Sugar Cookie Bars
Sugar Cookie Bars are the perfect treat to take for the class Valentine’s Day celebration or just to welcome the kids home from school! No kids? No problem…make them for yourself and enjoy the heck out of them. No judgement, you hear???
You remember those cookies that you can get at the grocery store…thick sugar cookies piled high with vanilla frosting? They’d change themes for every holiday but it was always the same cookie. These delicious cookies are still available but why not make a quick pan of homemade sugar cookies but in the form of a bar?
These are delightful, buttery and creamy all at he same time. I’ve decorated them for Valentine’s Day but they can adapt to any holiday, just like the afore-mentioned store bought ones!
It doesn’t take much to make these yummy bars…you probably have most of the ingredients in your pantry.
Begin by combining your dry ingredients in a bowl: both flours, baking powder and salt. And, just so you know, the bread flour that you use gives an extra bit of texture to the bars. I love it!
In your mixer, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the egg, vanilla and almond extracts. Add the dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Don’t over-mix.
Pat the dough into a prepared pan and press into an even layer. Bake these until the edges are beginning to brown. That’s it for the cookie bar base.
Make this delicious buttercream while the bars are cooling by combining butter and cream cheese until light and fluffy and then add in the confectioners’ sugar. Add vanilla, salt and cream until the frosting has reached the consistency you like.
Once the bars are completely cooled, spread the buttercream on top, add some festive sprinkles and begin to devour!
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Sugar Cookie Bars
Makes: 16 bars
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Bake Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Ingredients
Sugar Cookie Bars:
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup bread flour
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp almond extract (optional)
Vanilla Cream Cheese Frosting:
- 6 tbsp unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 2 tbsp cream cheese, softened to room temperature
- 1 & 3/4 cups confectioners sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
- 1–2 tbsp heavy whipping cream
- 1/2 cup sprinkles for topping
Instructions
Sugar Cookie Bars:
Preheat oven to 350°F degrees and spray a 8 x 8 inch baking pan with non stick baking spray and line with parchment paper. Set aside.
In a medium bowl, whisk together flours, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the egg, vanilla and almond extracts. Mix until well combined. Add the dry ingredients to the butter and sugar mixture and mix until just barely combined. Do not over mix.
Transfer the sugar cookie dough to the prepared pan and use your hands or a spatula to press the cookie dough into an even layer, pressing into the corners. Bake the sugar cookie dough for 20-25 minutes or until edges are slightly golden brown. The center of the bars should look slightly under baked. Do not over bake.
Remove from the oven and cool completely before frosting with the vanilla cream cheese buttercream. To speed up the process, place the sugar cookie pan in the fridge for 30-45 minutes.
Vanilla Cream Cheese Frosting:
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together the softened butter and cream cheese until light and fluffy, about 1 minute. Add the confectioners sugar and beat on low speed until incorporated. Increase the speed to medium high and beat for 1 minute. Add the vanilla and salt and beat for one minute more on medium high speed. Add the heavy cream and beat for an additional minute. (If frosting is too thin, add more confectioner’s sugar. If too thick, add more heavy cream.)
Using an offset spatula, spread the frosting evenly over the top of the cooled cookie bars. Top with sprinkles. Chill before cutting into 16 squares. Serve chilled.
Chef’s Notes:
Recipe may be doubled and baked in a 9×13-inch pan.
Store tightly covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Sugar cookie bars may be frozen before frosting. Defrost at room temperature before adding frosting and sprinkles.
Recipe from Browned Butter Blondie
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