Pina Colada Crumb Bars

Pina Colada Crumb Bars are layers of sweet goodness that just happen to have a fun name too. For some reason I think bars can be for breakfast, snacks or a dessert. I mean wouldn’t three layers with the middle layer being a pineapple coconut filling be perfect with a cup of coffee in the morning? Normally breakfast bars are packed full of granolas and other wonderful ingredients but, hey, once in a while you can go a little crazy … and these do have oats, you know. If I like appetizers for dinner then you know I like snacks for breakfast. If you cook these with the intention of freezing them for quick snacks – have no fear. The bars freeze perfectly so it is one of those things that you can grab right out of the freezer as you are running out the door. They defrost in no time so they are wonderful for a grab and go.

I thought I was going to freeze some but it turns out that Ed really really really likes them. The bars aren’t all gone but they will be fine in the fridge for the few days that they are going to last. I will admit Ed isn’t eating them all. You know I have to test them. So I tested them three times! The crumb topping is crumbly and perfect and all layers are very easy to make.

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 40 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour

Yield: 16 Bars

Serving Size: 1 Bar

Ingredients

1 cup whole wheat flour

1/2 cup vegan butter

1 cup rolled oats

2/3 cup packed brown sugar

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 cup chopped macadamias, walnuts or pecans - your choice - to keep with the theme I used macadamias

1 Tbsp. coconut sugar

1 Tbsp. cornstarch

3/4 cup dried pineapple, chopped fine or processed

3/4 cup water

1/2 cup shredded coconut

Directions

I used the food processor to cut up my dried pineapple and it actually made it all roll up into a ball because it was chopped so fine and it stuck all together. That is good because when it is cooked it will be a smooth filling. If you want to chop it by hand into small bits - that is good too. It will just be a little more textured filling.

In a small saucepan add the water, coconut sugar, cut up dried pineapple and cornstarch.

NOT the coconut - yet.

Cook over medium high heat until sauce thickens.

Take off the heat and stir in the coconut.

It will thicken even more as it cools. It takes about 5 to 10 minutes.

Set aside.

To a large bowl add the flour and butter.

Cut the butter into the flour until it is like a coarse meal.

To this mixture add the oats, brown sugar and baking soda.

Mix well and I use my fingers to really get it well incorporated.

Take out 1/2 cup of the mixture. Add the nuts to this 1/2 cup and set aside.

Press the remaining mixture into an ungreased 8x8x2 or 9x9x2 inch baking pan.

I used 8x8x2 but I will tell you the different cooking times at the end during the baking instructions.

Spread you filling evenly all over this layer.

Sprinkle the crumb mixture that you set aside - all over this filling mixture.

Spread it out evenly and press, lightly, with your hand.

Bake at 350° for 30 to 35 minutes for a 9x9x2 pan and 35 to 40 minutes for an 8x8x2 pan.

The 8x8x2 pan will make your bars a little taller as in my photo.

Let the bars cool completely in the pan.

I cut all around the edge of the pan to separate to get anything unstuck.

The whole piece actually lifted out of the pan and I was able to place it on a cutting board and but it there.

I made three slices in each direction and got 16 nice size square bars.

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