Soft Sugar Cookie Bars

I first posted about these sugar cookie bars when I wrote my 2011 Christmas cookie wrap-up. But since they were pretty much everyone’s favorite thing that I made (including mine), I knew they deserved a post all their own.

These cookie bars are a revelation. They taste exactly like the ever-so-popular Lofthouse sugar cookies, but they are so incredibly simple to make. You just mix the ingredients, spread the batter in a pan, and bake. No rolling dough, no scooping out cookies. And this recipe makes a ton of sugar cookie bars – at least 6 dozen – so they’re perfect for sharing. In fact, don’t make these unless you have someone to share them with...because they’re addictive, and you’ll eat way too many of them all by yourself. Trust me, I know this from experience.

The frosting is a little bit more special than your average buttercream, since it has heavy cream in it. It makes the frosting taste like ice cream, which could never be a bad thing. The soft, sweet bars, the silky frosting, and the crunch of festive sprinkles combine to make a treat that is nothing short of heavenly. Absolutely heavenly.

Soft Sugar Cookie Bars
bars from Cookies and Cups; frosting from Brown-Eyed Baker

For the bars:

1 1/2 cups sugar
1 cup butter, room temperature
8 oz cream cheese, room temperature
1 egg
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder

For the frosting:

1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 cups powdered sugar
Pinch of salt
6 tablespoons heavy cream

1. Preheat oven to 350. Line a jelly roll pan (15 x 10 x 1) with aluminum foil and spray lightly with cooking spray.

2. In a mixer, cream butter, cream cheese and sugar together. Add in egg and vanilla and mix until incorporated.

3. With mixer on low, add flour, baking powder and baking soda. Mix until just combined.

4. Press dough evenly into your prepared pan. The dough will be sticky.

5. Bake for 20 minutes until edges begin to golden. Cool completely before frosting.

6. To make the frosting, cream together the butter and vanilla. Slowly beat in the powdered sugar and the pinch of salt. Once smooth and creamy, add in heavy cream, 1 tablespoon at a time, then beat at medium-high speed for a minute or two until light and fluffy. If desired, add food coloring and beat until combined (I used neon pink).