Sugar Cookie Bars

Submitted by mom_of_4

"I love sugar cookies, but there is a lot of effort that goes into making them. This recipe makes it so much easier!! I like to bake mine for exactly 10 mins. They are a little under cooked, but I think that they are better that way. Don't bake any longer than 15 mins... They seem to dry out more while baking. Keep it to 10 -12 mins."

 

• Ready In: 25mins
• Ingredients: 15
• Yields: 24 bars
• Serves: 16

ingredients

• Bars

• 236.59 ml butter, at room temperature (I use half butter, half margarine.)
• 473.18 ml granulated sugar
• 4 large eggs
• 4.92 ml vanilla extract
• 4.92 ml almond extract
• 4.92 ml salt
• 2.46 ml baking soda
• 1182.95 ml flour

• Frosting

• 118.29 ml butter, at room temperature
• 4.92 ml almond extract
• 4.92 ml vanilla extract
• 0.25 ml salt
• 946.36 ml powdered sugar
• 73.94 ml milk
• food coloring, if desired

directions

1. 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.
2. In a separate bowl whisk together flour, salt & baking soda. Add to wet mixture and mix just until combined.
3. 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.
4. 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.).
5. Cool completely before frosting.
6. Frosting: In a large bowl, beat butter, vanilla, almond extract and salt.
7. Add powdered sugar (1 cup at a time) until combined.
8. add milk & mix until smooth and spreading consistency.
9. Add a few drops of color, if desired.
10. Spread over cooled cookie, then cut into bars.

Reviews

[Susie D]

The cookies are soft and satisfy the sugar cookie craving with less mess and time. First, please note this is NOT a 9 X 13 pan. I was baffled though over the 23 bars. I cut these into 24, but with the thickness of the cookie they really could be cut smaller. The texture of the dough was very thick so I ended up adding approx 1/3 cup of milk. The almond flavor made these special & they diappeared quickly. Thank you for sharing your recipe! :-)

 

[Debbb]

These are quite good! I used an 8" square pan for a 1/2 batch & they were really thick. I think I'll use a 9X13 for a half batch next time. They taste just like sugar cookies, maybe a bit on the dry side. Loved the almond frosting!

 

[Bonnie G #2]

I followed the recipe exactly, even took your recommendation and removed from the oven at 10 minutes. They are so easy and taste awesome. Not dry at all and were easy to cut after being decorated. I just let them set for about 30 minutes for the icing to get firmer and then sliced into bars. They look so pretty on my cookie tray and everyone keeps going back for more. These are sure to be a regular on my holiday cookie list.

 

[Melanie Adrienne]

Sugar cookie goodness! Will be making again- thanks!

 

[mommyluvs2cook]

These are very good! I halved the recipe and did them in a 9x13 pan as suggested by Debbb and they were great! I can imagine how thick they would be doing them in a smaller pan. Added a little green food coloring to the icing, tasted just like a sugar cookie, but so much easier :)