Sugar Cookie Bars

Christmas is my cookie holiday. Every holiday seems to have its own kind of treats: candy for Halloween and Valentine’s Day, pie for Thanksgiving. But Christmas? Christmas is a cookie holiday. I often think if I look up the definition of Christmas in the dictionary it would look something like this:

This is one of those oh-so-simple modifications that I know come Christmas Eve, when I’m doing a million other things, I’m going to want to do again. The bars are thick and sweet and so easy to make. Jordan chose the frosting color, not caring that they were a gift for a boy.

When you need a quick and yummy treat, make bar sugar cookies. (And then, if you’re like me and can’t control yourself, head to the drugstore and stock up on antacid.)

Bar Sugar Cookies

Recipe Source: Land o’ Lakes

Printed at www.CrazyforCrust.com

Ingredients:

2 ½ cups all-purpose flour

1 ¼ cups powdered sugar

1 cup butter, softened

1 egg

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon cream of tartar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:

1.       Preheat oven to 375°.  Line a 9×13” baking pan with foil and spray with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.

2.       Combine all ingredients in the bowl of an electric mixer (or in a large bowl if using hand mixer). Beat at medium speed, scraping the sides as needed, until well mixed (about 3-4 minutes).

3.       Spread dough into the bottom of the 9×13” baking pan. Bake for 18-20 minutes, until they just start to brown. Cool completely before frosting.

For the Frosting

Ingredients:

4 cups powdered sugar

½ cup butter, softened

2 teaspoons vanilla

3 to 4 tablespoons milk

Food color, if desired

Directions:

Combine powdered sugar, ½ cup butter, and vanilla in a large bowl. Mix slowly with a hand mixer, adding enough milk for desired consistency. Add food coloring if you want tinted frosting. Spread over cooled cookie bars and decorate with sprinkles, if desired. Cut into squares.

Yield: approximately 24 bars, depending on size.

Enjoy!

This recipe may be linked with:

Monday: Mingle Monday (Add a Pinch), Joy of Desserts. Tuesday: 2 Maids a Baking (2 Maids a Milking), Tea Party Tuesdays (Sweetology). Wednesday: Cast Party Wednesday, Made It On Monday (Lark’s Country Heart), This Chick Cooks.  Thursday: Sweet Treats Thursday (Something Swanky), Chic-and-Crafty (Frugal Girls), Turning the Table Thursdays (Around My Family Table), Tasty Thursday (The How-To Mommy). Friday: Sweet Tooth Friday (Alli-n-son), I’m Lovin’ it Fridays (TidyMom), Friday Favorites (Simply Sweet Home). Saturday: Sweets for a Saturday (Sweet as Sugar Cookies), Seasonal Inspiration (Crumbs and Chaos). Sunday: A Well-Seasoned Life,Sharing Sundays (Everyday Sisters)