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easy sugar cookie bar square on white parchment

Sugar Cookie Bars

Yield: 24 Bars
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 13 minutes
Total Time: 38 minutes

Ingredients

Bars:

  • ¾ cup (170 g) salted butter, softened to cool room temperature
  • ¾ cup (159 g) granulated sugar
  • ¼ cup (29 g) powdered sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ½ tablespoon fresh lemon zest, (optional; but delicious)
  • 2 ¼ cups (320 g) all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt

Frosting:

  • 6 tablespoons salted butter, softened
  • 2 ½ cups (285 g) powdered sugar
  • 3 tablespoons milk or cream
  • ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • Sprinkles, optional

Instructions 

  • Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
  • For the bars, in a large bowl, cream together the butter, granulated sugar and powdered sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs and vanilla and mix for 1-2 minutes. Stir in the lemon zest (optional), flour, baking powder and salt. Mix until combined.
  • Lightly grease a 9X13-inch baking pan with cooking spray or line with parchment paper and grease. Press the sugar cookie dough into an even layer in the bottom of the pan.
  • Bake for 10-13 minutes. Don't overbake! The bars should have hardly any color around the edges and barely be set in the middle. Let the bars cool completely before frosting.
  • For the frosting, cream together the butter and powdered sugar until smooth (if the mixture has trouble coming together, add a drop or two of milk). Add in the vanilla, milk or cream, and food coloring (if using), and mix until the frosting is light and fluffy, 1-2 minutes.
  • Spread the frosting over the cooled bars and top with sprinkles.