My friend Jamie invited me to this great party on Friday. She had this fabulous idea that we’d bring a few pieces of clothing we no longer wear and trade them with others.

Naturally, I offerred to bring a dessert. I had such grand plans–an apple pie, a fudge brownie, or some killer macaroons. But this little thing called life got in the way of things. So there I was, Friday afternoon, three hours until the party, still no dessert. I was so close to buying something at the store, but instead I looked in my pantry and made this.

I’ve used this crumble bar recipe for many different fruits. Peaches in the summer; pears in the winter. I found a few cans of sliced pineapples in the pantry (I think they were from a previous attempt to make a pineapple upside cake) and thought I’d give them a try. I was pleasantly surprised by the result.

These bars have a few layers of texture. The bottom is buttery like a shortcake. The upper layer is crumbly like the top of a coffee cake. Sandwiched in the middle is a layer of soft, tangy pineapple with the perfect acidity to balance out the rich dough.

This recipe comes together really quickly. (I made did in between showering, drying my hair and make up). You probably already have most of the ingredients on hand. It will last for a couple of days at room temperature, or up to five days in the fridge. It’s perfect for a picnic or when you are in desperate need for a dessert.