brown butter pear bars
As I flung open the patio door this morning to let the sun stream across the leather couch, I jumped quickly back in surprise. The breeze was cold, unexpectedly so. Though I am holding onto summer with tightly clenched hands, refusing to admit that we are transitioning, I have noticed the shifting light patterns and changing leaves.
I’ll console myself with a brown butter pear bar, the “fall” (not ready to use the word!) counterpart to my brown butter cherry bars. I love the way the creamy Bartlett pears almost melt into the spiced brown butter filling; I’m convinced pears plus brown butter is a combination of pure magic.
Brown Butter Pear Bars
Crust
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup graham flour
1/8 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
pinch of nutmeg
3/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
1/2 cup sugar
2 Tbsp light brown sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Filling
3/4 cup unsalted butter
2 large eggs
2/3 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
6 Tbsp flour
3/4 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp cardamom
1/8 tsp salt
4 cups diced pears
Preheat oven to 350°F and line a 13 x 9-inch baking dish with parchment paper. Whisk together flours, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a medium bowl. Combine melted butter, sugars, and vanilla in a medium bowl. Add flour mixture and fold in until incorporated. Press dough evenly into bottom of prepared baking dish and bake for 18 minutes, until golden brown. Transfer to a wire rack and cool for 20 minutes.
To prepare filling, cook butter in a heavy saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly until it foams, turns clear, and then turns a deep brown, about 6 minutes. Pour browned butter into a glass measuring cup to cool slightly. Whisk eggs, sugar and vanilla in a medium bowl; add flour, cinnamon, cardamom, and salt and whisk until smooth. Gradually pour in cooled brown butter; whisk until completely blended. Fold in pears and pour filling over crust.
Bake for 37 to 38 minutes, until filling is puffed and golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool completely in pan on a wire rack. Carefully lift parchment to remove bars from pan and place on a cutting board; cut into squares using a serrated knife. Store bars in a single layer in an airtight container in the refrigerator; let come to room temperature before serving.
Yield – 32 bars
Calories – 160 (per bar)
Carbs – 18
50 comments
Laura, I can’t think of a better way to welcome fall. Baking these bars will be perfect!
Gasp! Brown butter and pears?! What an amazing combo.
The last week has been warm but the last couple of days it has been nice and cool in the mornings. I love it! And these bars would be so great on a crisp morning with a cup of coffee!
Yes, it’s too soon to say the ‘f’ word. 😀
These bars look beyond scrumptious!! If only I could grab several through the screen…
First of all, I LOVE your new design on here!
Second of all, I LOVE these bars. I am admittedly so ready for fall so this seasonal dessert is very welcome in my life. And in my belly. 🙂
Thank you friend! 🙂
I’m in love. Pears and brown butter are the perfect combination!
I love fall! I know I’m in the minority there, though so I’ll try to act sad about it. haha! These are the perfect way to celebrate…err…make me feel better about it. 😉 Love the combination of brown butter and pear. Sounds delicious! Can’t wait to try these.
I am loving this so so much!! Brown butter and pears? Delicious 🙂
Hi Laura! I love your new design, especially the photos are larger and your treats are so tempting! This is a very nice way to welcome fall. I miss your cherry bars but glad to know pears work for the recipe!
I know, I am not quite ready to let go of all things summer yet so I hear you! These bars are a good compromise.
I’m looking at Spring and not Autumn but I’m gonna make these pear bars! Lovely!
Beautiful and lovely Laura! I will never, ever tire of browned butter and this combo is such a fantastic one!
I was thrilled to see Bartlett pears in the market…one of my favorite things about fall. And these bars look amazing. Hope I get a chance to try them!
What a extraordinary description of the change in seasons, the time of transition. Brown Butter Pear Bars are the perfect treat for to stop and savor the last bits of summer!
Just wanted to know if it would ruin the bars if I reduced the sugar? I don’t like very sweet deserts…..These look amazing!
Hi Anna, I don’t like very sweet desserts either so I usually use the least amount of sugar I can get away with. If your pears are very sweet, you could try the filling with 1/2 cup of sugar instead of 2/3 cup. I’ve never tried the crust with less sugar so I can’t say how it would affect the final texture. Hope that helps!
brown butter and pears just sound like the PERFECT dessert! this looks beautiful!
Oh yeah! Brown butter! What a perfect dessert to kick of fall! So stunning!
Very “fall” recipe that looks super. I am holding onto every last ounce of Summer so not ready for the changing seasons
Lovely, Laura! The brown butter and pear combination in bar form looks incredibly delicious…perfect late summer treat! I can just imagine the irresistible textures. I’m with you…holding onto summer with clenched fists while anticipating fall’s official arrival. By the way…BEAUTIFUL new header for Tutti Dolci! I like it a lot…and, the little blog refresh! 🙂 xo
These pear bars sound like a consolation for pretty much anything ;D
Yup. I’m in love and totally ready for fall!
This combination is pure magic! Love these!
Oh, these bars(sighs)..looks so good.
I can imagine that this would just melt in your mouth, Laura! Just delicious!
These look delightful.
Our weather down here is still chilly but at least we are edging forward towards summer.
Oh I can imagine how much you don’t want it to change to cool! But the leaves are so pretty! 😀
These are so gorgeous!
These do look like a magical combination Laura, wow! I love the way the pears stay on the top and look like a beautiful mosaic. A fall-ish mosaic.!
Browned butter is the BEST! I love it. And love the looks of these bars! They are my kinda bar! Soft and full of flavor! Pinned!
I’m not ready for fall either, but I am definitely ready for these bars! They sound delightful!
Recent “heat wave” aside, I definitely sense a change in the angle of sunlight and coolness in the breeze. Brown butter and pears is a delightful way to welcome fall!
Mmmhhh, so tempting! Those seasonal bars look ever so good. Just what I’m craving at the moment.
Cheers,
Rosa
okay these are the perfect transition bar to fall. Oh how I wish I had one right now. Stunning!! You make the best sweet treats!
Brown butter and pears sound heavenly together. I will admit, I am ready for fall. It has been such a HOT August here, I just want a few days in the 70’s!
from a lover of all things dessert with pears-I’m impressed..they look beautiful 😉
Like the new design Laura – when did this happen?
Roll on Autumn I say – never been a big fan of summer.. much too hot. Good thing eating yummy treats isn’t season-specific! These look great!
But isn’t it nice when you open the window and find it’s surprisingly chilly? I instantly think, “FALL BAKING! EEEEEE!” 😀
These bars are gorgeous. You are seriously the queen of the bars!
I just picked up a few pears yesterday and wondered how I’d use them. Fall is definitely here and these bars are calling my name!
These were delicious! They were so good in fact, I made them twice in a week. I did not need to deviate from the recipe either time.
Thanks for sharing this recipe. My family [and neighbors] are now hooked.
So glad you liked the bars, Katie! Thanks for letting me know and how sweet of you to share them with your neighbors :).
Made this last night and it was fabulous! Thanks for such a delicious recipe.
Thanks Jenna, so glad you liked the bars! 🙂
I am expecting a lot of company over the holidays and love a bar that I can make ahead, freeze and pull out later. Do you know if these freeze well?
Hi Roberta, I don’t recommend freezing this particular bar as it will change the texture of the filling. If you like cranberries, these bars (and generally most crumb bars) freeze well. Hope that helps!
This looks great. What is graham flour? I’ve never seen that before. I have graham cracker crumbs. It that the same? Thanks, Deb
Hi Deb, graham flour is a type of whole wheat flour, available at Bob’s Red Mill. You can substitute whole wheat flour, or simply use all-purpose flour. I haven’t tested the recipe with graham cracker crumbs, but you’re welcome to try that too!
I made these today and they came out amazing! I added a little glaze to the tops when they cooled. My coworkers finished almost the entire tray already! This is a wonderul recipe and I will definitely be making them again.
Hi Angie, thanks so much for letting me know. So glad you liked the bars! 🙂