These pineapple bars have been a staple pot luck dessert, that I have taken to many many events! The original recipe was shared with me, by my aunt. Since then over the years, I have added many things to these bars, and each time they are a crowd pleaser! They are light, tangy, airy, and they melt in your mouth with each bite. These bars have the perfect touch of sweet & tangy….and what’s new and improved about them?! I lightened up the recipe, and made a “skinny” version. The not so skinny version, is just as delicious! However, since I can not tell the difference in taste between the two, why not opt for a “skinnier” version?!?
The texture of these light and airy bars, is just perfect! A medley of cream cheese & cool whip combined with the sweetness of the pineapples, is just delicious. Each bite feels like summer. With spring here, and the weather not quite as “spring” like, I wanted to make these bars, to remind me of those warm summer days.
My favorite part of these bars, is the addition of cream cheese. So creamy, and smooth! And oh the chia seeds, compliment the texture and flavors of these bars perfectly. A perfect match! Give it a shot, and tell me what you think!
Skinny Pineapple Bars
Ingredients
- 1 16 oz package fat free cream cheese room temperature
- 1 8 oz lite Cool Whip Whipped Topping
- 1 20 oz can crushed pineapple Farm Flavor or Libby’s
- 3 tbsps sugar
- 1/2 tbsp chia seeds
- 3 packets gelatin
Instructions
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Using a strainer over a medium sized pot, drain pineapples. Keep the pineapple juice in the pot, and set aside the crushed pineapple.
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Pour gelatin packets in the pineapple juice, and mix. Let sit for 5 minutes.
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In a large bowl, combine cream cheese, cool whip and drained pineapple. Mix well to incorporate all ingredients.
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Heat the gelatin and pineapple juice over medium heat, making sure to stir constantly. Add in sugar, and continue to stir. You want the liquid to boil, but not burn. Stir constantly for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and pour into cream cheese mixture. Using a hand held mixer, or you can do this by hand, mix well for 1-2 minutes. Last but not least, add in chia seeds and mix well.
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Pour mixture into a 9x13 pan and refrigerate for 4+ hours, or until mixture sets.
