The holiday season is finally here and with it comes an abundance of sweet treats! Classic sugar cookies are a holiday favorite but require a lot of work to make. These sugar cookie bars embody all the best parts of the beloved holiday cookie without all the fuss of rolling out dough, using cookie cutters and individually frosting each cookie. If you’re looking for a simpler way to create and share some holiday cheer this recipe is just for you, enjoy!
Frosted Sugar Cookie Bars
by Maci M. | Lovely Baking Co.
Prep time: 15 minutes
Bake time: 25 minutes
Makes: 24 squares
Ingredients:
For cookies:
2 eggs, at room temperature
2 egg yolks, at room temperature
2 cups sugar
1 cup butter, softened
1 tsp baking soda
1 Tbsp cornstarch
2 Tbsp vanilla extract
3 cups flour
For frosting:
⅔ cup butter, softened
1 Tbsp vanilla
~½ cup heavy whipping cream
6 cups powdered sugar
Step 1:
Preheat the oven to 350* F and line a 9x13 baking pan with parchment paper (use clips on the sides to hold the paper in place if needed) and set aside.
Step 2:
In a large bowl add the eggs, egg yolks, sugar and butter and beat with an electric hand mixer or in the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment for about 45 seconds until well combined. Once combined, scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula.
Step 3:
Next add the baking soda, cornstarch, vanilla and flour to the ingredients in the bowl and beat again until fully combined, scraping down the side of the bowl with the rubber spatula as needed.
Step 4:
Use a rubber spatula to transfer and spread out the cookie dough into the lined baking pan. The dough is a little sticky and can be tricky to spread so do your best to spread it as evenly as possible. Once the dough is evenly spread, remove any clips from the sides of the pan if necessary. Place on the middle oven rack to bake for 22-25 minutes at 350* F. During the last five minutes of baking the cookie bars will start browning; place a sheet of aluminum foil over the top for the remainder of the baking time to avoid burning. Once baked, remove from the oven and place on a cooling rack to cool.
Step 5:
While the sugar cookie bars are cooling, prepare the frosting. In a medium sized bowl or in the bowl of a stand mixer with the whisk attachment, add the butter, vanilla and half of the powdered sugar. Carefully beat the ingredients together until combined (start on a low speed until the powdered sugar becomes mostly incorporated to avoid a mess). Once combined, add some of the heavy whipping cream and beat again until the frosting starts to become soft and fluffy. Alternately add the remaining powdered sugar and heavy whipping cream until fully combined then beat for about a minute more until a desired texture is reached. (Feel free to add more or less powdered sugar/heavy whipping cream if desired in order to achieve the texture you prefer.)
Step 6:
Once the sugar cookie bars have fully cooled, remove them from the pan by using the edges of the parchment paper to carefully lift them out. Use a butter knife or an icing spatula to evenly spread the frosting over the bars and decorate with sprinkles if desired. Cut into 24 squares and store at room temperature in an airtight container to keep fresh for several days. Enjoy!
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