Enjoy these Sugar Cookie Bars without all the fuss of traditional sugar cookies. These easy bar cookies are great for potlucks and parties. Best cookie bar recipe ever!
Ingredients
For the Cookie Bars:
2 1/4cupsall-purpose flour
1teaspoonbaking powder
1/2teaspoonsalt
3/4cupunsalted butter, 1 1/2 sticks, softened to cool room temperature
3/4cupgranulated sugar
1/4cuppowdered sugar
1/2tablespoonlemon zest
2large eggs
1teaspoonvanilla extract
For the Frosting:
6tablespoonsunsalted butter, softened
2 1/2cupspowdered sugar
3tablespoonsheavy cream
1/4teaspoonvanilla extract
Instructions
Heat oven to 375 degrees F. Butter the bottom and sides of a 9×13 inch metal baking pan. Put a long piece of parchment paper in the bottom of the pan, letting the parchment extend up two sides of the pan and overhang slightly on both ends. Place another piece of parchment paper in the same manner, perpendicular to the first sheet. (This will make it easy to remove the bars from the pan after they have baked.) Butter the parchment.
Whisk flour baking powder and salt together in medium bowl; set aside.
In stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, beat butter, both sugars, and lemon zest at medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes, scraping down sides and bottom of bowl with rubber spatula. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition, about 20 seconds. Add vanilla and mix to combine. Reduce speed to low and flour mixture, mixing until incorporated.
Press and/or spread the sugar cookie mixture gently into an even layer into the bottom of the pan.
Bake for 10-13 minutes. Don't overbake! The bars won't have any color around the edges and barely be set in the middle. Let cool completely before frosting.
To make the frosting, in the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together the butter and powdered sugar until smooth (if the mixture has trouble coming together, add a drop or two of heavy cream). Add in the vanilla and mix. Add the heavy cream and mix until the frosting is light and fluffy. Add food coloring, if desired.