Christmas Sugar Cookie Bars - Soft and Chewy Recipe
Not in the mood to make cut-out cookies? Try making soft Christmas sugar cookies in bar form with this perfect cookie bar recipe!
Ingredients
For the sugar cookie dough:
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 4 ounces cream cheese, softened to room temperature
- 1 cup white sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
- 2 eggs
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
For the frosting:
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 2 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2-3 cups powdered sugar, confectioner's sugar
For topping:
- Holiday sprinkles or crushed peppermint
Equipment
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Line a 9x13'' baking pan with parchment paper or spray pan with cooking spray.
- Make the cookie dough batter. In a large mixing bowl, beat together the wet ingredients on low speed: butter, cream cheese and sugar until light and fluffy. Add in the vanilla extract, almond extract and eggs and mix again using a hand mixer.
- In a medium sized bowl mix together dry ingredients: the flour, cornstarch, baking powder and salt.
- Add the flour mixture 1/2 cup at a time to the cream cheese mixture, carefully beating it.
- Spoon the batter into the prepared pan. Use a greased spatula to smooth the dough flat.
- Bake and cool: Place in the oven and bake for 22-24 minutes until a toothpick comes clean in the middle of the pan, and the top of the bars begin to turn a light golden brown. Cool the bars completely before frosting.
- Make the frosting: Using a hand mixer or stand mixer, beat the butter until fluffy. Add the cream cheese, and bear to incorporate. Add in salt and vanilla extract, stir to combine. Finally, add the powdered sugar 1/2 a cup at a time while mixing on low. Continue to beat for several minutes until the frosting is nice and fluffy.
- Frost the cooled cookie bars and sprinkle with the festive sprinkles. Slice and serve!
Video
Notes
If you need to quickly soften your butter and cream cheese, keep each of them in wrapper and place in a dish of warm water until softened, but not melted.
Serving: 1, Calories: 568kcal, Carbohydrates: 91g, Protein: 5g, Fat: 21g, Saturated Fat: 13g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 7g, Cholesterol: 86mg, Sodium: 189mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 71g
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