Description
These Christmas sugar cookie bars offer a festive twist on a classic treat, featuring a soft, buttery cookie base topped with a creamy vanilla frosting and decorated with colorful holiday sprinkles. Perfect for holiday gatherings, these bars are easy to bake in one pan and deliver all the flavors of traditional sugar cookies in a convenient bar form.
Ingredients
Scale
Cookie Base:
- 1/2 cup butter, softened
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 2 tbsp brown sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1/4 tsp almond extract
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
- 1/4 tsp salt
Frosting:
- 4 tbsp butter, salted or unsalted, softened
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 3 tbsp heavy cream
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- Christmas sprinkles, for topping
Instructions
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Pan: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line an 8×8-inch baking pan with parchment paper or foil to prevent sticking.
- Cream Butter and Sugars: In a large bowl, beat together the softened butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until the mixture is smooth and creamy, creating a fluffy base for the cookie.
- Add Wet Ingredients: Mix in the egg, vanilla extract, and almond extract, making sure the mixture is well combined before adding dry ingredients.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: Gently fold in the all-purpose flour, baking powder, salt, and cornstarch just until the flour mixture is barely incorporated to avoid toughening the dough.
- Spread and Bake: Evenly spread the cookie batter into the lined baking pan. Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes; the center might look slightly underbaked, but it will set as it cools.
- Prepare Frosting: While the cookie base bakes, whip the softened butter and powdered sugar together in a large bowl until smooth. Then add heavy cream and vanilla extract, whipping until the frosting is light and fluffy.
- Frost and Decorate: Once the cookie base has cooled slightly, spread the frosting over it evenly. Sprinkle with Christmas sprinkles for a festive touch.
- Serve: Slice into bars and serve immediately if you enjoy a softer frosting, or chill the bars briefly to set the frosting before serving.
Notes
- Ensure butter is softened to room temperature for easy creaming.
- Do not overmix the dry ingredients to keep the bars tender.
- Baking time is brief; watch carefully to prevent overbaking.
- Use parchment paper or foil with overhang for easy removal from the pan.
- Chilling the bars helps the frosting firm up for cleaner slices.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bar (approx. 2x2 inches)
- Calories: 180 kcal
- Sugar: 14 g
- Sodium: 80 mg
- Fat: 9 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3.5 g
- Trans Fat: 0.1 g
- Carbohydrates: 22 g
- Fiber: 0.5 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 30 mg
