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Christmas Sugar cookie Bars
Cookies, Dessert

Christmas Sugar Cookie Bars

These Christmas Sugar Cookie Bars are perfect for the holidays. They're chewy and delicious with the best cream cheese frosting and sprinkles!
If you love the Lofthouse-style sugar cookies, you are going to love my Christmas sugar cookie bars. They're perfectly thick, chewy, and buttery and so superior to scooped cookies!
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Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes
Makes: 9 - 16 bars

Ingredients

Cookie Bars

  • 1 stick (4 oz) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 2 oz (1/4 cup) full-fat brick cream cheese, room temperature
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
  • 1 egg, room temperature
  • 1 egg yolk, room temperature
  • 1 3/4 cups plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Cream Cheese Frosting

  • 4 oz full-fat brick cream cheese, room temperature
  • 1 oz (2 tablespoons) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 2 cups powdered sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1-2 tablespoons heavy cream

Instructions

  • Prep the baking pan. Grease and line an 8x8 baking pan with parchment paper. Leave a little overhang so that it's easy to get the cookie bars out of the pan.
  • Mix the dry ingredients. In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
  • Cream the butter and sugar. Beat the butter, sugar, and cream cheese together in a mixing bowl with a hand mixer until light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes. Add the vanilla, almond extract, and the egg and yolk and beat until very smooth, about 1-2 minutes.
  • Mix in the dry ingredients. Mix the dry ingredients on low, just until the dough starts to clump. Switch to a rubber spatula and fold the dough until no streaks of flour remain. The dough will be fairly sticky.
  • Chill the dough. Transfer the mixing bowl to the fridge for 20 minutes. This will make the dough easier to work with.
  • Preheat an oven to 350 F.
  • Press the dough into the prepared pan. Spread and press the dough in an even layer in the prepared baking pan. Using a small offset spatula to smooth the dough.
  • Bake. Bake for 25-27 minutes, until the dough has puffed slightly and the edges are just barely golden brown. The middle should still be soft, but will set as the bars cool. Wait 20 minutes, then remove the bars from the pan and cool completely before frosting.
  • Top with frosting and sprinkles. In a mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, salt and vanilla together until smooth. Drizzle in 1-2 tablespoons of heavy cream and mix until the frosting is soft and spreadable. Spread on the cooled bars and top with sprinkles. Chill for 30 minutes before cutting into squares.

Notes

This recipe can be doubled and baked in a metal 9x13 baking pan. Baking times should be about the same, give or take a few minutes. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1barCalories: 480kcalCarbohydrates: 69gProtein: 5gFat: 21gSaturated Fat: 13gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 95mgSodium: 288mgPotassium: 68mgFiber: 1gSugar: 49gVitamin A: 726IUVitamin C: 0.01mgCalcium: 46mgIron: 1mg