Description
Deliciously soft and chewy frosted sugar cookie bars featuring a classic vanilla and almond-flavored cookie base topped with a creamy buttercream frosting and festive sprinkles. Perfect for parties, holidays, or anytime you crave a sweet treat that’s easy to make and share.
Ingredients
Scale
Cookie Bars
- 2½ cups flour (312 g)
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ¼ – ½ tsp salt
- 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
- Sprinkles for topping (optional)
Frosting
- ½ cup butter, softened (113 g)
- 2 cups powdered sugar (approximately 240 g)
- 1 tsp vanilla bean paste (or vanilla extract)
- ¼ tsp almond extract
- Pinch of sea salt
- 1-2 Tbsp heavy cream (15-30 ml), more as desired
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, add the softened butter and sugar. Using an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat for 3-5 minutes until the mixture becomes light and fluffy.
- Add eggs and extracts: To the creamed mixture, add the eggs, vanilla bean paste, almond extract, and softened cream cheese. Beat until fully incorporated and smooth.
- Combine dry and wet ingredients: Gradually add the dry flour mixture to the wet ingredients, beating on low speed just until no streaks of flour remain. If desired, fold in sprinkles with the last bit of dry ingredients. Avoid overmixing to keep the batter tender.
- Prepare baking pan: Line a 9×13 inch baking pan with parchment paper. Lightly oil your hands or cover the dough with parchment to help press the sticky dough evenly into the pan.
- Bake the bars: Bake for 17-22 minutes, until the edges begin to turn a light golden brown. The center may still appear slightly underbaked, which is fine as it will set while cooling.
- Cool completely: Remove the bars from the oven and allow them to cool fully in the pan on a wire rack before frosting.
- Make the frosting: Beat the softened butter in a bowl until smooth and creamy. Add the vanilla bean paste, almond extract, and sea salt, mixing to combine.
- Add sugar and cream: Slowly add the powdered sugar to the butter mixture, beating until incorporated. Then add heavy cream and beat until the frosting is creamy and fluffy. Adjust cream quantity if needed for consistency.
- Frost and decorate: Spread the frosting evenly over the cooled cookie bars. Top with additional sprinkles if desired.
- Set and serve: Allow the buttercream frosting to set before cutting into bars and serving.
Notes
- For easier handling, lightly spray your hands with oil or use parchment paper to press the dough evenly into the pan.
- Do not overmix the batter after adding the dry ingredients to ensure tender, soft bars.
- Allowing the bars to cool completely before frosting prevents the buttercream from melting.
- These bars can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or refrigerated for up to a week.
- Sprinkles are optional but add a festive touch perfect for celebrations.
