This recipe is adapted from DesignEatRepeat’s delicious sugar cookie bar recipe to make an easy treat that tastes like summer feels!
https://www.designeatrepeat.com/frosted-sugar-cookie-bars/#recipe
Ingredients:
Sugar Cookie Bars:
- 1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks), softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt, omit if using salted butter
- 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
Buttercream Frosting
- ½ cup unsalted butter (1 stick), softened
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1.5 tablespoons Lemon juice, or to taste
- 1/4 cup Raspberry jam
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 350℉. If butter hasn't been softened you can place in microwave for 10 seconds to *slightly* soften it.
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In a large bowl, cream together 1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks) and 1 cup granulated sugar on medium speed for 20-30 seconds. While mixer is still on medium speed, add in 1 large egg, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract and 1 teaspoon almond extract.
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Once mixed, add in 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder, ½ teaspoon salt, and *all-purpose flour ½ cup at at time (2 ¼ cups all-purpose flourtotal). Be sure to measure your flour properly using the spoon & level method, as adding too much can result in dry bars. Mix until all flour disappears, typically 20-30 seconds. You do not need to beat/mix this any longer than it takes to mix in the flour. When pinched between your fingers, dough should be similar to a playdoh consistency and not be very sticky. Refer to photo above in post for how dough should look.
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Line The Candy Pan with parchment paper and pull it through each corner.
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Drop the dough into 1 tablespoon sized chunks into the prepared pan. Use your hands or a spatula to press down the dough until it covers the pan.
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Bake bars at 350℉ for 14-16 minutes. The trick to soft sugar cookie bars is to take them out right when you see the TINIEST amount of brown around the edges. The center may look underdone and this is okay; the bars will continue to bake in the hot pan when cooling.
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Allow to cool completely before frosting (you can put the pan in the fridge on a cooling rack to speed this up). Flip the cookie bars upside down onto a cooling rack, peel the parchment off, and flip back into The Candy Pan to frost and then cut.
To Make Frosting:
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In a large bowl, beat softened ½ cup unsalted butter (1 stick) on medium speed using a hand or stand mixer (with paddle attachment) for 1-2 minutes (until light and creamy).
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Keeping the mixer on medium speed, slowly add in up to 1.5 Tablespoons lemon juice, and 2 cups powdered sugar. Once incorporated, turn mixer to high speed and beat for 2 minutes until light and fluffy. Add 1/4 cup raspberry jam and continue mixing until incorporated.
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If using sprinkles, add them immediately after frosting. If you wait too long, the frosting will set and the sprinkles won't stick.