Description

These Festive Christmas Sugar Cookie Bars are a delightful twist on traditional sugar cookies, baked in a convenient bar form. Soft, buttery, and subtly flavored with vanilla and almond extracts, these bars are perfect for holiday celebrations. Decorated with red and green sprinkles, they bring festive cheer to any dessert table and can be enjoyed plain or topped with your favorite frosting.

Ingredients

Scale

Dry Ingredients

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt

Wet Ingredients

1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp almond extract

Topping

1/4 cup granulated sugar (for sprinkling)
Red and green sprinkles (for decoration)
Optional: 1 cup frosting (store-bought or homemade)

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Instructions

Preheat and Prepare Pan: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9×13-inch baking pan with butter or line it with parchment paper for easy removal.
Mix Dry Ingredients: In a bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt. Set this mixture aside for later use.
Cream Butter and Sugar: In a large mixing bowl, cream together the softened butter and granulated sugar using an electric mixer on medium speed until the mixture is light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.
Add Egg and Extracts: Add the egg, vanilla extract, and almond extract to the butter-sugar mixture, mixing until well combined.
Combine Wet and Dry: Gradually add the dry flour mixture to the wet ingredients, mixing on low speed until just combined. Be careful not to overmix.
Spread Dough in Pan: Pour the cookie dough into the prepared baking pan, spreading it evenly across the bottom with a spatula.
Sprinkle Sugar: Sprinkle the top of the dough with 1/4 cup of granulated sugar evenly.
Bake: Bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Cool: Once baked, remove the cookie bars from the oven and allow them to cool in the pan on a wire rack for about 10-15 minutes.
Frost (Optional): If desired, after completely cooling, frost the cookie bars with your choice of frosting or serve as is.
Decorate and Serve: Top the bars with red and green sprinkles for a festive touch before cutting them into squares.

Notes

For easier slicing, chill the bars in the refrigerator after cooling and frosting.
Use parchment paper for quick removal and less mess.
These bars can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, or refrigerated for up to a week.
To keep the texture tender, avoid overmixing the dough once the flour is added.
Optional frosting adds sweetness but can be omitted for a lighter treat.