My husband's all-time favorite dessert is a sugar cookie. My mom makes the best sugar cookies, but I don't make them very often because it takes so much time to cut out the individual shapes, bake a million batches of them, and then decorate each cookie. It is seriously an all-day project!
This recipe is like an answer to prayers. :)
It is basically one HUGE sugar cookie baked on ONE cookie sheet . . . the prep time and bake time is so short . . . and you only have to frost one LARGE cookie.
And they taste SO GOOD.
I don't know if I will make sugar cookies again after trying this recipe . . .
So next time you are craving a delicious sugar cookie, but don't feel like doing all the work,
YOU HAVE TO MAKE THESE!!!
Sugar Cookie Bars:
1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 cups granulated sugar
4 large eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
5 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1. In a large bowl with an electric mixer, cream butter and sugar until fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing after each egg. Mix in vanilla.
2. In a separate bowl whisk together flour, salt and baking soda. Add to wet mixture and mix just until combined. Spread on a greased, rimmed baking sheet (use a 13x18x1" pan/cookie sheet). The dough will be just like cookie dough- heavy and sticky- so it’s best to spray your hands with a little nonstick spray and use them to help mold the dough into the pan.
3. Bake at 375 degrees for 10-15 min, until light golden brown or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool completely before frosting.
Mom's Frosting:
Frosting:
1/2 cup (1 stick) margarine or butter, softened
1/4 cup milk
2 tsp vanilla
4 cups powdered sugar (more or less depending on how thick/runny you like it)
A couple of drops blue food coloring (or any other color) to get desired blue color (optional)
Combine all ingredients until well-blended. Spread on top of bars. Top with sprinkles if you want!
Adapted from The Repressed Pastry Chef
and Lady with the Red Rocker
I love that pretty blue frosting! These look great!
ReplyDeleteWhew, these look ah-mazing! And I understand what you're saying about the whole day project thing, kind of makes me stay away from them as well. But I will definitely be trying these out, they look and sound outstanding!
ReplyDeletecan you still use cookie cutters with this recipe?
ReplyDeleteI love this recipe. I made them last year and I am with you. I may not ever make cutouts again. They look so pretty with the blue and sprinkles.
ReplyDeleteElizabeth- I have not tried using cookie cutters with this recipe- this dough seems a little more thick/dense than our regular sugar cookie recipe. Here is the link to our favorite recipe if you want to make delicious regular sugar cookies: http://sixsistersstuff.blogspot.com/2011/03/delicious-soft-sugar-cookies.html
ReplyDeleteYummy. Thank you so much for linking up to last weeks show and share. Make sure to come back and link up this week with your latest project.
ReplyDeleteA mommy's life...with a touch of yellow
tyandwhitneyulrich.blogspot.com
Oh wow! These look great! I can't wait to try them this weekend. The frosting looks devine too!
ReplyDeleteMy husband loved these; I didn't frost them and decreased the salt to just a dash and increased the baking soda to 1 tsp. They took 20 mins to cook in my oven and they were delicious!
ReplyDeleteSo this morning I decided I wanted to change them to molasses cookie bars (another hubby favorite). So I substituted 1 cup molasses for 1 cup of sugar; omitted vanilla and salt and increased baking soda to 1 tsp. and flour to 6 cups plus added 1 1/2 tsp ground ginger. Sprinkled top with sugar and baked 20 mins. Delicious!!
Now I don't have to roll out sugar or molasses cookies anymore.
Thank you for the recipe!!
Made these and they instantly became a new family favorite. We will be making these for years to come. Thanks Camille!!
ReplyDeleteYou are so very welcome! :) I am glad that you liked them!
DeleteYum I love sugar cookies, and am pretty sure I would LOVE those bars!
ReplyDeleteMade these tonight, they tasted yummy. I followed the directions to a T, but the whole cookie turned out dry. I only left it in the oven for 10 minutes. Next time I'll take them out sooner. Also, I followed the icing recipe to a T and put all 4 cups of powdered sugar in and it was sooooo runny. It made the cookie bars a mess to eat because they were so runny. I would have added more sugar to it but I had just 4 cups exactly and I had already run to the store for milk. As I said, tasted excellent! My hubby and I will be snacking on these all week! Quick question, did you store them in the fridge because of the milk and butter in the icing?
ReplyDeleteI made these today and they were SO good. I feel ill because I ate so much. Cooked for 25 minutes and still were gooey in the middle, just perfect. Was going to makes ome for a friend but didn't know if I should refridgerate them overnight or can they sit out given the butter in the frosting? Thanks!
ReplyDeleteI made these and they were SUPER dry... I like my cookies and all baked goods for that matter to be nice and chewy..These were definitely unlike any sugar cookies I'd ever had. More on the shortbread side I'd say.
ReplyDeleteThe only thing I did differently was make them in a slightly smaller cookie sheet since I didn't have a 13x18x1.
The icing was pretty good though! Be prepared to add more powdered sugar, as it was very runny with just 4 cups.
I've made these twice. The first time, I loved the flavor, but they were a little dry. The 2nd time I made them, I left out about 1/4 cup of flour, baked them for 15 min and they are perfect! Also, I didn't use quite as much milk in the frosting.
ReplyDelete