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Why You’ll Love My Recipe

Buttery and tender with the most delicious spiced pears, these Dutch Pear Pie Bars are a sweet, cozy treat that’s perfect for any time of year!

Make my Easy Salted Caramel Sauce to drizzle over these tasty bars, or try my Mars Bars Squares and Saltine Toffee Squares for the ultimate dessert spread!

A dessert topped with ice cream and caramel sauce sits on a plate beside fresh pears, a handwritten recipe card, and a decorative box, all on a round wooden tray.

Karlynn’s Recipe Notes

Skill Level: This recipe is easy to make with simple steps and delicious results!
Total Time: You’ll need about 50 minutes to make these pear pie bars.
Variations: Add some orange zest, a splash of maple syrup, or cardamom and cloves to the pear mixture for a sweet, chai-inspired flavor. Serve your bars with ice cream or my Perfect Whipped Cream, and a warm cup of Irish Coffee or tea!
Tools For This Recipe: You will need an 8×8-inch baking pan, a small pot, a spoon for stirring, and a knife for cutting the bars into squares.

A slice of pear cake drizzled with caramel sauce sits on a green plate. Whole pears and a handwritten recipe card are in the background.

What You’ll Need for Ingredients

Rolled Oats: Combined with flour and baking soda, rolled oats help create the buttery crust and crumbly topping that make these bars so good!

Brown Sugar: Brown sugar is used in both the topping and pear filling to add a warm, cozy sweetness. Karlynn’s Tip: You can try using light or dark brown sugar depending on your preference. Dark brown sugar will give the bars a deeper, richer flavor!

Bowls filled with flour, brown sugar, white sugar, butter, cornstarch, baking powder, and spices are arranged on a white countertop, ready to be used for baking.

Pears: These wouldn’t be Dutch pear pie bars without the pears! You’ll want to peel and chop them before adding them to the filling.

Spices: Ground cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg give the pear filling its delicious, spiced taste. Karlynn’s Tip: Add even more flavor by mixing in some cardamom, cloves, or orange zest!

Butter: Butter is an important part of this recipe, used in the crust, topping, and pear filling. It adds richness and helps create a tender texture throughout!

How To Make Dutch Pear Pie Bars

This is a quick overview of the recipe. The full list of ingredients & complete step-by-step instructions are in the recipe card below.

A person slices a pear on a wooden cutting board surrounded by pears, green bowls, a recipe card, flowers, and kitchen items on a table. Warm lighting creates a cozy atmosphere.

A person adds brown sugar and cinnamon to diced apples in a white pot on a black stove. Measuring cups and bowls are nearby.

Preheat the oven to 350°F, line an 8×8 pan with parchment paper, and set aside.
Combine the pear pie filling ingredients in a small pot and simmer over medium heat, stirring often.
Cook until the pears are soft but still have their shape, and the sauce has thickened.
Remove and let the mixture cool.
Prepare the crust and topping by mixing the brown sugar and butter until creamy and fully combined.
Stir in the rolled oats, flour, salt and baking soda. Mix until completely combined.
Press 2/3 of the crust mix into the bottom of the prepared pan.
Pour the cooled filling onto the bottom crust and spread it evenly.
Crumble the remaining oatmeal mixture on top of the filling.
Bake until the oatmeal topping is lightly browned on top, and the pear filling starts to bubble up around the sides, about 25-35 minutes.
Cool completely, cut into pieces, and serve with salted caramel sauce drizzled over top.

A hand with painted nails holds up a caramel-glazed oat bar above a wooden board with more oat bars, all topped with a shiny caramel layer.

Karlynn’s Tips and Tricks for the Perfect Dutch Pear Pie Bars

Try Browning the Butter: For even more flavor, brown the butter before adding it to the crust and topping. This gives the butter a rich, nutty taste that pairs so well with the spiced pear filling!
Add Some Crunch: Top your bars with my Old Fashioned Candied Pecans or your favourite chopped nuts, like almonds or walnuts, for a delicious contrast in texture.
Get Clean Cuts: For neat, bakery-style squares, wipe your knife clean with a hot, damp cloth between each cut. This keeps the edges of the bars looking nice and sharp!

A slice of pear cake topped with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and caramel sauce sits on a green plate, with fresh pears and a handwritten recipe card in the background.

Storage Instructions

Refrigerator: Store your leftover pear pie bars in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Let them come to room temperature before serving, or warm them gently in the microwave if you prefer them warm!

Freezer: These bars can be frozen for up to 3 months following USDA food safety guidelines. Wrap the bars tightly in plastic wrap, then place them in a freezer-safe container or bag. Thaw them in the refrigerator overnight before serving.

More Delicious Dessert Recipes

One dessert is never enough, so if you’re craving another sweet treat, try one of my Bars & Squares recipes next:

These no-bake Butterscotch Tiger Bars are an easy dessert for anyone who loves Rice Krispies, chocolate, and butterscotch!
Perfect any time of year, these light and sweet Pumpkin Squares are a family favorite in our house.
Nutty, gooey, and easy to make, these Pecan Pie Bars will be a hit on your fall dessert table!

That’s all there is to it, folks! These buttery bars are the best way to turn fresh pears into a homemade dessert that everyone will love.

Give this recipe a try the next time you’re craving something sweet, and don’t forget to let me know how they turned out in the comments below! I always love hearing how you make these treats your own.

Happy Baking!

Karlynn