Thursday, September 19, 2024

Sugar Cookie Bars | Life, Love and Sugar


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These frosted Sugar Cookie Bars are mushy, chewy, and stuffed with candy vanilla taste! You get the identical traditional sugar cookie without having to sit back the dough, scoop or slice something! Tremendous fast and simple to make and so good!

A stack of sugar cookie bars. The top one has a bite taken out of it.

Why You’ll Love This Frosted Sugar Cookie Bars Recipe

These scrumptious bars are based mostly on my mushy and chewy sugar cookies, that are a serious favourite. Modifications to the leavening have been made to make them into bars. They don’t want as a lot leavening, since we wish them to be on the extra dense and chewy facet and we don’t have to fret about unfold. I additionally adjusted the butter and sugar barely. In any other case, you have got the identical sugar cookie taste and wonderful texture. Right here’s extra causes to like them in bar type.

  • Really easy. I like that every one you need to do is whip up the cookie dough and unfold it right into a baking pan. No must spend all of that additional time forming the dough into balls to make particular person cookies.
  • Texture. These bars are dense and chewy. They virtually soften in your mouth. I like that whenever you get to the bars within the center, there aren’t even any edges. They’re simply tremendous mushy during.
  • Nostalgic sugar cookie taste. There’s nothing fairly like a traditional sugar cookie. When executed proper, they convey the nice and cozy and fuzzies to my soul. Certain these aren’t precise cookies, however they’ve all the memory-making taste of the traditional favourite.
  • Playful presentation. With the addition of pink icing (though you possibly can decide a special colour should you’d like) and sprinkles, these bars are simply so enjoyable to take a look at! They’ll have everybody flocking to the dessert desk to feast their eyes and style buds.

Sugar cookie bars on a marble countertop.

What You’ll Want

Right here’s what you’ll must make this sugar cookie bars recipe. Be sure you scroll to the recipe card beneath for exact measurements.

Ingredients for sugar cookie bars.

Sugar Cookie Bars

  • All-purpose flour – You actually wish to be sure you measure your flour precisely. If you happen to over measure, you would find yourself with a dry cookie. I extremely advocate a meals scale, however you too can use the spoon and stage methodology.
  • Baking soda – For only a little bit of rise so these aren’t greasy and have the best texture.
  • Salt – Don’t depart it out and don’t underestimate it. It brings out the flavour of all the things round it and retains your cookies from being bland.
  • Unsalted butter – Begin with room temperature butter. Whether it is too chilly or too melted, it gained’t cream correctly with the sugars.
  • Granulated sugar and lightweight brown sugar – The addition of brown sugar brings additional richness and moisture to the bars that I can’t get sufficient of.
  • Egg – It’s finest if the egg is at room temperature. Chilly eggs have a tougher time mixing easily and simply into the batter.
  • Vanilla extract – Use a very good high quality one, should you can. It offers these bars all their taste.

Vanilla Buttercream

  • Unsalted butter – Begin with room temperature butter. In case your butter is just too chilly, you’ll find yourself with lumpy frosting. If it’s melted, your frosting will end up runny.
  • Powdered sugar – To assist thicken the buttercream and add quantity.
  • Vanilla extract
  • Heavy Cream – To regulate the buttercream consistency, if wanted.
  • Gel icing colour – The gel icing colour is non-obligatory however it actually provides a enjoyable spin. I used pink however be happy to experiment.
  • Sprinkles – Once more, these are non-obligatory however they 100% improve the visible attraction of this dessert.

The way to Make Sugar Cookie Bars

Able to hop within the kitchen? Right here’s a fast have a look at the right way to make these superior, moist, chewy frosted sugar cookie bars. Don’t neglect to scroll to the recipe card beneath for extra thorough directions.

  • Prep. Preheat oven to 350°F and line a 9×9 sq. baking pan with parchment paper.
  • Mix the dry elements. Whisk collectively the flour, baking soda, and salt.
  • Mix the moist elements. Cream collectively the butter and sugars on medium pace till gentle and fluffy. Combine within the egg after which the vanilla.
  • Put all of it collectively. Combine the dry elements with the moist elements and pull all of it collectively right into a ball.
  • Bake. Press the cookie dough evenly into the cake pan and bake for 17-23 minutes.
  • Cool. Permit the bars to chill utterly within the pan.
  • Make the buttercream. Beat the butter till clean. Combine within the powdered sugar adopted by the vanilla and 1 tablespoon of cream. Combine in extra cream, if the frosting is just too thick. Colour the buttercream with gel icing colour.
  • Frost the bars. Unfold the frosting evenly on high of the cooled cookie base and add sprinkles.
  • Slice and serve. Use the parchment paper to carry the cookie bars out of the pan. Slice and serve.

Ideas for Smooth & Chewy Sugar Cookie Bars

Earlier than you strap in your apron, have a learn by these easy suggestions and tips. They’ll enable you to obtain one of the best taste and texture to your sugar cookie bars.

  • Room-temperature elements. Permit the butter and egg for the batter to return to room temperature earlier than utilizing in addition to the butter for the frosting. Chilly butter gained’t cream correctly with the sugars and a chilly egg gained’t combine easily and simply into the batter, which might trigger you to over combine. On the subject of the frosting, chilly butter will provide you with a lumpy closing product.
  • Don’t skimp on creaming time. When creaming collectively the butter and sugars, accomplish that till the combination has considerably lightened in colour and turn into fluffy. This course of incorporates air into the batter which helps preserve the bars from turning into overly dense.
  • Don’t over-mix. When combining the moist and dry elements, ensure to not overmix as this may trigger the glutens within the flour to overdevelop which might finish you with robust, overly dense bars.
  • Parchment paper magic. If utilizing parchment paper to line your pan (which I like to recommend), permit some to return up and over the perimeters of the pan. This may enable you to carry the bars from the pan in a mess-free, hassle-free manner and make it simpler to slice them.
  • Let it cool. Give these bars 2-3 hours to chill earlier than you frost them. They’ll agency up throughout this time. Plus, trying to frost sizzling/heat bars will provide you with runny, melty frosting.
  • Clear cuts. For a extremely clear minimize with these bars, chill them for 20 minutes. The frosting will agency up a bit, making it simpler to chop them cleanly. You should utilize use a pointy knife and wipe it between every minimize.
Sugar cookie bars with sprinkles on a marble countertop.

Ceaselessly Requested Questions

Can I make these forward of time?

Certain! They preserve very well for 4-5 days. You can too make the cookie dough forward and freeze it for as much as 3 months earlier than baking it. Or, freeze the baked bars earlier than frosting them. Simply thaw them within the fridge previous to frosting and serving.

Can I add different flavors?

Completely! Be at liberty to make use of different extracts. Almond, coconut, orange, maple – there are many nice decisions accessible to alter issues up.

Why are my bars dry and crumbly?

You possible added an excessive amount of flour. Be sure you use the spoon and stage methodology or a meals scale for correct measurements.

A stack of sugar cookie bars.

Correct Storage

Prepare the bars in an hermetic container, separating any layers with a sheet of parchment paper. Seal the container and retailer these at room temperature for 2-5 days. If in a hotter temperature, you could wish to refrigerate them. They may also be frozen for as much as 3 months.

Extra Sugar Cookie Recipes

Searching for extra traditional (and not-so-classic) sugar cookie recipes? I’ve so many enjoyable ones so that you can check out! Listed below are a number of of my favorites.

Watch How To Make Sugar Cookie Bars

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A stack of sugar cookie bars. The top one has a bite taken out of it.