Sugar Cookie Bars
User Reviews
5.0
12 reviews
Excellent
-
Prep Time
25 mins
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Cook Time
25 mins
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Additional Time
10 mins
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Total Time
1 hr
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Servings
24 bars
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Calories
278 kcal
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Course
Dessert, Baked Goods
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Cuisine
American
Sugar Cookie Bars
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Sugar Cookie Bars are a classic! Fluffy, soft and a little bit chewy, these bars are topped with a creamy homemade frosting. An easy recipe, but definitely one to keep!
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Ingredients
Bars:
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter (1.5 sticks), softened
- 1/4 cup cream cheese softened
- 1 1/2 cup granulated white sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 large egg
- 1 egg yolk
- 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Frosting:
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened to room temperature
- 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoons heavy cream
- 2 drops of red food gel if desired
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Instructions
Get Prepped
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 9x13 baking pan with cooking spray or cover with parchment paper and set aside.
Make the bars
- In a large bowl beat together butter, cream cheese and sugar using a stand mixer or hand-held mixer on medium speed for 2 minutes until blended, light and fluffy.
- Add vanilla, egg and egg yolk and beat for 3 minutes, stopping to scrap down the edges to get it well mixed. Set aside.
- In a smaller bowl whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cornstarch, and salt.
- Add half the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and mix on low until just combined, add the rest of the flour making sure to scrap down the edges until fully incorporated, stopping when you no longer see flour.
- Transfer dough to prepared baking pan and press it down with a spatula or with your hands, covering the whole pan evenly. The dough will be very sticky and thick so if you need to grease your fingers to help keep it from sticking.
- Bake for 20- 25 minutes or until bars are lightly brown around the edges and a toothpick comes out clean.
- Cool completely on a wire rack for about 30-45 minutes.
Make the buttercream frosting
- Whisk butter with a metal attachment on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, almost completely white about 5 minutes.
- Add powdered sugar, vanilla and heavy cream and mix on low speed until combined then turn up the speed to high and whisk until very fluffy and light, about 2 minutes.
- Add two drops of food gel if desired and mix until you no longer see white, scraping the edges down if needed.
Frost
- Once your bars are cool, frost them and add sprinkles, if desired.
- Remove bars from pan and cut them into squares.
Notes
- Be sure to use room temperature butter. If you forget to plan ahead, you can microwave butter for 10 second intervals until soft. Don’t overdo it and use melted butter, or your bars will come out flat and greasy.
- Don’t skip the cream cheese, it helps make the bars soft and fluffy.
- I prefer to use gel food coloring, because it doesn't affect the texture of the frosting. As always, use what you have and adjust.
- Additions/Substitutions
- I use unsalted butter, but you can use salted if that is what you have. Just omit the 1/2 tsp of salt from the bars.
- You can use almond extract in place of vanilla extract if you prefer.
- Adding raspberry extract to the frosting (or any other flavor) will let you customize your bars for any occasion.
- How to store sugar cookie bars
- Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days or in the refrigerator for 5 days.
- Baking Sugar Cookie Bars
- Use a metal baking dish if you have one. Metal performs better for making this recipe (even heat distribution). A glass dish will work in a pinch.
- Be careful not to overcook your bars! Overcooking, they will be too dry. Undercooking, the center will deflate, and it will be too doughy.
- Mine are perfect at 23 minutes. However, all ovens are different! Set your timer for 20 minutes and check every few minutes until your toothpick comes out clean.
- They should be golden around the edges. The bars will continue to cook and set as they cool.
- About the buttercream
- If you prefer to, you can use half and half or milk. Heavy cream is always preferred as it makes the frosting nice and creamy!
- If the buttercream is too sweet for your tastes, you can balance it by adding a pinch of salt.
Nutrition Information
Show Details
Serving
1bar
Calories
278kcal
(14%)
Carbohydrates
36g
(12%)
Protein
2g
(4%)
Fat
14g
(22%)
Saturated Fat
9g
(45%)
Cholesterol
53mg
(18%)
Sodium
93mg
(4%)
Potassium
48mg
(1%)
Fiber
1g
(4%)
Sugar
25g
(50%)
Vitamin A
456IU
(9%)
Calcium
21mg
(2%)
Iron
1mg
(6%)
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 24bars
Amount Per Serving
Calories 278 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Serving | 1bar | |
| Calories | 278kcal | 14% |
| Carbohydrates | 36g | 12% |
| Protein | 2g | 4% |
| Fat | 14g | 22% |
| Saturated Fat | 9g | 45% |
| Cholesterol | 53mg | 18% |
| Sodium | 93mg | 4% |
| Potassium | 48mg | 1% |
| Fiber | 1g | 4% |
| Sugar | 25g | 50% |
| Vitamin A | 456IU | 9% |
| Calcium | 21mg | 2% |
| Iron | 1mg | 6% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
Genuine Reviews
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5.0
12 reviews
Excellent
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