Easter Sugar Cookie Bars (Printable)
Soft sugar cookie bars with creamy pastel frosting and festive sprinkles
# What You'll 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 Prepare:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9x13 inch baking pan and line with parchment paper, allowing overhang for easy removal later.
02 - In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt until well blended.
03 - In a large bowl, beat softened butter and granulated sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy, approximately 2-3 minutes.
04 - Add eggs one at a time, mixing thoroughly after each addition. Blend in vanilla extract and almond extract until incorporated.
05 - Gradually mix in the dry ingredients just until combined. Avoid overmixing to maintain tender texture.
06 - Press dough evenly into the prepared pan, smoothing the surface with a spatula. Bake for 18-20 minutes until edges are lightly golden and center is set. Cool completely in the pan.
07 - Beat softened butter until creamy. Blend in powdered sugar, vanilla, and 2 tablespoons milk until smooth and fluffy. Adjust consistency with additional milk if needed. Divide and tint portions with pastel food coloring as desired.
08 - Spread frosting evenly over the completely cooled cookie base. Sprinkle with festive Easter decorations while frosting is slightly tacky.
09 - Using the parchment overhang, lift the bars from the pan. Cut into 16 squares. Store in an airtight container at room temperature up to 4 days or refrigerated up to 1 week.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- These bars stay incredibly tender for days unlike individual cookies that can dry out
- The frosting surface becomes your canvas for any pastel color combination your heart desires
- They travel beautifully to potlucks and picnics without breaking or crumbling
02 -
- Overbaking by even two minutes will turn these soft bars into crispy crackers
- The frosting must be applied to completely cooled bars or it will melt into a sticky mess
03 -
- Room temperature ingredients prevent the dreaded curdled batter look
- A touch of lemon zest in the frosting makes the pastel colors pop beautifully