Pineapple Bars with Shortbread Crust The Easiest Tropical Dessert

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease an 8x8 inch metal baking pan and line it with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on two sides for handles.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, rolled oats, brown sugar, ¼ cup granulated sugar, baking powder, and salt until thoroughly combined.
3. Add the cold, cubed butter to the dry ingredients. Cut the butter into the flour mixture using a pastry blender or your fingertips until large, coarse crumbs form.
4. Measure out 1 cup (about one-third) of the crumble mixture and reserve it in a separate bowl in the refrigerator. This will be the topping.
5. Press the remaining two-thirds of the dough mixture firmly and evenly into the base of the prepared pan. Place the pressed base back into the refrigerator to chill.
6. Drain the canned crushed pineapple by placing it into a fine-mesh sieve and pressing out as much liquid as possible. This step is crucial to prevent a soggy filling.
7. In a medium bowl, combine the well-drained pineapple, ½ cup granulated sugar, cornstarch, lemon zest, lemon juice, and vanilla extract. Stir well until the cornstarch is completely dissolved and the mixture is uniform.
8. Retrieve the chilled base from the refrigerator. Carefully spread the pineapple filling evenly over the shortbread crust.
9. Take the reserved crumble mixture from the fridge and scatter it loosely and evenly over the pineapple filling.
10. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the topping is deeply golden brown and the filling is bubbling gently around the edges.
11. Remove the bars from the oven and allow them to cool completely in the pan on a wire rack for a minimum of 2 hours. The bars must be fully cooled for the filling to set.
12. Once cool, use the parchment paper overhangs to lift the whole slab out of the pan. Cut the Pineapple Bars into 12 equal portions and serve.