Tuesday, July 12, 2011

Sugar Cookie Bars

My family loves sugar cookies, but I must admit there are times when messing with the cookie dough is a bit of a pain, not to mention time consuming..especially with a 4 and 5 year old at home.  Sometimes ya just gotta adapt. So when I spotted this recipe floating around blog-land I knew it could be the answer to my sugar cookie time saver!  I used the recipe from Annie's Eats.  Next time I will use a frosting that sets up a little more as I live in a humid climate and it kept melting.   

ahhhh sugar cookie goodness

can ya see the flecks of vanilla bean?... yum!

For the cookies
1 cup of unsalted butter at room temperature
2 cups of sugar
4 large eggs
2 teaspoons of vanilla extract
1 vanilla bean split lengthwise
Zest from 1 lemon (I didn't have a lemon this time around)
5 cups of flour
1 teaspoon of salt
1/2 teaspoon of baking soda


Preheat oven to 350.  Grease a rimmed baking sheet. 13x18 or 12x17

In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the sugar and butter.  Beat on high until light and smooth.
Mix in eggs one at a time until well combined.
Beat in vanilla, seeds from vanilla bean and lemon zest.  
In a medium bowl combine flour, salt and baking soda.  Whisk together.
Add the flour mixture to the butter and sugar.  Beat just until incorporated. 

Transfer cookie dough to pan.  Press into an even layer.
Cook for 10-15 minutes until light brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Transfer to wire rack and let cool completely before frosting.

For Frosting
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
pinch of salt
4 cups of confectioners sugar, sifted
5 tablespoons of milk
Food coloring (optional)

Place butter in the bowl of a stand mixer and beat until light and fluffy.
Beat in vanilla, salt and sugar until smooth.
Mix in milk.
Add food coloring if desired.
Spread on cooled cookies and cut into bars.



4 comments:

  1. These look delicious so I will have to try your bars. Love the clean crisp look of your yummy blog too. I'm one of the readers of your mom's LATL. Now a follower of yours and your mom's new blog! This is fun and we get to keep in touch! If you wouldn't mind I would like to promote your blog on mine, you could get new followers for sure. I'll email you in the next day or two.

    Linda
    Queen Bee Cottage

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  2. Aloha Linda! Glad to have you here. I enjoy your blog. I would love for you to link me. I have a blog button at the top of my page if you want to use that.

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  3. im so glad i found this site. u take great photos! these look super good, so do your blondes and your chocolate chip cookies. oh ad the eggnog bunt cake.

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  4. Aloha AnickH ;-)
    I appreciate your feedback so much. I haven't posted anything new in a very long time as I am learning to bake with healthier ingredients.
    Mahalo for stopping by!

    ReplyDelete