Description
These Easter Egg Sugar Cookie Bars are a delightful twist on traditional sugar cookies, baked into easy-to-cut bars and topped with creamy pastel frosting and festive Easter egg candies. Perfect for spring celebrations, these bars combine a soft, buttery cookie base with rich, colorful frosting for a cheerful and delicious treat everyone will love.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Sugar Cookie Bars:
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon almond extract (optional)
- 1/2 cup sour cream (or plain yogurt)
For the Frosting:
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 3-4 cups powdered sugar (adjust for desired thickness)
- 2-3 tablespoons heavy cream (or milk)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Gel food coloring (pastel colors for Easter)
- Easter egg candies (like Cadbury Mini Eggs or Jelly Beans) for decoration
Instructions
- Prepare the Sugar Cookie Bars: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9×13-inch baking dish or line it with parchment paper for easy removal.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter and granulated sugar together until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.
- Add Eggs and Extracts: Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition, followed by the vanilla and almond extract if using.
- Incorporate Sour Cream: Mix in the sour cream until combined.
- Add Dry Ingredients: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, mixing until just combined to avoid overmixing.
- Shape the Dough: Spread the dough evenly into the prepared baking dish, pressing it down to create an even layer.
- Bake: Place in the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the edges are golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Cool: Allow the cookie bars to cool completely in the pan on a wire rack before frosting.
- Make the Frosting: In a medium bowl, beat the softened butter until smooth.
- Add Powdered Sugar Gradually: Gradually add powdered sugar, about 1 cup at a time, beating well after each addition until the desired consistency is achieved.
- Finish Frosting: Add heavy cream and vanilla extract, beating until smooth and fluffy. Adjust thickness by adding more powdered sugar or cream as needed.
- Color the Frosting: Divide the frosting into separate bowls. Add a few drops of gel food coloring to each to create pastel shades such as pink, blue, yellow, and green.
- Assemble the Bars: Once the bars are completely cooled, spread an even layer of frosting over the top using an offset spatula.
- Decorate: Arrange Easter egg candies like Cadbury Mini Eggs or Jelly Beans on top in patterns or scatter them for a festive look.
- Serve: Slice into squares, serve, and enjoy this festive and delicious treat.
Notes
- For a dairy-free option, substitute butter with a plant-based alternative and use coconut cream instead of heavy cream.
- Make sure the cookie bars are completely cool before frosting to prevent melting.
- You can use plain yogurt instead of sour cream if preferred.
- Adjust the frosting thickness by adding powdered sugar to thicken or cream to thin out.
- Store frosted bars in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or refrigerate for longer freshness.
