Introduction
Oh, the holidays! Just thinking about them brings back a flood of warm memories, doesn’t it? Like the scent of pine needles, the twinkle of lights, and, of course, the irresistible aroma of freshly baked Christmas cookies. This year, I’ve got a recipe that’s going to be your new go-to for all those festive gatherings and thoughtful neighborly gifts: Christmas Sugar Cookie Bars! Forget the fussy cutting and shaping; these bars are a slice of holiday heaven, and they’re unbelievably simple to whip up. They taste like the sugar cookies you remember from childhood, but with a delightful chewy-soft center and a sweet, creamy frosting. Get ready to spread some holiday cheer, one delicious bar at a time!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Fast: Perfect for those last-minute party invites or when you just need a sweet fix.
- Easy: No complicated techniques here, just mix, bake, and frost!
- Giftable: Package them up in cute tins or bags for a truly homemade present.
- Crowd-pleasing: Who can resist a classic sugar cookie flavor in a bar form? Everyone will adore them!
Ingredients
Gathering your ingredients is half the fun! Here’s what you’ll need:
For the Cookie Bars:
- 1 cup (227 grams) unsalted butter, softened: Make sure your butter is nice and soft, like when you can easily press your finger into it.
- 1 ½ cups (300 grams) granulated sugar: The sweetness that makes sugar cookies so delightful!
- 1 large egg, room temperature: Room temperature eggs incorporate better, giving you a smoother dough.
- 1 large egg yolk, room temperature: This little addition makes the bars extra tender and rich.
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract: The classic flavor that just screams “cookies!”
- ½ teaspoon almond extract: This is my little secret for an extra layer of flavor that makes these bars truly special. If you’re not a fan, you can omit it or add a touch more vanilla.
- 2 ½ cups (300 grams) all-purpose flour: Your trusty pantry staple.
- ½ teaspoon baking powder: Just a touch to give our bars a little lift.
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt: Balances out the sweetness perfectly.
For the Frosting:
- 1 cup (227 grams) unsalted butter, softened: Again, soft butter is key for smooth frosting.
- 4 cups (480 grams) powdered sugar: Also known as confectioners’ sugar, for that silky smooth finish.
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract: For that lovely, familiar scent and taste.
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt: To enhance all those sweet flavors.
- 1-3 tablespoons whole milk: We’ll use this to get our frosting to the perfect spreadable consistency.
For Decoration:
- ⅓ cup Christmas sprinkles: The more, the merrier! Pick your favorites to make these bars sparkle.
How to Make It
Alright, let’s get baking! This is where the magic happens.
Cookie Bars
- Preheat & Prep: First things first, get your oven preheated to 350°F (175°C). Then, grab a 9×13 inch baking pan and line it with parchment paper. I like to leave a little overhang on the sides – it makes lifting the bars out so much easier later!
- Cream It Up: In a large bowl, cream together your softened butter and granulated sugar. You want to beat them until they’re nice and fluffy, almost like a pale yellow cloud. This step is important for a good texture!
- Add the Wet Ingredients: Now, beat in your egg and egg yolk, one at a time, making sure each is fully incorporated before adding the next. Then, stir in both the vanilla and almond extracts. Mmm, that smell!
- Whisk the Dry: In a separate bowl, give your flour, baking powder, and sea salt a good whisk together. This ensures everything is evenly distributed so you don’t get any surprise salty or baking powder pockets.
- Combine Gently: Slowly add the dry ingredients to your wet ingredients, mixing on low speed or by hand. You want to mix just until it’s all combined. Overmixing can lead to tough cookies, and we don’t want that!
- Spread the Dough: Now, spread the dough evenly into your prepared baking pan. It might be a little sticky, so using a spatula or your hands lightly greased with butter can help.
- Bake to Perfection: Pop those bars into the oven and bake for about 20-25 minutes. You’re looking for edges that are lightly golden brown and a center that looks set – not jiggly.
- Cool Down: Once they’re done, let them cool completely in the pan on a wire rack. This is crucial! Trying to frost warm bars is a recipe for a melty mess. Patience, my friends!
Frosting
- Butter Bliss: While your bars are cooling, let’s make that dreamy frosting. Beat your softened butter in a bowl until it’s super smooth and creamy.
- Sugar and Milk Dance: Now, gradually add your powdered sugar. I like to alternate adding the powdered sugar with a tablespoon or two of milk, starting and ending with the powdered sugar. Beat until it’s all smooth and wonderfully combined. If it seems a little too thick, add another splash of milk until it’s the perfect spreadable consistency.
- Flavor Boost: Stir in your vanilla extract and that pinch of sea salt. Give it one last good mix.
Assembly
- Frost Away: Once your cookie bars are completely, totally cool, it’s time for the grand finale! Spread that luscious frosting evenly over the top.
- Sprinkle Magic: Immediately after frosting, shower those bars with your festive Christmas sprinkles. The sooner you do it, the better they’ll stick!
- Slice and Serve: And there you have it! Cut your bars into squares and get ready to enjoy the taste of Christmas.
Substitutions & Additions
These bars are wonderful as they are, but here are a few ideas to make them even more your own!
- Extracts: If you love a more intense almond flavor, feel free to increase the almond extract slightly. Or, if you’re a pure vanilla fan, just use all vanilla extract. A touch of lemon extract can also be lovely!
- Citrus Zest: For a bright, festive twist, try adding a teaspoon of orange or lemon zest to the cookie dough.
- Jam Swirl: Before baking, dollop some of your favorite festive jam (like raspberry or strawberry) onto the dough and swirl it gently with a knife for a sweet surprise.
- Frosting Flavors: Consider adding a little peppermint extract to your frosting for a candy cane vibe, or even a touch of cinnamon.
- Colored Frosting: Divide your frosting and tint portions with food coloring for a more vibrant holiday look!
Tips for Success
A few little tricks to ensure your bars turn out perfectly every time:
- Room Temperature is Key: Don’t skip softening your butter and bringing your eggs to room temperature. It makes a huge difference in the dough’s texture.
- Don’t Overmix: I can’t stress this enough! Overmixing develops the gluten in the flour, which can make your bars tough. Mix until just combined.
- Cool Completely: Resist the urge to frost warm bars! They need to be fully cooled, or you’ll end up with a melted, messy situation.
- Prep Ahead: The cookie bars can be baked a day or two in advance and stored at room temperature (unfrosted). Make the frosting just before you plan to assemble them.
- Even Spreading: For the easiest spreading of the dough, you can lightly grease the back of a spoon or a small offset spatula.
How to Store It
Once these beauties are assembled, you’ll want to store them properly to keep them fresh and delicious.
Store your Christmas Sugar Cookie Bars in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3-4 days. If you’ve frosted them with a buttercream-style frosting like this one, they do well at room temperature. If you’ve used a cream cheese frosting or live in a very warm climate, you might want to refrigerate them, but let them come back to room temperature before serving for the best texture.
FAQs
Can I make these ahead of time?
Absolutely! You can bake the cookie bars a day or two in advance and store them unfrosted at room temperature. Make the frosting and assemble them closer to when you plan to serve or gift them for the freshest results.
Can I use margarine instead of butter?
While you can, I highly recommend using unsalted butter for the best flavor and texture. Margarine can sometimes have a different water content and fat ratio, which can affect the outcome of your cookies and frosting.
How long will these bars last?
Stored in an airtight container at room temperature, these bars will stay fresh and delicious for about 3-4 days. For longer storage, you can freeze the unfrosted bars (cut or whole) by wrapping them tightly in plastic wrap and then aluminum foil for up to 2-3 months.
My frosting is too thick/thin, what should I do?
No worries! If your frosting is too thick, add a teaspoon of milk at a time and beat until it reaches your desired consistency. If it’s too thin, gradually add more powdered sugar, a tablespoon at a time, beating well after each addition until it thickens up.
Christmas Sugar Cookie Bars
Equipment
- 9x13 inch baking pan Lined with parchment paper
- Large bowl
- Separate bowl
- Wire rack
- Spatula
- Offset spatula Optional for spreading dough
- Electric mixer For creaming butter and sugar, and making frosting
Ingredients
For the Cookie Bars
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened Make sure your butter is nice and soft, like when you can easily press your finger into it.
- 1.5 cups granulated sugar The sweetness that makes sugar cookies so delightful!
- 1 large egg, room temperature Room temperature eggs incorporate better, giving you a smoother dough.
- 1 large egg yolk, room temperature This little addition makes the bars extra tender and rich.
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract The classic flavor that just screams "cookies!"
- 0.5 teaspoon almond extract This is my little secret for an extra layer of flavor that makes these bars truly special. If you're not a fan, you can omit it or add a touch more vanilla.
- 2.5 cups all-purpose flour Your trusty pantry staple.
- 0.5 teaspoon baking powder Just a touch to give our bars a little lift.
- 0.5 teaspoon fine sea salt Balances out the sweetness perfectly.
For the Frosting
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened Again, soft butter is key for smooth frosting.
- 4 cups powdered sugar Also known as confectioners' sugar, for that silky smooth finish.
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract For that lovely, familiar scent and taste.
- 0.25 teaspoon fine sea salt To enhance all those sweet flavors.
- 1 tablespoons whole milk We'll use this to get our frosting to the perfect spreadable consistency.
For Decoration
- 0.33 cup Christmas sprinkles The more, the merrier! Pick your favorites to make these bars sparkle.
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a 9x13 inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving some overhang for easy lifting.
- In a large bowl, cream together softened butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy.1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- Beat in the egg and egg yolk one at a time, then stir in vanilla and almond extracts.1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing on low speed or by hand until just combined. Do not overmix.1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- Spread the dough evenly into the prepared baking pan.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden brown and the center is set.
- Let the bars cool completely in the pan on a wire rack.
- While the bars cool, make the frosting: Beat softened butter until smooth.1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- Gradually add powdered sugar, alternating with milk, beating until smooth and spreadable. Add more milk if too thick, or more powdered sugar if too thin.1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- Stir in vanilla extract and salt.1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- Once the bars are completely cool, spread the frosting evenly over the top.
- Immediately sprinkle with Christmas sprinkles.1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- Cut into squares and serve.