Easter Sugar Cookie Bars (Printable)
Soft sugar cookie bars with creamy pastel frosting and sprinkles, ready in 40 minutes for Easter celebrations.
# What You Need:
→ Cookie Base
01 - 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
03 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
04 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
05 - 1 cup granulated sugar
06 - 2 large eggs
07 - 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
08 - 1/2 teaspoon almond extract (optional)
→ Frosting
09 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
10 - 2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
11 - 2-3 tablespoons whole milk or cream
12 - 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
13 - Food coloring in pastel tones (pink, yellow, green, purple)
→ Decoration
14 - Festive Easter sprinkles
# How-To Steps:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and line a 9x13 inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang for easy removal.
02 - In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.
03 - In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar together with a mixer until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each. Mix in vanilla extract and almond extract, if using.
04 - Gradually add dry ingredients to the wet mixture, mixing until just combined. Do not overmix.
05 - Spread dough evenly in the prepared pan. Use a spatula to create a smooth surface.
06 - Bake 18-20 minutes, or until the edges are barely golden and the center is set. Do not overbake. Let cool completely in the pan.
07 - Beat butter until creamy. Add powdered sugar, vanilla, and 2 tablespoons milk. Beat until smooth and fluffy; add more milk if needed for spreadable consistency. If desired, divide frosting and tint each portion with pastel food coloring.
08 - Spread frosting evenly over cooled cookie base. Decorate with Easter sprinkles.
09 - Lift bars from the pan using parchment overhang and cut into squares. Serve or store in an airtight container.
# Helpful Tips:
01 -
- You get all the festive joy of decorated sugar cookies without the tedious individual rolling and cutting
- The soft, pillowy texture stays fresh for days unlike traditional cutout cookies that can harden
02 -
- Let the bars cool completely before frosting or your beautiful pastel colors will melt into a muddy mess
- Overbaking by even two minutes will transform these tender bars into crunchy cookies, so watch that oven closely
03 -
- Room temperature ingredients are non-negotiable here, cold butter will leave you with lumpy, uneven batter
- Use an offset spatula for frosting, it gives you that professional smooth finish with zero effort