Description
Delight in these Frosted Sugar Cookie Bars, a heavenly twist on classic sugar cookies baked into a soft, chewy bar and topped with a creamy vanilla-almond buttercream frosting. Perfect for parties or anytime you crave a sweet and buttery treat with a festive sprinkle finish.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 2½ cups flour (312 g)
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ¼ – ½ tsp salt
Cookie Dough
- 1 â…“ 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 (175°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, use an electric mixer to beat the softened butter and sugar on medium-high speed for 3-5 minutes until the mixture is light and fluffy.
- Add Wet Ingredients: Beat in the eggs, vanilla bean paste, almond extract, and softened cream cheese until fully incorporated.
- Combine Mixtures: Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix on low speed just until no flour streaks remain. If desired, fold in sprinkles at this point without overmixing.
- Prepare Baking Pan and Shape Dough: Line a 9×13 inch baking pan with parchment paper. Press the sticky cookie dough evenly into the pan, lightly oiling your hands or using a piece of parchment on top to help smooth the surface.
- Bake Cookie Bars: Bake for 17-22 minutes until edges turn light golden brown and the center is set but may still be slightly soft. The bars will firm up as they cool.
- Cool Completely: Remove the baking pan from the oven and allow the cookie bars to cool completely in the pan before frosting.
- Make Frosting: Beat the softened butter until smooth and creamy. Mix in vanilla bean paste, sea salt, and almond extract. Gradually add powdered sugar and continue beating until combined. Add heavy cream a tablespoon at a time and beat until the frosting is light, creamy, and fluffy.
- Frost Cookie Bars: Spread the buttercream evenly over the cooled cookie bars.
- Add Sprinkles and Set: Decorate the frosted bars with extra sprinkles. Allow the frosting to set before slicing into 24 bars for serving.
Notes
- Room temperature ingredients, especially butter, eggs, and cream cheese, help achieve a smooth batter and frosting.
- Do not overmix the dough once the dry ingredients are added to keep the bars tender.
- The cookie bars may appear slightly underdone in the center after baking; they will firm up as they cool.
- If the frosting is too thick, add a little more heavy cream until the desired consistency is reached.
- For a festive touch, use colorful sprinkles or seasonal decorations on top.
- Store frosted bars in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or refrigerate for longer freshness.
