These simple, three-layer pineapple squares tick all the boxes: sweet, fresh, crunchy, creamy. It's no wonder they're tradition for our publisher Jane's family.
This has been a family favourite since my grandmother came to Toronto when she was a young girl from Belfast, Ireland. It was then handed down to her two daughters, my aunt Rene and my mom, Bettie. My mom never baked so my Aunt Rene kept the recipe alive. It has now been passed down to me and my cousin, Brian, who makes them every year for his family, and I make them for mine. It’s a simple recipe but there is something about the combination of vanilla wafer crust meeting pineapple meeting whipped cream that tastes so good. —Jane Bradley, publisher
Ingredients for Pineapple Squares
2 1/2 cups vanilla wafer crumbs (set aside 1/2 cup for the topping)
1 cup butter, divided
1 ½ cups icing sugar
2 eggs
20-oz can pineapple tidbits
½ pint whipped cream
Instructions for Pineapple Squares
- To make the crust, combine vanilla wafer crumbs and ½ cup melted butter in a bowl. Press mixture into a 8×8” greased pan. Bake for 15 min at 325°F. Cool crust completely.
- In a large bowl, cream together ½ softened butter and icing sugar. Add the eggs (don’t beat in advance) and beat until light and fluffy. Spread over cooled crust.
- Drain the pineapple. In another large bowl, combine whipped cream and pineapple, gently folding to combine. Pour over egg and sugar mixture and spread out with a spatula.
- Sprinkle with remaining wafer crumbs. Chill until set. Decorate with maraschino cherries before cutting and serving.
