I felt like making a big old pineapple cake this weekend, but given the heat and the fact we don't have anyone around to help us eat a giant cake, I decided to go with these super easy crushed pineapple bars.
What are Pineapple Bars Like?
Unlike my usual go-to pineapple desserts Millionaire Pie and Banana Split Cake, these bars are baked and then chilled. They're composed of a shortbread type crust with a layer of baked vanilla flavored pineapple filling and a sweet drizzle of icing. Serve them warm, or let cool and chill.
Pan Size
This recipe uses half of a 20 oz can and is baked in an 8-inch pan. For a full batch, double the recipe, use a full 20 oz can of pineapple and bake in a 9x13 inch pan.
Recipe
Pineapple Bars
This is not a recipe I make often, but the few times we have made the bars they've been a hit. If you are not a coconut fan you can leave it out.
Ingredients
- 1 cup all-purpose flour (125 grams)
- 6 tablespoons granulated sugar (75 grams)
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 pinch of salt
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold (84 grams)
Filling
- 1 large egg plus 1 egg yolk
- ¼ cup brown sugar (50 grams)
- ¼ cup granulated sugar (50 grams)
- ¾ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ½ tablespoons flour (12 grams)
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 pinch of salt
- ½ can pineapple (half a 20 oz can), drained
- ⅔ cup flaked coconut
Icing
- ½ tablespoon melted butter (7 grams)
- ½ cup plus 2 tablespoons powdered sugar (70 grams)
- 1 tablespoon pineapple juice from above
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F. Line an 8-inch square pan with parchment or grease it.
- In the food processor, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Pulse to mix, then add butter and pulse until mixture is coarse. Empty into your lined pan and press tightly to make a crust. Bake for about 13 minutes or until edges start to brown. Let cool completely before making filling.
- Filling: Mix together the egg, egg yolk, both sugars and the vanilla. Stir together the flour, baking powder and salt, then stir them into the batter. Add the pineapple and coconut. Pour over the cooled crust and bake for about 25 minutes. Let cool completely.
- Icing: Mix together all the ingredients, using as much pineapple juice as needed to make a smooth icing. Drizzle icing over the top of the cooled bars.
- Chill bars, then lift from pan and cut into 16 squares. Serve chilled or at room temperature.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
Anna says
Hi Mariah! It's been a while since I made these and I don't recall freezing them, but based on the ingredients I'm pretty sure they'd freeze well. Do you like cream cheese? Another really delicious pineapple bar cookie is this one. I know these will freeze well. The recipe is a little different in that it uses dried pineapple.
https://www.cookiemadness.net/2008/04/pineapple-cheesecake-squares/
mariah says
Those look delicious! Thinking about making them for a party next week. Do you know if I can make them ahead of time and freeze them?
Sonya says
These look delicious! I was having so much fun looking through your blog, and then I realized that you won the Pillsbury bake-off (and many others), and that was really cool to discover!!! I love to bake and could relate to so many things you shared, such as liking to make smaller desserts so you can bake again soon! I don't experiment with recipes though - I like to cook my way through my cookbooks, at the moment (about 5 years in to that). These bars and all of your desserts look and sound as good as I know they are!
Hannah says
Dang those look good.
C L says
These look like just the ticket for the folks at work! Definitely a "must make". Also, I ablsolutely love the photo credit. E M Ginsberg shows great potential as a professional food photographer. 🙂
Martha says
OMG thank you so much for these! I love anything pineapple.
Cupcake Activist says
Adding these to my list of yummy things to make this summer!
Katrina says
Great photos, Fuzz! And the bars do look and sound really good!
melissa says
Mmm, I agree -- this looks like a pina colada in a bar. Not sure J would like it -- but we would! At Crumbs he chose the pina colada cupcake just for the umbrella. lol.
Erin says
Pineapple is such a great summer fruit in desserts!
T. Martin says
These look delish Anna :-)! I have now moved these to the top of my list to make after I move.
Shannon in Canada says
Here in central Ontario, We are in the middle of the hottest heat wave I can ever remember having (and loving every sweaty minute of it). I havn't been doing much baking as a result, but these look like the perfect summer treat! I love pineapple, but not so much baked into desserts. Any suggestions on what other fruit would work for these, or do you think they just wouldn't be the same with something else?
jess☆ says
These look like the perfect summer snack.... like pina coladas in a bar! Yum!!
Sue says
Living just up the Interstate from Gloria, I have to agree. Those bars would hit the spot and be right at home with the tropical weather we're having.
Gloria says
This tropical tasting bar looks like it would hit the spot on a hot summer day like today, tomorrow, next week, etc!! It is 91 here with a dewpoint of 79!!! I know you can empathize!