• Yield: Makes about 1 dozen bars

  • Time: 20 minutes prep, 1 hour (then 1 hour to cool) cooking


Toasted sliced almonds add a streusel-like crunch to the tops of these Southern bramble-meets-orchard bars.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup butter, softened

  • 1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar

  • 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar, divided

  • 4 large eggs

  • 1 tbsp vanilla extract

  • 1 tsp baking powder

  • 3/4 tsp table salt

  • 3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, divided

  • Shortening

  • 3 (6-ounce) packages fresh blackberries (about 4 cups)

  • 4 cups peeled and sliced fresh firm, ripe peaches

  • 3 tbsp bourbon

  • 1 cup sliced almonds

Southern Cookie Book The Southern Cookie Book

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Beat first 2 ingredients and 1 cup granulated sugar at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating just until blended after each addition. Stir in vanilla.

2. Combine baking powder, salt, and 3 cups flour in a medium bowl; gradually add flour mixture to butter mixture, beating just until blended. Spread three-fourths of batter in a greased (with shortening) and floured 13- x 9-inch pan; sprinkle with blackberries.

3. Combine remaining 1/2 cup granulated sugar and 1/4 cup flour in a medium bowl; add peaches and bourbon, stirring to coat. Spoon mixture over blackberries. Dollop remaining one-fourth batter over peach mixture; sprinkle with almonds.

4. Bake at 350°F for 1 hour or until golden brown and bubbly. Cool completely in pan on a wire rack (about 1 hour). Cut into bars.


From The Southern Cookie Book, © 2016, by the Editors of Southern Living. Used by permission of Oxmoor House.