Sugar cookies--so buttery and sugary and...well, just super yum. But who has time for all the work of making sugar cookies? The dough, the refrigerating, the rolling, cutting, frosting, and decorating.... Blah! Not me! These bars are our go-to when we need sugar cookies for anything. And they are a crowd pleaser, let me tell you! I've had people ask me to make them for wedding receptions. They are sooo good and sooooooo much easier than making individual sugar cookies. I don't even remember the last time I made actual sugar cookies because there's really no point anymore when we all love the bars and I love how easy they are.
This recipe is originally from Our Best Bites. They have great recipes there. I have tweaked this recipe to my preferences though.
Cookie Ingredients:
1 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 Tbs. almond extract
3 cups flour, lightly spooned into measuring cup and leveled
1/2 Tbs. baking POWDER
1/2 tsp. table salt
Frosting Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1/2 tsp. almond extract
1 Tbs. milk (give or take)
1/4 tsp. vanilla extract
Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 325 (or 350 if your oven is a little cooler). Spray a small sheet pan (aprx. 6x9) with cooking spray.
2) In mixer, whip butter and sugar together on high speed for 2 minutes. Should be lighter in color and fluffy.
3) In a separate, smaller bowl, combine flour and baking powder, mixing with a fork.
4) Add egg, extracts, and salt to whipped butter, and mix for 30 seconds on high.
5) Add flour mixture to the butter mixture, just a 1/2 cup or so at a time. Stop adding flour when the dough just barely isn't sticking to the bowl anymore.
6) Dump dough onto baking sheet and press out flat, filling the pan completely.
7) Bake in oven for about 18-20 minutes. Keep a close eye on it after 15 minutes. You don't want it turning brown, your bars will be too dry. I would rather err on the side of slightly doughy, but that's me. If the middle looks baked and isn't wet or jiggly, then I take it out.
9) Let cool for 15 minutes, then stick in the freezer with plastic wrap over the top (this step helps keep the cookies from losing moisture that keeps them from ending up dry and super crumbly). Leave in freezer for 20 minutes or so.
10) While cookies are cooling in freezer, make the frosting by whipping butter and powdered sugar together until fluffy (1-2 min). Add extracts and food coloring (if desired). Add milk until you reach desired consistency (I don't like it runny at all, but it needs to be spreadable). Mix until nice and fluffy and everything is combined well.
11) Remove cookie-bars from freezer and frost. Add sprinkles if desired (I always desire them!). Store in an airtight bag/container and place in the freezer for best results. They dry out pretty quickly if you keep them on the counter or even in the fridge. Just remove them about 15 minutes before consumption so that they aren't rock-solid.
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