Description
Deliciously soft and chewy Frosted Sugar Cookie Bars topped with creamy buttercream frosting and colorful sprinkles. Perfectly balanced with vanilla and almond extracts, these bars offer the nostalgic flavor of classic sugar cookies in an easy-to-cut bar form, making them ideal for parties and gatherings.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 2½ cups flour (312 g)
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ¼ – ½ tsp salt
Cookie Bars
- 1â…“ cups sugar (267 g)
- 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature (226 g)
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 4 oz cream cheese, softened
- 1½ tsp vanilla bean paste (or vanilla extract)
- ½ tsp almond extract
Frosting
- ½ cup butter, softened (113 g)
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla bean paste (or vanilla extract)
- ¼ tsp almond extract
- pinch of sea salt
- 1-2 Tbsp heavy cream (more as desired)
Topping
- Sprinkles for topping
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (177°C) to prepare for baking the cookie bars.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until well combined.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: In a large bowl, add the softened butter and sugar. Using an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat the mixture for 3-5 minutes until it becomes light and fluffy.
- Add Wet Ingredients and Incorporate Dry: Add the eggs, vanilla bean paste, almond extract, and cream cheese to the butter mixture. Beat until fully incorporated. Slowly add the dry ingredients while mixing on low speed, just until no streaks of flour remain. If you want sprinkles inside the bars, fold them in with the last of the dry ingredients. Avoid overmixing.
- Prepare Pan and Press Dough: Line a 9×13 inch baking pan with parchment paper. Lightly oil your hands or spray them with cooking spray to handle the sticky dough. Press the dough evenly into the pan; you can use an extra piece of parchment to smooth the surface.
- Bake: Bake for 17-22 minutes or until the edges start turning a light golden brown. The center may still look slightly underdone but will firm up as it cools. Allow the cookie bars to cool completely in the pan.
- Make Frosting: In a bowl, beat the softened butter until smooth and creamy. Add the vanilla bean paste (or extract), almond extract, and a pinch of sea salt. Gradually add powdered sugar, beating to combine after each addition. Add the heavy cream one tablespoon at a time and beat until frosting is creamy and fluffy.
- Frost and Decorate: Spread the buttercream frosting evenly over the cooled cookie bars. Sprinkle additional sprinkles on top for decoration. Let the frosting set before cutting into bars.
Notes
- Room temperature eggs and butter make for easier mixing and a smoother batter.
- Do not overmix the batter once adding flour to ensure soft, tender bars.
- Baking times can vary based on oven, so watch for golden edges.
- For cleaner cuts, refrigerate the frosted bars until the frosting is firm.
- Additional sprinkles can be added inside the batter or just on top as desired.
