Cookie Bars with Frosting (Print Version)
# Ingredients:
→ Cookie Foundation
01 -
1/2 cup soft butter, unsalted
02 -
3/4 cup white sugar
03 -
1 large egg
04 -
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla flavoring
05 -
1 3/4 cup plain flour
06 -
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
07 -
1/4 teaspoon salt
→ Cheese Topping
08 -
4 tablespoons soft butter, unsalted
09 -
3 ounces fluffy cream cheese (roughly 1/2 cup)
10 -
3/4 teaspoon vanilla flavoring
11 -
2 cups icing sugar
→ Topping
12 -
Colorful candy hearts or festive sprinkles for the top
# Instructions:
01 -
Heat your oven to 350°F first. Put parchment paper in an 8x8-inch pan, letting it hang over one side.
02 -
Whip the soft butter in your stand mixer for about half a minute until it's light. While the mixer runs, slowly pour in the white sugar. Add the egg and vanilla, mixing until everything blends together nicely.
03 -
Stop the mixer and dump the flour, baking powder, and salt over your butter mixture. Run the mixer on LOW just long enough for everything to form a nice dough.
04 -
Push the dough into your lined pan, spreading it out flat with your fingertips. Cook for 20 minutes until a toothpick stuck in comes out mostly clean. Let it cool all the way down.
05 -
In a fresh bowl, beat the soft butter with cream cheese for a minute until puffy. Stir in vanilla, then slowly add icing sugar while mixing gently. If it's too thick, add a tiny bit of milk.
06 -
After the cookie base cools completely, smooth the cheese topping over the whole thing. Scatter candy hearts or sprinkles on top, then cut into squares and enjoy.
# Notes:
01 -
Butter with higher fat content works really well here, but any unsalted kind will do the job.
02 -
You'll need to keep these in the fridge because of the cream cheese. They'll stay good for about 5 days.
03 -
If you don't add the topping, you can freeze the plain bars for up to 3 months. Thaw them in your fridge before adding frosting.