until combined. Set aside.

Prepare the Peach layer

• Put peach chunks into a mixing bowl.
• Add the brown sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon and salt and stir until thoroughly combined.
• After the crust has cooled 15 minutes, pour the peach layer evenly over the top of the baked crust and sprinkle the topping over the peach layer.
• Bake for 45-50 minutes or until the topping has browned and the peach layer is bubbly. Cool completely before adding the glaze.

Prepare the glaze,

• Mix the powdered sugar, vanilla extract, 1/2 teaspoon almond extract and salt together until well combined.
• Add 4 teaspoons of milk and stir.
• Add up to an additional 2 teaspoons of milk to reach the desired consistency..
• Spoon over the cooled bars.
• Cut into bars. Use a sharp knife to cut and wipe with a paper towel between cuts to achieve a very clean edge. Serve.
• Store the bars in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Make the filling:

• In a saucepan, whisk together the sugar, water, cornstarch, and lemon juice. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly, until thickened, about 2-3 minutes.
• Remove from heat and stir in vanilla and peaches. Allow to cool.
• Preheat the oven to 375F degrees. Line an 8x8 pan with parchment paper.
• In a medium bowl, mix together flour, sugar, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt.
• With a pastry cutter or two forks, cut in the butter until the pieces look like pebbles
• then cut in the egg. Dough will be crumbly. Reserve 1/2 cup for the topping and pat the rest into the bottom of the pan.
• In a large mixing bowl, beat together the cream cheese and sugar until smooth.
• Add the egg and vanilla and beat until smooth.
• Pour over the base layer.
• Top with the peach filling then top with the reserved 1/2 cup of topping.
• Bake 38-40 minutes or until the top is slightly brown and looks set when given a gentle shake.
• Cool completely before cutting into 12 bars. To cut cleanly, use a very sharp knife and clean it using a paper towel between each cut.
• Refrigerate leftovers for up to one week.

• Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C) degrees. Line the bottom and sides of an 9 x 13-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on all sides to easily lift the bars out of the pan before cutting. Spray with nonstick spray or grease with butter. Set aside.

Make the crust/topping:

• In a large bowl, whisk the flour, oats, brown sugar, and cinnamon together until combined.
• Cut in the cold butter using a pastry blender or two forks until it reaches coarse, pea-sized crumbs.
• Remove 1 1/2 cup of the mixture, put in a small bowl and mix with pecans. This will be set aside for the topping.
• Evenly press the remaining oat mixture into the bottom of the prepared baking pan. Bake for 15 minutes as you prepare the filling.

Make the filling:

• Whisk the egg and sugar together until smooth and creamy.
• Add the flour and salt. Whisk until combined.
• Fold in the peaches.
• Remove crust from the oven after 15 minutes and pour the filling over hot crust. Sprinkle with reserved oat/pecan mixture.
• Bake for 35 minutes or until golden brown on top. Allow to cool in the pan on a wire rack for 30 minutes. Transfer to the refrigerator and allow to chill for 2 hours.
• Once chilled, lift with the parchment paper out of the pan using the overhang on the sides and cut into squares. For neat squares, use a very sharp knife and wipe it clean with a paper towel after each cut.

Make the vanilla icing:

• Using a fork or spoon, whisk/stir the confectioners’ sugar, cream, and vanilla extract together until smooth.
• Add another Tablespoon of milk to thin out if needed.
• Drizzle over each square.
• Leftovers keep well in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.