It was a snowed-in Saturday afternoon, the kind that begged for the warm, buttery smell of baking to fill the house. I had a craving for sugar cookies, but frankly, didn’t have the patience for rolling, chilling, and cutting dozens of individual shapes. In a moment of “what if?” experimentation, I pressed my favorite sugar cookie dough into a pan, baked it as one glorious slab, and slathered it with frosting. The result? Pure, unadulterated joy. My kitchen smelled like a childhood memory, sweet and comforting, and with one bite of these soft, chewy Sugar Cookie Bars, I knew I’d stumbled onto something special. This recipe is my go-to for when cookie cravings hit fast, and I’m so excited to share it with you.
Ingredients
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon almond extract (trust me, don’t skip this!)
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
For the Frosting:
- ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
- 4 cups powdered sugar, sifted
- ¼ cup milk or heavy cream, plus more as needed
- 1 ½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
- Sprinkles for decorating
Let’s talk ingredients for a second. Using full-fat, real butter is non-negotiable here—it’s the soul of the flavor. I’ve tried this recipe with margarine in a pinch, and the bars lacked that rich, classic taste. The almond extract is my secret weapon; it amplifies the vanilla and gives that bakery-quality depth. For the frosting, sifting the powdered sugar might seem like a tedious step, but I’ve done it both ways, and sifting prevents those pesky little lumps for a frosting as smooth as silk.(See the next page below to continue…)