Sugar Cookie Bars Recipes

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly butter a 9-by-13-inch baking pan. Line the pan with parchment paper, running it up the two long sides of the pan and letting it extend past the rim by about 2 inches.
• Make the bars: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour and salt. In a large bowl with an electric mixer, or in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter and cream cheese on medium speed until well blended, about 1 minute. Add the granulated sugar and beat until smooth, about 1 minute. Add the egg and vanilla and beat on low speed until well combined, about 1 minute. Turn off the mixer and scrape down the bowl with a rubber spatula. Gradually add the flour mixture, mixing on low speed just until blended, about 1 minute.
• Using a spatula, scrape the dough into the prepared baking pan and spread it into an even layer. Bake just until the edges are starting to turn light golden brown, and a toothpick inserted in the middle has moist crumbs, 20 to 25 minutes. (Do not overbake! The bars should be quite moist, and almost slightly underbaked in the middle.) Remove the pan from the oven and set it on a wire rack. Let cool completely. When fully cooled, remove the bars from the pan using the overhanging parchment paper.
• Make the frosting: Place the butter in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat the butter on medium speed until creamy, about 1 minute. Add 1 cup confectioners' sugar, beating on low speed until fully combined, then repeat with remaining 1 cup confectioners' sugar. Add the 1 tablespoon milk or heavy cream, 1 teaspoon lemon juice, the vanilla, salt and food coloring, if using, and beat on medium speed until the frosting is light and fluffy, scraping down the sides halfway through, about 4 minutes. Add more milk if needed to thin out the mixture. Add lemon juice and vanilla to taste.
• Using a spatula, spread the frosting on top, then decorate with sprinkles, if using. Cut into 20 bars and serve.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease a 13x18-inch baking sheet.
• Beat white sugar and 1 cup butter together in a bowl until fluffy. Add eggs 1 at a time, mixing after each addition. Add 2 teaspoons almond extract and vanilla extract; mix well.
• Whisk flour, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and baking soda together in a bowl. Add to egg mixture and stir until just combined. Spread onto the prepared baking sheet.
• Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the cookie comes out clean, 10 to 15 minutes; they won't look done. Cool completely, about 30 minutes.
• Beat 1/2 cup butter in a bowl using an electric mixer until smooth and creamy. Add 1 teaspoon almond extract and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Add confectioners' sugar, 1 cup at a time, mixing until combined. Add heavy cream, 1 tablespoon at a time, until frosting reaches a smooth, spreadable consistency. Spread frosting over cooled cookie bars.

Steps:

• Bars: In a large bowl cream butter and sugar until fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing after each egg. Mix in vanilla and almond extract.
• In a separate bowl whisk together flour, salt & baking soda. Add to wet mixture and mix just until combined.
• Spread on a greased, rimmed baking sheet (use a 13 x 18 pan). The dough will be just like cookie dough- heavy & sticky- so it's best to spray your hands with a little nonstick spray and use them to help mold the dough into the pan.
• Bake at 375 degrees for 10 mins - 15 mins, until light golden brown or until a toothpick comes out clean. (I like to slightly under cook mine. I take them out at 10 minutes exactly. They are not brown at all, but I think that they are better this way.).
• Cool completely before frosting.
• Frosting: In a large bowl, beat butter, vanilla, almond extract and salt.
• Add powdered sugar (1 cup at a time) until combined.
• add milk & mix until smooth and spreading consistency.
• Add a few drops of color, if desired.
• Spread over cooled cookie, then cut into bars.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Line a 10x15-inch baking pan with parchment paper.
• Place butter and sugar into the work bowl of a large stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment; mix on medium-high speed until butter and sugar are light and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes.
• Beat eggs into butter mixture one at a time, letting each egg blend in before adding the next. Beat in vanilla extract. Whisk flour, salt, and baking soda together in a separate bowl. Gradually beat flour mixture into moist ingredients, blending each portion in before adding more. Spread dough into prepared pan.
• Bake in the preheated oven until lightly golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes. Let cool completely in pan.
• Remove from pan and spread frosting over the top; cut into bars and serve.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
• In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar until fluffy.
• Add eggs, one at a time, mixing after each egg.
• Mix in vanilla.
• Beat in flour, salt and baking soda until well combined.
• Spread and press dough onto a half sheet pan (18"x13"x1") sprayed with nonstick cooking spray.
• Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until just golden brown; let cool completely.
• In a large bowl using a hand mixer or a stand mixer, combine all frosting ingredients and beat until light and fluffy.
• Spread frosting in an even layer on cooled cookie bars and top with sprinkles, if desired.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350F degrees. Line an 8-inch square baking pan with aluminum foil, making sure to leave enough overhang on the sides. Set aside.
• In a large bowl using a hand-held mixer or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the softened butter for about 1 minute on medium speed. Get it nice and smooth, then add the sugar on medium speed until fluffy and light in color. Beat in egg, egg yolk, and vanilla. Scrape down the sides as needed.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and cornstarch. With the mixer running on low speed, slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients in 3 different parts. The dough is quite thick.
• Press the cookie dough evenly into the prepared baking pan. Bake for 25-26 minutes or until very lightly browned on top. You want the cookie bars to be extra soft, so careful not to overbake. Allow the bars to cool completely on a wire rack at room temperature before frosting. The center will slightly sink - that's normal.
• When completely cool, frost with a thick layer of frosting and make sure to top with sprinkles!