Sugar Cookie Bars

Notes

• The key to a really soft and tender sugar cookie bar is to only mix the dough until the flour is just combined. Over mixing means the sugar cookie bars may not be quite as soft and tender.
• Press the dough into a greased or parchment-lined (and greased) metal pan. If using a glass or ceramic pan, you might want to decrease the oven temperature by 25 degrees.
• These sugar cookie bars have a super fast baking time. In my oven, ten minutes max.
• You really don’t want hardly any color around the edges.
• They should just be soft baked. Not ooey gooey and doughy, but just barely set. If your oven tends to bake hot and fast, decrease the oven temperature by 25 degrees.

Ingredients

Bars

• 3/4 cup butter (6 ounces, 12 tablespoons), softened to cool room temperature
• 3/4 cup (5.5 ounces) granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup (1 ounce) powdered sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 tablespoon fresh lemon zest (optional)
• 2 1/4 cups (11.25 ounces) all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Frosting

• 6 tablespoons (3 ounces) butter, softened
• 2 1/2 cups (10 ounces) powdered sugar
• 3 tablespoons milk or cream
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Sprinkles (optional)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
2. For the bars, in a large bowl, cream together the butter, granulated sugar and powdered sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs and vanilla and mix for 1-2 minutes. Stir in the lemon zest (optional), flour, baking powder and salt. Mix until combined.
3. Lightly grease a 9X13-inch baking pan with cooking spray or line with parchment paper and grease. Press the sugar cookie dough into an even layer in the bottom of the pan.
4. Bake for 10-13 minutes. Don't overbake! The bars should have hardly any color around the edges and barely be set in the middle. Let the bars cool completely before frosting.
5. For the frosting, cream together the butter and powdered sugar until smooth (if the mixture has trouble coming together, add a drop or two of milk). Add in the vanilla, milk or cream, and food coloring (if using), and mix until the frosting is light and fluffy, 1-2 minutes.
6. Spread the frosting over the cooled bars and top with sprinkles.