Honey Free Pear Crumble Bars with Cinnamon and Cardamom
Warm spiced pears tucked between a buttery oat crust and a golden crumble topping — these bars are the kind of thing that makes your kitchen smell absolutely incredible. Coconut sugar brings a gentle caramel depth to both the filling and the crumble, while Ceylon cinnamon and cardamom layer in a fragrant, almost floral warmth that feels a little more special than your average bake. The sweetness here comes entirely from maple syrup and coconut sugar, so there's no need to hunt down a honey substitute or worry about hidden bee-derived ingredients sneaking into your dessert. Tapioca starch does the quiet work of pulling the pear juices into a glossy, jammy filling that holds its shape beautifully once the bars cool. Rice flour in the base keeps the crumble tender without weighing it down, and pressing two-thirds of the mixture into the pan first means you get a proper crust rather than a crumbly mess. These bars slice cleanly into nine generous pieces and are just as good the next day, making them a smart choice for meal prep, potlucks, or an afternoon treat you'll actually look forward to.
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Learn more →Ingredients
9 servings
For the crust and crumble
- 1 ½ cups rolled oats
- ¾ cup rice flour
- ⅓ cup coconut sugar
- ½ tsp ground ceylon cinnamon
- ¼ tsp ground cardamom
- ¼ tsp salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter, cold and cut into small cubes
- 2 tbsp pure maple syrup
For the pear filling
- 4 medium ripe pears (about 1 ½ lbs), peeled, cored, and cut into ½-inch dice
- 3 tbsp coconut sugar
- 1 tsp ground ceylon cinnamon
- ¼ tsp ground cardamom
- 1 tbsp tapioca starch
- 1 tbsp unsalted butter
Instructions
- 1
Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 9×9-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving a 2-inch overhang on two opposite sides to use as handles for lifting the bars out later.
- 2
In a large mixing bowl, stir together the rolled oats, rice flour, coconut sugar, Ceylon cinnamon, cardamom, and salt until evenly combined. Scatter the cold butter cubes over the dry mixture and work them in with a pastry cutter or your fingertips until the mixture resembles coarse, clumpy crumbs with some pea-sized pieces of butter remaining. Drizzle in the maple syrup and toss with a fork until the mixture just holds together when pressed.
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