These sugar cookie bars are perfect if you love sugar cookies but don’t love all the work of traditional cut out cookies. One pan, no cookie cutters, plus they have sprinkles!
I love sugar cookies, but I don’t make them very often because they are so time consuming to roll out, cut, bake, frost and decorate. Sugar Cookie Bars to the rescue! You can make them plain or with sprinkles to match any holiday or color theme. I made these to take to the office this week. You’re welcome co-workers!
Sugar Cookie Bars (recipe adapted from Bru Crew Life)
Ingredients – Bars
- 1/2 cup butter, softened
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract (or you can use 2 tsp. vanilla extract and skip the almond extract)
- 1 tsp. almond extract
- 2 1/4 cups flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup colored sprinkles (optional)
- 1/2 cup butter, softened
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 3 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
- sprinkles or colored sugar
Instructions:
- Cream together butter, sugar, and brown sugar. Add egg, vanilla and almond extracts and beat again.
- In a separate bowl, mix together flour, baking powder, salt, and sprinkles. Slowly beat in to your creamed mixture.
- Press the dough evenly in a parchment lined 9×13 pan
- Bake at 375 degrees for 15-17 minutes.
- When slightly cool, lift bars out with parchment paper. Cool completely.
- For frosting: beat together butter, vanilla, salt and whipping cream. Slowly add in the powdered sugar until mixed together. Beat on high until fully mixed and desired texture.
- Spread frosting over completely cooled cookies. Top with sprinkles or colored sugar. Cut into squares.
Tips:
If you ever have issues with your parchment paper rolling up, I spray my pan lightly first with cooking spray and then put down my parchment paper.
When spreading out my dough into the pan, I find it difficult sometimes (depending on the dough consistency) to get spread out evenly. I did my best with these using the back of a spoon first, but then I used a small glass kind of like a rolling pin to make sure it was even.
I love how these turned out. They tasted great, were festive for the holidays, but so much easier than traditional cut out sugar cookies. WIN!
Do you have holiday baking left to do? I’ve got a few things I’m still planning to make for various holiday events. I’m thinking mint chocolate chip cookies and my husband’s favorites, peanut butter blossoms.
