Cook the pear until the pan is nearly dry; excess fruit liquid can make the shortbread base soggy.
A buttery pressed crust supports a thin layer of well-drained spiced pear, baked until the fruit is tender and the edges turn golden.
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Spiced Pear Tart Shortbread Squares Recipe
Follow the tray sizes, portions and baking intervals in the instructions below.
Total time includes hands-on preparation, required chilling or resting, whole-batch cooking, cooling and finishing.
Kitchen tools you’ll need
- skillet
- 8-inch square pan
- parchment
- bowl
- spatula
- knife
Ingredients
US measures are approximate. Gram weights help keep portions consistent; spice weights vary with density.
Instructions
Cool and finish
- Cool and finish: Toss diced pear with brown sugar, cinnamon and cornstarch; cook in a skillet 5–7 minutes until juices are thick and cool completely.
Bake and set
- Bake and set: Stir melted butter, granulated sugar, flour and salt into crumbs; press two-thirds into a parchment-lined 8-inch square pan and parbake at 350°F (175°C) for 15 minutes.
Bake and set
- Bake and set: Spread the pear filling, crumble remaining dough over it and bake 30–35 minutes.
Chill the dough
- Chill the dough: Cool, chill 1 hour and cut 16 squares.
Chef’s Science & Pro Tips
Ingredient science
Use a firm pear and dice it evenly so the filling softens at the same rate.
Technique & texture
Cool the cooked fruit before it touches the parbaked crust.
Finishing & serving
Chill the finished slab before cutting clean squares.
Storage and make-ahead
| Method | How long | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Room temperature | up to 1 day | Room temperature up to 1 day in a cool room, covered. |
| Refrigeration | up to 4 days | Refrigerate airtight up to 4 days. separate layers with parchment. |
| Raw freezing | up to 1 month | Freeze the cooled slab or cut bars up to 1 month. |
| Baked freezing | up to 1 month | Freeze baked bars well wrapped up to 1 month. |
| Restoring | As described | Thaw overnight in the refrigerator. serve chilled or at room temperature. |
Notes
- Scale ingredients, including US measures, without changing cookie size or oven temperature. Extra trays increase whole-batch time.
Nutrition
Approximate values per portion from the listed ingredient weights divided into 16 equal portions. Includes required fillings and finishes. Brands, unused coatings and actual portion size affect the estimate.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can canned pears work?
Drain and pat them very dry, then cook briefly with the sugar and cornstarch to thicken.
Why is the base soft?
The fruit likely held too much liquid; cook it longer until no syrup pools in the skillet.
Should these bars be refrigerated?
Yes; the cooked fruit layer is moist and should be chilled after cooling.
Browse more cookie ideas in the Christmas Shortbread Cookies collection.
