Patriotic Sugar Cookie Bars (Print version)
Buttery sugar cookie bars with red, white, and blue frosting and sprinkles—festive for summer celebrations.
# What goes in:
→ Sugar Cookie Bars
01 - 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
02 - 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
03 - 2 large eggs
04 - 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
05 - 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
06 - 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
07 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
→ Frosting
08 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
09 - 2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
10 - 1/4 cup heavy cream or milk
11 - 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
12 - Red gel food coloring
13 - Blue gel food coloring
→ Decorating
14 - Red, white, and blue sprinkles
# Cooking steps:
01 - Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a 9 by 13 inch baking pan with parchment paper and lightly grease.
02 - In a large bowl, beat the softened butter and granulated sugar together until light and fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes.
03 - Mix in eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Blend in vanilla extract.
04 - In a separate bowl, whisk together all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt.
05 - Gradually mix the dry ingredients into the wet mixture until just combined.
06 - Evenly spread the cookie dough into the prepared baking pan and smooth the top with a spatula.
07 - Bake for 18 to 22 minutes, until the edges are lightly golden and the center is set. Avoid overbaking.
08 - Place the pan on a wire rack and cool the bars completely before frosting.
09 - Beat the softened butter until creamy. Gradually blend in powdered sugar, then mix in the vanilla extract and heavy cream. Whip on high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
10 - Divide the frosting into three bowls. Leave one portion plain. Tint the second with red gel food coloring and the third with blue gel food coloring.
11 - Dollop spoonfuls of each color frosting over the cooled bars. Swirl with an offset spatula for a marbled effect or spread in sections for stripes.
12 - Immediately garnish with red, white, and blue sprinkles. Cut into 24 bars and serve.
# Tips from flavorandfeast:
01 -
- Baking these bars feels like celebrating before the party even starts—the kitchen smells like vanilla and memories.
- They save the day when you want something impressive, but secretly need a recipe that never fails you.
02 -
- Once I overbaked these by just five minutes and lost that dreamy softness, so keep an eye out—every oven’s a little different.
- Transitioning to gel food coloring took my frosting from faded to electric—liquid just doesn't compare.
03 -
- Overmixing dries out the bars, so stop as soon as you don’t see flour streaks—it's tempting, but trust the process.
- Stick with parchment paper for fail-proof, fuss-free removal; I tried skipping it once and spent way too long prying out corners.