Sugar Cookie Bars Recipe | If You Give a Blonde a Kitchen (2024)

Prep Time: 10 minutes mins

Cook Time: 20 minutes mins

Cooling Time: 1 hour hr

Total Time: 30 minutes mins

Equipment

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  1 Kitchen scale

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  1 Stand mixer or hand mixer

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  1 9×13 metal baking pan

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  1 Offset spatula

Sugar Cookie Bars

• ▢ 2½ cups (310 g) all-purpose flour
• ▢ 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ▢ ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ▢ ½ teaspoon salt
• ▢ ¾ cup (1 1/2 sticks or 170 g) unsalted butter, room temperature
• ▢ ½ cup (4 oz. or 113 g) cream cheese, room temperature
• ▢ 1 ½ cups (300 g) granulated sugar
• ▢ 1 large egg, room temperature
• ▢ 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ▢ 1 teaspoon almond extract*

Buttercream Frosting

• ▢ 1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter, room temperature
• ▢ 2 ½ cups (300 g) powdered sugar, sifted
• ▢ 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• ▢ Food coloring, optional
• ▢ 1 to 2 tablespoons milk, if needed
• ▢ Sprinkles, optional

Sugar Cookie Bars

• Preheat oven to 350° F. Grease a 9×13-inch baking pan or line with parchment paper. Set aside.

• In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

• In the bowl of a stand mixer (or using a hand mixer), beat the butter and cream cheese on medium speed until smooth, about 1 minute. Add the sugar and continue to mix until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the egg, vanilla extract and almond extract and mix to combine, about 1 minute.

• Reduce the mixer speed to low and slowly add the flour mixture. Mix just until combined (avoid overmixing). Use a rubber spatula to give the dough a final stir to catch any unmixed ingredients.

• Transfer dough to prepared baking pan and use a spatula to spread the dough evenly (the dough will be thick). Bake 20 to 25 minutes, or until light golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Place the pan on a wire rack to cool completely before frosting (about an hour).

Buttercream Frosting

• In a large mixing bowl, whip the butter (with a stand mixer or electric hand mixer) until fluffy, about 5 minutes.

• With the mixer on low speed, gradually add in the powdered sugar until completely incorporated.

• With the mixer on medium speed, add the vanilla and beat until fluffy, about a minute. Add milk if frosting appears too thick to spread. See more buttercream frosting tips.

• Using an offset spatula, spread the frosting on top of the cooled bars and add the sprinkles. Cut bars into 4 rows down and 6 rows across to create 24 bars. Enjoy!

Storing sugar cookie bars

Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to three days (or in the refrigerator for a week).

Sugar cookie bars with almond extract

If you do not like the taste of almond extract or have allergies, omit it and increase the vanilla extract to 2 teaspoons.

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American