Sugar Cookie Bars
I get asked to bring dessert often - and these sugar cookie bars are my go-to for satisfying the sweet tooth of the masses!
- Prep time
- 15 min
- Cook time
- 31 min
- Yield
- 20 servings
- Difficulty
- HARD
Ingredients
Quantities are shown as originally provided.
- 1 1/2 cups butter
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 egg + 1 egg yolk
- 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 3/4 tsp butter extract* ((can sub almond extract))
- 3 3/4 cups all purpose flour
- 1 cup powdered sugar (heaping)
- 1 1/2 tbsp cornstarch
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 3/4 cup butter
- 4 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- up to 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp butter extract* (can sub almond extract)
- Sprinkles as desired
Instructions
- 1
Preheat the oven to 350° F. Line a 9x13 pan with parchment paper and then set aside.
- 2
Cream together the butter and granulated sugar, mixing until completely combined.
- 3
Add the egg, egg yolk and extracts. Mix until well combined.
- 4
Lastly, add the flour, powdered sugar, corn starch, baking powder and salt. Mix until a soft dough forms.
- 5
Press the dough into the prepared 9x13 pan.
- 6
Bake at 350° F for 25-35 minutes. The entire pan will rise slightly, and the top should no longer look wet. The top will be shiny and almost ‘flakey’. The center of the bars should pass the toothpick test when they are ready to come out of the oven.
- 7
Allow the cooke bars to cool completely before frosting.
- 8
To make the frosting, use your stand mixer or electric hand mixer to cream the butter until smooth.
- 9
Alternate adding in 1/2 cup of powdered sugar and then just a tiny splash of heavy cream, mixing until the powdered sugar is completely mixed in with the butter.
- 10
Repeat this step until all of the powdered sugar has been added. Your frosting should stay thick throughout this process.
- 11
Mix in the vanilla extract and butter extract.
- 12
You can now slowly add more heavy cream to the mixture the thin the frosting to your desired consistency.
- 13
Use gel food coloring to dye the frosting your desired color.
- 14
Frost the cookie bars and immediately top with sprinkles.
- 15
Store in an airtight container for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.