Christmas Sugar Cookie Bars Recipe
Delight in the festive flavors of these Christmas Sugar Cookie Bars, featuring a soft, buttery cookie base enhanced with cream cheese and almond extract. Topped with a creamy, sweet cream cheese frosting that’s perfect for holiday gatherings or any time you crave a classic treat.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 24 bars 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Scale
Cookie Bars
- 1 cup butter (softened to room temperature)
- 1 ½ cups sugar
- 8 oz cream cheese (softened to room temperature)
- 1 egg
- ½ tsp almond extract
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ tsp baking powder
- 2 ½ cups flour
Frosting
- ½ cup butter (softened to room temperature)
- 4 oz cream cheese (softened to room temperature)
- 3 ½ cups powdered sugar
- 3–5 Tbsp milk (start with 3 and add more to desired consistency)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- Food coloring (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) to ensure it’s ready for baking the cookie bars.
- Mix Wet Ingredients: In a large bowl, beat together the softened butter, sugar, cream cheese, and egg for about 4 minutes until the mixture is light and creamy.
- Add Extracts: Add the almond extract and vanilla extract to the mixture and continue beating for an additional minute to combine the flavors thoroughly.
- Incorporate Dry Ingredients: Add the flour and baking powder to the bowl and beat for 2 more minutes until a smooth dough forms.
- Prepare & Bake: Press the dough evenly into a greased 10 x 15 x 1-inch baking pan. Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes until lightly golden. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely in the pan.
- Make Frosting: While the cookie bars cool, beat together the softened butter, cream cheese, powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla extract until smooth and creamy. Add food coloring if desired to give festive colors.
- Frost & Serve: Spread the frosting evenly over the cooled cookie bars. Once frosted, slice into bars and serve.
Notes
- Ensure butter and cream cheese are softened to room temperature to prevent lumps in the dough and frosting.
- You can customize the frosting color with food coloring to suit holiday themes.
- Store leftover bars in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- Allow bars to cool completely before frosting to prevent melting the frosting.
- For a nut-free variation, omit the almond extract and increase vanilla extract slightly for flavor.
Keywords: Christmas Sugar Cookie Bars, holiday cookies, cream cheese frosting, baked cookie bars, festive desserts
Find it online: https://miarosetti.com/christmas-sugar-cookie-bars-recipe/
