These sugar cookies bars are thick, chewy, and topped with creamy vanilla buttercream frosting and, of course, sprinkles!
Ingredients
For the bars:
½cupunsalted butterroom temperature
½cupshortening
1 ¼cupsgranulated sugar
2large eggsroom temperature
1teaspoonalmond extract
2 ½cupsall-purpose flour
1teaspoonbaking powder
½teaspoonsalt
For the frosting:
½cupunsalted butterroom temperature
2cupsconfectioners' sugar
1Tablespoonheavy cream
2teaspoonsclear vanilla extract*
Festive sprinkles
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350° Fahrenheit. Line an 8×8 inch pan with parchment paper, leaving some hanging over the edge, and set aside.
In a large bowl, use a mixer to cream together the butter, shortening, and sugar until well-combined and fluffy. Mix in the eggs 1 at a time, adding in the almond extract along with the second egg.
In a separate mixing bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and mix just until combined.
Press the dough evenly into the prepared pan and bake for about 25 minutes, or until the top and edges are just beginning to turn golden brown. Do not overbake! Allow the bars to cool completely before frosting.
For the frosting, use a hand-held or stand mixer fixed with a paddle attachment to whip together the butter, powdered sugar, heavy cream, and vanilla extract. You can add more heavy cream, 1 Tablespoon at a time, if you want thinner frosting.
Spread the frosting evenly over the bars and top with sprinkles. Slice and serve.
Notes
Almond extract: This will give you that classic sugar cookie flavor, but feel free to replace with vanilla if you prefer.Vanilla extract: I used clear extract in this recipe to keep the frosting white. Clear extract is imitation vanilla so I increased the amount to get a better vanilla flavor. You can substitute with 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract if you prefer, just note your frosting may have a slight bit of a tint to it. Do not overbake! The bars should be lightly colored. To test for doneness, insert a toothpick near the middle. If there is a lot of wet batter it isn’t done yet. If it is slightly moist with a few crumbs on it, they are done. If it isn’t moist at all they are probably overbaked.Storage: Store in an airtight container or well-covered at room temperature for up to 2 days. For longer storage refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 4 days. To Freeze: Wrap unfrosted bars (cut or uncut) in a layer of plastic wrap and place them in a freezer-safe container. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw and frost. To Make Ahead: You can prepare the bars and the frosting separately up to one day ahead of time. Store the bars covered at room temperature and the frosting covered in the refrigerator. When ready to serve, allow the frosting to soften at room temperature for about 10 minutes then frost, slice, and serve.