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Festive Christmas Sugar Cookie Bars Recipe

Festive Christmas Sugar Cookie Bars


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4.7 from 29 reviews

  • Total Time: 35 minutes
  • Yield: 11 1x

Description

These delightful Christmas sugar cookie bars blend festive cheer with classic sweetness. Sugary layers and colorful frosting invite holiday celebrations while delivering comfort and joy to your gathering.


Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 ½ cups (190 g) all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
  • ½ cup (115 g) unsalted butter, softened (for cookie base)
  • 1 large egg
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • ½ tsp almond extract (optional)
  • ½ cup (115 g) unsalted butter, softened (for frosting)
  • 2 cups (250 g) powdered sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 23 tbsps milk
  • Food coloring (red, green, or holiday colors)
  • Holiday sprinkles

Instructions

  1. Preparation: Line a 9×9-inch pan with parchment paper, ensuring complete coverage with slight overhang for effortless removal.
  2. Creaming: Blend softened butter and sugar in a mixing bowl until achieving a light, airy texture with pale coloration.
  3. Wet Ingredients: Integrate egg, vanilla, and almond extracts into the butter mixture, whisking until completely smooth and homogeneous.
  4. Dry Ingredients: Combine flour, baking powder, and salt, sifting to eliminate potential clumps and guarantee uniform distribution.
  5. Dough Formation: Gently fold dry ingredients into wet mixture, mixing minimally to preserve a delicate crumb structure, then transfer to prepared pan and smooth surface evenly.
  6. Baking: Place pan in a preheated oven at 350F (175C), baking 18-20 minutes until edges turn a delicate golden hue, signaling optimal doneness.
  7. Cooling: Allow cookie base to cool completely within the pan, preventing potential structural compromise.
  8. Frosting Preparation: Whip softened butter until creamy, gradually incorporating powdered sugar and vanilla extract to create a luxurious frosting base.
  9. Frosting Refinement: Adjust consistency by adding milk incrementally, achieving a spreadable yet stable texture. Optional: Introduce festive food coloring for holiday-inspired hues.
  10. Finishing: Once cooled, generously spread frosting across the surface using an offset spatula, then embellish with holiday sprinkles, pressing gently to secure decorative elements.
  11. Serving: Utilize parchment paper overhang to lift the entire cookie slab, then slice into symmetrical portions for elegant presentation.

Notes

  • Prevent Overmixing: Stir dry ingredients into wet mixture gently to maintain a tender, soft texture and avoid tough, dense cookie bars.
  • Temperature Control: Ensure butter is softened at room temperature for smooth creaming and even mixing, which creates a perfect cookie base.
  • Check Doneness Carefully: Watch for light golden edges as the key indicator of baking completion, preventing overbaking that leads to dry, crumbly bars.
  • Frosting Consistency Hack: Add milk gradually when preparing frosting to control spreadability and achieve a smooth, ideal piping or spreading texture.
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 20 minutes
  • Category: Desserts, Snacks
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: American

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 11
  • Calories: 300
  • Sugar: 25 g
  • Sodium: 120 mg
  • Fat: 15 g
  • Saturated Fat: 9 g
  • Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
  • Trans Fat: 0 g
  • Carbohydrates: 40 g
  • Fiber: 0 g
  • Protein: 2 g
  • Cholesterol: 30 mg