Description
Delightfully fragrant and warmly spiced, these Spiced Pear Bars combine a buttery shortbread crust with a juicy fresh pear filling and a crunchy walnut topping. Perfect for a cozy dessert or a sweet snack, they balance subtle autumnal spices with tender pear pieces baked to bubbling perfection.
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp ground cloves
- 1/4 tsp allspice
- 1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
- 1/2 tsp ground ginger
Wet Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp lemon juice (optional)
Fruit & Nuts
- 2 cups diced fresh pear (about 2-3 medium pears, diced approx. 1/3 inch)
- 1/4 cup chopped walnuts
Instructions
- Prepare the baking pan: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Butter a 9-inch square baking pan thoroughly, then line it with parchment paper to facilitate easy removal of the bars after baking. Set the pan aside.
- Combine dry ingredients: In a food processor bowl, add the all purpose flour, light brown sugar, salt, ground cloves, allspice, freshly grated nutmeg, and ground ginger. Pulse briefly until all ingredients are evenly mixed, ensuring a uniform spiced base.
- Add butter and vanilla: Cut the room temperature unsalted butter into tablespoon-sized pieces and add to the food processor bowl along with the vanilla extract. Pulse the mixture until the dough comes together into a soft, somewhat crumbly dough.
- Form crust layer: Remove about two-thirds of the dough and press it firmly and evenly into the bottom of the prepared 9×9 inch baking pan using your hands or the bottom of a cup measure to create a smooth base layer.
- Prepare walnut topping: Place the remaining one-third of the dough into a small bowl and gently mix with the chopped walnuts. Set this aside for topping the bars later.
- Prepare pear filling: Toss the diced fresh pears with the optional lemon juice to prevent browning and add a slight acidity that balances the sweet flavors of the bars.
- Assemble bars: Evenly spread the pear mixture over the pressed dough layer in the pan. Then crumble the walnut-dough mixture evenly over the pears, leaving some fruit visible through the topping.
- Bake: Place the baking pan in the preheated oven and bake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until the crumb topping is lightly browned around the edges and you can hear the fruit bubbling beneath.
- Cool and serve: Remove the pan from the oven and allow the bars to cool completely. Use the parchment paper to gently lift the bars out of the pan before cutting into squares. Serve and enjoy!
Notes
- Using parchment paper is highly recommended for easy removal of the bars from the pan.
- If you skip parchment paper, serve the bars directly from the pan to avoid difficulty removing them.
- Lemon juice is optional but helps prevent the diced pears from browning and adds a subtle tang.
- Dicing the pears uniformly (about 1/3 inch pieces) ensures even cooking and texture.
- Feel free to substitute walnuts with pecans for a different nutty flavor.
- Allow the bars to cool completely before cutting to help them set and hold their shape.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 40-45 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
