Nectarine Crumble Bars

Delicious nectarine crumble bars combine tender chunks of ripe nectarines with layers of oatmeal streusel crumble to make a satisfying fruit dessert. The sweet-tart nectarines pair perfectly with the sweet crumble for an amazing treat. My nectarine oatmeal crumb bars are easy to make and popular at gatherings, potlucks, parties, and more.

See all of my nectarine recipes for more tasty sweets, or try my plum cobbler and peach crisp for more stone fruit recipe ideas.

Jump to:

• 🥘 Ingredients
• 🔪 How To Make Nectarine Crumble Bars
• 💭 Tips & Notes
• 🥡 Storing
• 📖 Recipe Card
• 💬 Reviews

I'm somewhat of a nectarine fanatic and first incorporated them into my well-loved nectarine crisp and cobbler recipes. Those were such a hit with my family, friends, and BIWL readers that I knew I had to try my hand at nectarine dessert bars.

I enjoy a crumbly oat topping with stone fruit, and so these delectable nectarine crumble bars were born! They are sweet and perfectly spiced for summer and fall nectarine season, plus they're made for sharing.

🥘 Ingredients

Nectarine Filling

• Nectarines - Chop the nectarines into bite-sized pieces, whether you peel them or not is up to you.
• Lemon Juice - Lemon juice adds brightness and helps cut the sweetness, fresh is my preference or you could try a lemon juice substitute.
• Vanilla Extract - Vanilla extract, almond extract, or brandy for depth of flavor.
• Cornstarch - Cornstarch helps the filling thicken and set.
• Sugar - Regular granulated white sugar, or you can use maple syrup in its place.

Oatmeal Crumble

• All-Purpose Flour - Flour and oatmeal are the base of the crumble topping.
• Sugar - You can use white or light brown sugar for the oatmeal topping. Dark brown sugar has too much molasses for my taste but will work in a pinch.
• Old-Fashioned Rolled Oats - Old-fashioned rolled oats will have the best texture, I don't recommend quick oats or '1-minute' oats (although they do work, too).
• Cinnamon - Cinnamon pairs beautifully with nectarines and is one of my favorite additions to any oat crumble topping.
• Salt (optional) - A small amount of salt helps keep it from tasting overly sweet, but it's not essential.
• Nutmeg (optional) - A pinch of nutmeg, ginger, cardamom, mace, or allspice is a lovely addition to this crumble, especially for fall. Choose your favorite warm baking spices or even a spice blend like apple pie or pumpkin pie spice.
• Butter- Melt the butter on the stovetop or in the microwave, then let it cool at room temperature but not enough to solidify.

🔪 How To Make Nectarine Crumble Bars

I use a slotted spoon for transferring the fruit when I want the cleanest cuts on the bars - the more liquid you have, the more time it takes them to set. You will also need your measuring utensils, two mixing bowls, a silicone spatula, and an 8x8 baking dish.

One 8x8 nectarine oatmeal crumble makes about 12 servings. Double the recipe for a slightly thicker bar baked in a 9x13 baking pan.

Prep & Mix The Fruit

Preheat. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C/Gas Mark 4) and lightly grease an 8x8 baking dish, then line it with some overhanging parchment paper for easy bar removal.

Mix the fruit filling. In a medium-sized bowl, gently mix 2 cups (308 grams) of nectarines, 2 tablespoons of sugar, 1 teaspoon of lemon juice, and 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract. Once fully coated, add 2 teaspoons of cornstarch and mix well. Set aside.

Combine Oatmeal Crumble

Combine crumble ingredients. In a separate medium-sized mixing bowl, combine the 1 cup (125 grams) of all-purpose flour, ¾ cup (150 grams) of sugar, 1⅓ cups (108.11 grams) of old-fashioned rolled oats, 1 teaspoon of cinnamon, and the optional ¼ teaspoon of salt and/or ¼ teaspoon of nutmeg.

Stir in butter. Drizzle in the melted ⅔ cup (151.33 grams) of butter and stir to combine. Use a fork to break the crumble into smaller chunks.

Layer & Bake

Make the base. Use a spatula to evenly spread ⅔ of the oat mixture into your baking dish, making sure to cover the entire bottom. Then, using a slotted spoon for best results, spoon the nectarine mixture over top of the oats (but leaving any extra liquid in the bowl).

Top with remaining crumble. Crumble and sprinkle the remaining oat mixture over the top, gently pressing it into the nectarines using your fingers.

Bake. Bake in the oven at 350°F (175°C/Gas Mark 4) for 30-35 minutes, or until the oat topping is golden brown.

Let set, then serve. Remove the bars from the oven and let it cool completely to room temperature. For neat and clean cuts, chill it in the fridge before slicing.

💭 Tips & Notes

• You'll need 3-6 nectarines, depending on size. 2 cups of chopped nectarines is equal to about 3-4 medium-sized nectarines, or 4-6 smaller nectarines.
• Works with almost any fruit. This versatile dessert recipe is easy to swap for your favorite fruit or use your favorite fruit combinations. Try using a mixture of both nectarines and blueberries (or use blueberry pie filling) or lemon curd and nectarines. Yum!
• You don't have to peel nectarines. I don't usually peel my nectarines for recipes, but that extra step is completely up to your preferences.
• Remove as much liquid as possible. Transferring the fruit mixture onto the crust layer without too much excess liquid is important if you want your bars ready to serve immediately. The more liquid, the more time they will need to set up for clean slices.
• Fresh fruit is best, but canned and frozen work too. I recommend baking with fresh nectarines, but you can also make this with canned, frozen, pie filling, or a jam. If using canned, drain the nectarine chunks thoroughly. If using frozen, you can use them straight out of the freezer with no need to thaw them first - but it is best to thaw and drain off any excess liquid.

🥡 Storing

Keep any leftover nectarine crumble bars stored in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 4-5 days.

Freezing

You can freeze these bars in the baking dish, wrapped tightly with cling film then heavy-duty aluminum foil (to prevent freezer burn).

Alternatively, the bars can be individually wrapped and frozen, or stored in a single layer in an airtight freezer storage container. Freeze for up to 3 months.

📖 Recipe Card