Easter Sugar Cookie Bars (Printable version)
Soft sugar cookie bars with creamy pastel frosting and festive sprinkles. A delightful Easter dessert ready in 40 minutes.
# What you need:
→ Cookie Base
01 - 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
03 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
04 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
05 - 1 cup granulated sugar
06 - 2 large eggs
07 - 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
08 - 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
→ Frosting
09 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
10 - 2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
11 - 2-3 tablespoons whole milk or cream
12 - 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
13 - Food coloring in pastel tones
→ Decoration
14 - Festive Easter sprinkles
# How To:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9x13 inch baking pan and line with parchment paper, leaving overhang for easy removal.
02 - Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl until well blended.
03 - Beat softened butter and granulated sugar in a large bowl with mixer until light and fluffy, approximately 3-4 minutes.
04 - Add eggs one at a time, beating thoroughly after each addition. Mix in vanilla extract and almond extract until incorporated.
05 - Gradually add dry ingredients to wet mixture, mixing until just combined. Avoid overmixing to prevent tough texture.
06 - Press dough evenly into prepared pan using spatula for smooth surface. Bake 18-20 minutes until edges are barely golden and center is set.
07 - Beat butter until creamy. Add powdered sugar, vanilla, and 2 tablespoons milk. Beat until smooth and fluffy, adding more milk if needed for spreadable consistency.
08 - Divide frosting and tint with pastel food coloring if desired. Spread evenly over completely cooled cookie base.
09 - Sprinkle with Easter decorations immediately. Lift bars from pan using parchment overhang and cut into squares.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- They bake into one big pan meaning zero rolling pin drama and no cookie cutters to wash
- The frosting stays soft for days unlike royal icing that turns into a hard shell
02 -
- Letting the cookie base cool completely before frosting is the difference between beautiful pastel swirls and a melting pastel mess
- Room temperature ingredients combine smoothly while cold ingredients create curdled separated batter that never quite recovers
03 -
- Chill the frosted bars for 30 minutes before cutting to get those perfectly clean edges
- Press sprinkles gently into the frosting so they stay put instead of rolling off when sliced