Sugar Cookie Bars

These Sugar Cookie Bars come together so easily and you probably have all of the ingredients on hand! No chilling, rolling or cutting like traditional Sugar Cookies - They're perfect for potlucks or a quick treat any time!

Here's something you may not know about me .... I hate making cookies. There I said it. I just do not have the patience for it most of the time. However, I love to eat cookies ... which can create quite the dilemma! How am I supposed to eat cookies if I don't bake them?!

I like to find an easier way .... like baking the cookies into bars.

My oldest son, Elijah, was my cookie baker before he went off to culinary school. Now that he's not here, it leaves me to bake them myself when the craving strikes or an occasion arises.

The great thing about these Sugar Cookie Bars is you get all of the sugar cookie goodness, with way less work! No chilling. No rolling. No cutting. No babysitting the oven. That's my kinda cookie (bar).

These Sugar Cookie Bars are perfectly chewy with just the right amount of buttercream frosting! Heck, you may even love these Sugar Cookie Bars more than the regular ol' sugar cookies too! Enjoy!

Sugar Cookie Bars

by Jamie @ Love Bakes Good Cakes

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 21 minutes

Yield: 24-30 bars

Ingredients

For the bars:

2½ cups all-purpose flour
½ tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. salt
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla extract

For the frosting:

½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
3¾ cups powdered sugar
3-4 tbsp. milk
2 tsp. vanilla extract
Food coloring, if desired
Sprinkles, if desired

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Line a 9x13-inch baking dish with parchment paper that is slightly larger than the pan. This will make it easy to lift the bars out of the pan. Set aside.

2. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

3. In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add the egg and vanilla; mix well. Gradually add the flour mixture and mix until well combined.

4. Press the dough into the prepared pan with buttered hands. Bake 18-21 minutes or until the edges are beginning to turn golden brown. Remove from the oven and allow bars to cool in pan.

5. For the frosting, combine all ingredients in a large bowl with an electric mixer until the frosting is creamy and well combined.

6. Once the bars have cooled, frost the cooled bars. Top with sprinkles, if desired. Using the parchment paper, carefully lift the bars out of the pan. Cut into squares to serve.

These are perfect for any occasion just by switching up the frosting color and using seasonal sprinkles! You can bet these would be popular at potlucks or backyard BBQ's!