Sugar Cookie Bars Recipe • 5★

Recipe from “American Girl Cookies”

Adapted by Margaux Laskey

Published December 5, 2019

David Malosh for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews.

These sugar cookie bars, which are adapted from “American Girl Cookies,” are happiness in a 9-by-13 pan. The addition of cream cheese in the batter makes them very tender and slightly tangy, a perfect counterpoint to the sweet buttercream frosting. You can, and should, experiment with frosting colors and use sprinkles with abandon. Whatever you do, do not overbake these beauties. When testing for doneness, you want a few moist crumbs to cling to the toothpick. —Margaux Laskey

SaveLog in or sign up to save this recipe.

GiveSubscriber benefit: Give recipes to anyoneAs a subscriber, you have 10 gift recipes to give each month. Anyone can view them - even nonsubscribers. Learn more.SubscribeLog In

Subscriber benefit: Give recipes to anyone

As a subscriber, you have 10 gift recipes to give each month. Anyone can view them - even nonsubscribers. Learn more.

Share this recipeCopy linkEmailPinterestFacebookXWhatsAppReddit

Print this recipeInclude recipe photoPrint RecipeLog in or sign up to print this recipe.

1 cup/225 grams unsalted butter (2 sticks), at room temperature, plus more for greasing the pan

2 ¾ cups/350 grams all-purpose flour

½ teaspoon fine sea salt

1 (8-ounce/225-gram) package cream cheese, at room temperature

1 ½ cups/300 grams granulated sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

6 tablespoons/85 grams unsalted butter (¾ stick), at room temperature

2 cups/245 grams confectioners’ sugar

1 tablespoon milk or heavy cream, plus more as needed

1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice, plus more as needed

1 teaspoon vanilla extract, plus more as needed

¼ teaspoon fine sea salt

A drop or two of gel food coloring (optional)

Assorted sprinkles, for decorating (optional)

Step 1Heat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly butter a 9-by-13-inch baking pan. Line the pan with parchment paper, running it up the two long sides of the pan and letting it extend past the rim by about 2 inches.

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly butter a 9-by-13-inch baking pan. Line the pan with parchment paper, running it up the two long sides of the pan and letting it extend past the rim by about 2 inches.

Step 2Make the bars: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour and salt. In a large bowl with an electric mixer, or in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter and cream cheese on medium speed until well blended, about 1 minute. Add the granulated sugar and beat until smooth, about 1 minute. Add the egg and vanilla and beat on low speed until well combined, about 1 minute. Turn off the mixer and scrape down the bowl with a rubber spatula. Gradually add the flour mixture, mixing on low speed just until blended, about 1 minute.

Make the bars: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour and salt. In a large bowl with an electric mixer, or in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter and cream cheese on medium speed until well blended, about 1 minute. Add the granulated sugar and beat until smooth, about 1 minute. Add the egg and vanilla and beat on low speed until well combined, about 1 minute. Turn off the mixer and scrape down the bowl with a rubber spatula. Gradually add the flour mixture, mixing on low speed just until blended, about 1 minute.

Step 3Using a spatula, scrape the dough into the prepared baking pan and spread it into an even layer. Bake just until the edges are starting to turn light golden brown, and a toothpick inserted in the middle has moist crumbs, 20 to 25 minutes. (Do not overbake! The bars should be quite moist, and almost slightly underbaked in the middle.) Remove the pan from the oven and set it on a wire rack. Let cool completely. When fully cooled, remove the bars from the pan using the overhanging parchment paper.

Using a spatula, scrape the dough into the prepared baking pan and spread it into an even layer. Bake just until the edges are starting to turn light golden brown, and a toothpick inserted in the middle has moist crumbs, 20 to 25 minutes. (Do not overbake! The bars should be quite moist, and almost slightly underbaked in the middle.) Remove the pan from the oven and set it on a wire rack. Let cool completely. When fully cooled, remove the bars from the pan using the overhanging parchment paper.

Step 4Make the frosting: Place the butter in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat the butter on medium speed until creamy, about 1 minute. Add 1 cup confectioners’ sugar, beating on low speed until fully combined, then repeat with remaining 1 cup confectioners’ sugar. Add the 1 tablespoon milk or heavy cream, 1 teaspoon lemon juice, the vanilla, salt and food coloring, if using, and beat on medium speed until the frosting is light and fluffy, scraping down the sides halfway through, about 4 minutes. Add more milk if needed to thin out the mixture. Add lemon juice and vanilla to taste.

Make the frosting: Place the butter in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat the butter on medium speed until creamy, about 1 minute. Add 1 cup confectioners’ sugar, beating on low speed until fully combined, then repeat with remaining 1 cup confectioners’ sugar. Add the 1 tablespoon milk or heavy cream, 1 teaspoon lemon juice, the vanilla, salt and food coloring, if using, and beat on medium speed until the frosting is light and fluffy, scraping down the sides halfway through, about 4 minutes. Add more milk if needed to thin out the mixture. Add lemon juice and vanilla to taste.

Step 5Using a spatula, spread the frosting on top, then decorate with sprinkles, if using. Cut into 20 bars and serve.

Using a spatula, spread the frosting on top, then decorate with sprinkles, if using. Cut into 20 bars and serve.

Having read some notes mentioning difficulty in spreading the batter in the pan, I sprayed an offset spatula with cooking spray and the spreading was easy and quick

The dough is thick and sticky- use the same technique to spread in the pan you would a high hydration bread. Dip your fingers in a little water and pat into the pan. Easy peasy lemon squeezy. :)

I reduced the sugar by ¼ cup and added 1T almond extract to the batter. I made the frosting as directed, and it was delicious. In the future, I would leave the lemon juice out for Christmas bars, it didn’t seem seasonal. At other times of the year it would be great!

(The batter is very thick and sticky, but worth the effort)

This recipe was pretty disappointing. Baked them to the time and indicator and they were extremely underdone. The frosting was also way too sweet. Now reading the comments I see all of this reflected, but you shouldn’t have to read the comments so get a good outcome. Can’t recommend.

Texture was lovely, though I should've baked them 5 minutes longer. Mine were starting to brown so I took them out, for fear of overbaking. The buttercream isn't any sweeter than any other buttercream on a treat like this. But the "cookie" base tastes overwhelmingly of cream cheese. I love cheesecake but this is too tangy and intense. For that reason, I disagree with comments suggesting a cream cheese frosting. Also, for how rich they are, I would cut them into more like 30-40 bars than twenty.

Delicious!! Yes, the dough is sticky, but I just used some flour when patting it out and that worked very well. Also appreciate that the amount of frosting made from the recipe is the perfect amount!

Adapted from “American Girl Cookies” (Weldon Owen, 2018)

Source: https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1020697-sugar-cookie-bars