Stars and Stripes Sugar Cookie Bars
Lets celebrate America with these yummy, patriotic sugar cookie bars! The best sugar cookie recipe made into a bar, frosted with lots of delicious buttercream, and decorated with simple store-bought gel frosting, these cookie bars will be the hit of your July 4th picnic this summer!
Equipment
- 9 x 13" Pan This Anolon non-stick 9 x 13" cake pan comes with a lid for easy storage. Great for cakes, brownies and bars!
- Stand Mixer This KitchenAid Stand Mixer is a must-have tool for any home baker!
- Mixing Bowls These stainless steel mixing bowls are an essential cooking tool for every kitchen.
- Icing Spatula This 3-piece Icing spatula set by Wilton is great for frosting cakes, cookies and more!
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter room temperature
- 1 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
- 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
- 3 cups all purpose flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup sprinkles or jimmies red white and blue, or any other color to suit the celebration
For Frosting:
- 1 cup butter room temperature
- 1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
- 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 2-3 Tablespoons milk
- Red Sparkle Gel frosting in a tube like Wilton Brand
- Blue Sparkle Gel frosting in a tube like Wilton Brand
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9 x 13" with non-stick baking spray. Set aside.
For the Cookie Dough:
- With a stand or hand mixer, cream together the butter and granulated sugar until creamy and fluffy. Add the eggs, vanilla and almond extract and mix until combined.
- In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Gradually add the dry ingredients (about 1 cup at a time) to the wet ingredients, stopping the mixer to scrape down the sides of the bowl. Dough will be thick and slightly stiff. Fold in the sprinkles to the dough.
- Using your hands, press the dough evenly into the prepared pan. Bake at 350 for 19-23 minutes until just golden brown. Do your best not to overcook, as the bars will become hard and overly crisp. (20 minutes seems to be the ideal time.) Remove from oven and let cool completely before frosting.
For the Frosting:
- With a hand or stand mixer, cream the room temperature butter along with the vanilla and almond extract. Gradually begin adding the powdered sugar one cup at a time, stopping the mixer to scrape down the sides of the bowl. As the frosting gets stiffer, add the milk one Tbsp. at a time as needed. Spread the frosting over the cooled bars. Add alternating lines of the red and blue gel frosting, about 1/2" apart. Using a toothpick, drag through the lines of gen to create a herringbone design.
- For easy cutting, refrigerate the bars until just before serving.
Notes
Serving: 1 2"x 2" bar, recipe yields approximately 20 bars/squares
Recipe can be made with any color of frosting and an combination of gel decoration and sprinkle colors. Would be great for a birthday or any holiday celebration.
Nutrition
Serving: 1barsCalories: 345kcalCarbohydrates: 61gProtein: 3gFat: 11gSaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 25mgSodium: 150mgSugar: 42g
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!