My parents came to visit this last week…and Ryan and I went to ACL on Sunday. Both reminded me that I am no longer sixteen. As I grew up, I was lucky to have a mother and father who transitioned their parenting far more smoothly than most. They struck the ideal balance between support and distance, between nurture and discipline. It was a good thing, this past week, to have them come into my adult home, join me in my adult life, and recognize what Ryan and I have built for ourselves here in Austin.
That being said, I didn’t mind when my mom offered to pay for the four lunches we shared at Whole Foods. Or buy me a vintage rooster from Mockingbird Domestics. No, not at all.
On Sunday, Ryan and I went to ACL to watch our dear friends, Alaina and Patrick from Tennis, play an awe-worthy set. There is something wonderfully odd about watching an old friend (who I used to drink red wine with as a skinny nineteen year old) rock out in front of thousands. But the mud. And the crowds. And the smoke. And the crowds. And the dehydration. And the crowds. Well, I realized that I moved past the outdoor music festival phase a few years ago.
It didn’t help that I misplaced my sunglasses half-way through the afternoon. And if you were in Austin this Sunday, you know sunglasses were a must. I saw all the young kids sporting Ray Ban sunglasses (which are classic, right?) but these Ralph Lauren Keyholes are the ones I want to buy. Adult, right?
To recover from ACL and from my parent’s visit, I’m sitting down now with one of my pineapple oat bars. These bars are composed of a crunchy shortbread topped with a sweet pineapple cake. Dusted, ever so slightly, with powdered sugar, these pineapples bars are the perfect antidote to a long day. I decided to make these bars because I found a can of pineapple in my pantry that needed to see the sunlight, but happily, they turned out even better than expected, and will now be joining the cookie rotation. I hope you had a weekend full of young and old, salty and sweet. And I hope you make and enjoy these bars. I’ve been hearing from so many of you lately and your words bring me joy. Thank you for reading!
Pineapple Oat Bars
Shortbread Layer:
2 cups flour
1/2 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup diced macademia nuts
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
12 TBSP unsalted butter, cut into 12 pieces and chilled
Cake Layer:
8 TBSP unsalted butter, room temperature
3/4 cup sugar
2 eggs
3/4 cup flour
1 cup crushed pineapple
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and line a 9 x 9 inch square pan with parchment paper. Grease pan and paper well.
2. Make shortbread: in a medium bowl, or food processor, stir flour, sugar, oats, nuts, and baking soda until combined. Cut in chilled butter until the mixture begins to come together into a dry dough. Press dough into bottom of prepared pan and bake in preheated oven for 12 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, cream butter and sugar in a medium bowl. Add eggs, beating well after each addition. Stir in flour and then fold in pineapple. Pour cake mixture over hot shortbread. Return to oven for an additional 30-35 minutes, or until the top begins to turn golden brown.
4. Remove from oven and allow to cool for at least 15 minutes before serving.
You sound like you have been a busy girl. I’m suprised you had time to bake! Although I’m glad you did because I have some cut up pineapple in the fridge that is dying to be a slice!
Aside from the fact that your Pineapple Oat Bars look absolutely delicious, I am so happy when I saw that you’re from Austin. A long time ago now, I was in the UT School of Journalism… I am sure Austin has changed alot now. But I’ll always remember how beautiful a place it was.
This sounds wonderful! My husband loves pineapple and he will love these bars! Haha, I transform to a kid when I go home… I can only go home once a year so I thoroughly enjoy being spoiled by my mom with her homemade cook etc. 😀 Have a great week Monet!
I love how these are beautifully layered and how “fudgy” they look. Great combo of flavors, too!!
Great way to use up canned pineapple! I know how annoying it can be to lose sunglasses. I had prescription Oakley sunglasses and left them in a changing room in Hong Kong grrrrr.
Isn’t it great to see old friends do something really successfully? It must have been a thrill for you to watch them. And your pineapple bars look excellent – sometimes necessity really is the mother of invention!
You inspire me to try combinations I would normally never consider because your creations looks so delicious. Love your choice of glasses… then again I am no longer a teenager either.
Hi Monet, your pineapple oat bar look so delicious. I love the combination. I did something similar like yours but without the oats.
Your pictures is excellent. Love the last picture.
Have a nice week ahead, regards.
Yummy & your pics are amazing ! Will be making this one 🙂
I love shortbread so I’m happy that you have a bunch of desserts that features it! And these? Sound just divine. Oh, + I’m sadly past the outdoor concert festival phase, too – I’ve become far too much of a comfy, cozy homebody to really love ’em any more. I might make an exception for ACL, though! =) Hope you have a great week!
Monet, these look heavenly. We’ve got to try them this weekend. 🙂
Hi Monet! I’m loving these pineapple oat bars, they’re so pretty! I have to laugh at your comment about being over the outdoor festival thing, oh boy-you have got that one right!!!!
Have a great week my friend xxooxx
Congratulations on surviving ACL, Monet! Sounds like it was a crazy good time but I just can’t take those huge crowds anymore. Well, I can but I just choose not to, hehe! Thanks for sharing this wonderful recipe. These bars look beautiful and delicious!
such a timely post lol – i’m actually back east visiting my mom and dad! i love having just a bit of a break from doing all the care work and instead being cared for 🙂 your pineapple bars look wonderful, i’d love to have one right now!
I love how you decorated them with a simple dusting of confectioner’s sugar. It looks beautiful and always reminds me of snow. I baked cookies over the weekend and I think a dusting of sugar is just what they need. Thank you for the idea!
Pineapple and oat sound like they’d make an amazing bar–tart and tangy and sweet and tender all at once. Yay! Isn’t it great to see friends succeed? (I don’t think I ever had a music festival stage…oh well. 🙂 )
I love how deliciously tangy but chewy and sweet these would be 😀
Cheers
Choc Chip Uru
I had no idea you could make bars out of pineapple! Wow.
Sounds like you’ve been having a good time, Monet! I have never had pineapple and oats together, I don’t think, but it sounds delicious and is a must try!
What is ACL? Your pineapple bars look so moist and tasty. I’m well past the music festival scene as well. How lovely to have your parents come and visit – and buy you things! xx
Austin City Limits! A HUGE music festival here in Austin.
These pineapple oat bars are like sunshine Monet. I always love your creations here not to mention super healthy! It reminds me I haven’t had pineapple in ages and it’s about time! 🙂
It’s been such a long time since I was in Austin – great memories of wonderful food there. Sounds like you lucked out in the parental department!
I’d love these pineapple bars too – they look great.
How do you manage baking between your hectic schedule! These bars look amazing and I love the pineapple oat combination.
I bought a very nice sunglasses once as a treat for myself and lost it one month later. It was such a pain. It sounds like you were very busy, but it was worth to make this amazing bars.
Monet, this recipe sounds intriguing – I have never baked with pineapples before, I usually “cook” with them. I should tell you that I adore your photography and that I actually and successfully made your pumpkin scones (they will be included in one of my posts this week “sans” the recipe, with a link to your post – thanks for the recipe, they were awesome!).
I don’t think I’ve ever baked with pineapple – I must remedy that! These bars sound like a tropical treat! Enjoy the rest of your week, my friend.
I saw these pineapple oat bars on FB and fell in love instantly! The cake layer elevates them to a whole new level of delectable awesomeness. And the light dusting of sugar, mmm. I definitely don’t use pineapple enough.
Bummer about your sunglasses 🙁 Are you getting the RL’s? Because they’re super cute! 🙂
Oh my goodness, macadamia nuts! I love those with pineapple and you know I’m a dessert bar fan. That sounds like a great time with your parents and friends. ACL, I will go someday although crowds are not my favorite either. I made your pumpkin bundt cake…we finished it off in only a few days between the two of us. Spectacular!
What an amazing combination – love that you even included macadamia nuts in the crust! These would also be the perfect antidote to a cold and grey day .. even just the pictures brightened my day! 🙂
love the macadamia nuts in the crust! such a perfect pair with pineapple!
Oh, you’ve reminded me of the fun visits we had from my parents when my kids were little. They’d let us go out alone, shop with us, treat us to a special something for the house. And we’d cook together, too. I would have loved to have shared your delicious pineapple bars with them…maybe I’ll make some to take to them on our next visit to Iowa.
I am glad to say my parents made the transition smoothly as well. I don’t love two people more and each year I see them in a new light. These bars are unique and delicious looking. I think my dad would especially enjoy these flavors. They remind me of Hawaii.
I love it! it looks really yummy 🙂 Would love to try it! Thanks for sharing 🙂
Pineapple oat bars look delicious Monet, I was expecting something less soft. Yours look like a combination between bars and cake. I should have a chat with your parents about parenting skills…I’m having a very hard time with my boys at the moment…they are becoming so ‘boyish’.
Sounds like an awesome weekend with the family and friends! And yes, I do muchly appreciate it when my mom pays for Whole Foods trips. Seems so much more delicious that way for some reason. 😛
I LOVE the sound of these pineapple oat bars! So fruity delicious.
Yep, weekends like that always make me realize that I’m a grown up. I don’t know how it happened, and I sure don’t feel like a grown up, but somehow I am.
These bars sound amazing. I love pineapple in baked goods, it adds so much flavor.
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These bars sound amazing! This post really makes me want to visit Austin! Maybe i am just sun deprived. Do you ever miss it? I know Colorado is hard to beat, but Austin sounds nice too.
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