Brown Butter and Pear Blondies
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Whenever I think of fall I think of apples and pumpkin. They are my go to fall flavors because they are the ones that everyone talks about. But what about pears? I believe that pears are a fruit that flies under the radar in the fall but they are totally delicious.
While many people don’t think of pears as a fall flavor, they totally are. Simply pair a couple of pears with a lovely combination of spices and a little sugar and the entire kitchen will smell like fall. That’s where these Brown Butter and Pear Blondies come into play.
Let me back up a little bit first. For years the pear has always been a fruit that I could take or leave. I would eat it if it was in front of me but I wouldn’t seek them out. However, over the last few years I’ve been eating pears other then the regular green pear and I’ve been loving them. My favorites are Bosc pears and Asian pears. I’m not sure why I choose them over the classic but they seem firmer and taste better than the pears I ate growing up.
Since I had 3 pears left in my fruit bowl this weekend that needed to be used I got busy looking for a recipe that made a sweet and spiced dessert with them. When I found a recipe for these Brown Butter and Pear Blondies I was ready to bake. I just can’t resist brown butter in desserts.
The nutty flavor of brown butter is so distinct in baked goods and makes them extra delicious. The base of this recipe is a simple cookie recipe made more flavorful with the addition of the brown butter. The blondies end up a little softer than traditional blondies because of the moisture from the pears. The blondies are then topped off with an oat and sugar crumb.
These pear blondies are the perfect fall baked good. A soft pear and oat cookie topped of with a crunchy crumb, these bars scream welcome fall. Make a full batch and share with your friends or cut the recipe in half and keep them for yourself!
Just a few quick notes about this recipe. Originally I made these bars with ground ginger but this last time I made it with fresh ginger and it packed a ton of flavor. You can use either one depending on how much flavor you want. Also, I always use salted butter when I make brown butter but if you choose to use unsalted butter make sure you add in a teaspoon of salt to the cookie batter.
Ingredients
For the topping:
- 1/3 c. flour
- 1/3 c. oats
- 1/4 c. brown sugar
- 1 teaspoons sea salt
- 1 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoons nutmeg
- 3 teaspoons butter
For the blondies:
- 1 stick salted butter softened
- 1 1/2 c. flour
- 1 c. oats
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoons cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons fresh ginger grated
- 1 1/2 c. brown sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoons vanilla
- 2 large Bosc pears peeled, cored, and chopped
Instructions
- In a small bowl combine the topping ingredients. Use your fingertips and rub the butter into the other ingredients until it resembles crumbs. Place in the refrigerator until ready to use.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Place a sheet of parchment paper or foil in the bottom and up the sides of a 9 x 13 baking dish.
- Place the butter in a small saucepan. Heat for 5-10 minutes or until the butter has browned. Remove from heat and let cool for 5 minutes.
- In a medium bowl combine the flour, oats, baking powder, cinnamon, and ginger. Set aside.
- In a large bowl combine the brown sugar, eggs, and vanilla. Mix well. Add in the brown butter and mix until well combined.
- Add the pears to the flour mixture and toss to coat. Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and mix well.
- Spread the blondie mixture into the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Smooth into the pan with a spatula.
- Sprinkle the blondies with the crumb topping. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Cool completely on a wire rack. Cut into 24 squares and enjoy.
Notes
Nutrition
National Pear Day
- Asian Pear and Smoked Sausage Flatbread Pizza by Karen’s Kitchen Stories
- Brown Butter and Pear Blondies by Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks
- Gingered Cranberry Pear Sauce by That Recipe
- Poached Pear Salad with Goat Cheese by Art of Natural LIving
- Rustic Pear and Almond Tart by A Day in the Life on the Farm
- Vegan Dark Chocolate Pear Layer Cake by The Baking Fairy
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Oh my word these look so good! I’m a total pear lover and can’t wait to try these.
I love blondies! And pears would make them even better!
I love the look of these yummy bars! I agree that pears are so great for fall baking but they totally get forgotten!
These sound delicious! What a great way to use up the extra pears!!
Sounds delicious. I find that any recipe calling for apples can be substituted with pears and is equally, if not more, delicious.