Shabby Gals: Sugar Cookie Bars

Saturday, January 28, 2012

Sugar Cookie Bars

So here I am again, taking the easy way out. Making bars instead of cookies. I am sure you have all seen these bars somewhere in the great wide world of the internet like.....pinterest, and other blogs. Actually I got the recipe I am using from The Girl That Ate Everything. Let me tell you she makes everything look good. I have tried to make sugar cookies and I have either not let them chill enough or I roll them too thin. So needless to say they have flopped everytime. So I am trying these bars, because they look delicious and who doesn't like a sugar cookie?

1 cup butter, room temperature
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
5 cups flour
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
Cream butter and sugar until fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing after each egg. Add vanilla and mix well. In a separate bowl combine flour, salt, baking soda and stir with a whisk to combine. Add to wet mixture and mix just until combined. Spread on a greased baking sheet (use a 13 x 18 pan). Bake at 375 degrees for 10-15 min, until light golden brown or until a toothpick comes out clean (they won't look done so do the toothpick test). Cool completely and frost.

It is up to you on what kind of frosting you would like to use, but I am also trying the frosting from the recipe I found.

Frosting
1/2 cup butter, room temperature
4 ounces cream cheese (1/2 of an 8 oz block) softened
1 tsp vanilla (I used almond extract for half of the frosting)
¼ tsp salt
4 cups powdered sugar
5 Tbsp milk
food coloring (if desired)

For frosting combine butter and cream cheese until smooth and creamy. Add vanilla and salt. Add powdered sugar in 1-2 cup increments until combined, then add milk a little at a time and mix until smooth and spreading consistency. You may not need all the milk! Spread over cooled cookie bars.

Also my tip is to grease your (clean:)) hand to spead the cookie dough over the pan....it doesnt spread so easily with a spatula.
I also say under bake, they turn out great I think I left them in for 11 minutes. I like a little softer sugar cookie though.