Sugar Cookie Bars
From the second I saw these bars pop up in my Google Reader, I knew I had to make them. I love the taste of sugar cookies, but sometimes it’s just not worth the time and effort. Don’t get me wrong, I really enjoyed doing the sugar cookie comparison last December. I also really enjoyed trying royal icing for the first time this St Patty’s Day. But, sometimes I want a sugar cookie without all the fuss.
This recipe is perfect for those times. It consists of a delicious sugar cookie based topped with a super sweet buttercream frosting. These bars could be made for any occasion and come together so quickly. It was also fun to bust out my large offset spatula. I’m so used to frosting with a piping bag, but I managed alright.
The next time I make these (and I have a feeling it will be soon), I will definitely cut them smaller. For some reason I had in my head that these needed to be cut into 30 bars. I was likely thinking of a different bar recipe, but I just cut them into 30 bars without thinking. Let me tell you, when you make a jelly roll worth of cookie bars, it makes 30 big bars. Of course the size of these bars didn’t have an impact on how quickly they disappeared. I took these to a weekly get-together and everyone loved them.
Sugar Cookie Bars – from The Repressed Pasty Chef
1 cup butter; room temp.
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
5 cups flour
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp soda
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Cream butter and sugar until fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing after each egg. Add vanilla & mix well.
In a separate bowl combine flour, salt & soda & stir with a whisk to combine. Add to wet mixture and mix just until combined.
Spread on a greased baking sheet (I lined my 11×17 jelly roll pan with parchment paper).
Bake for 10-15 min, until light golden brown or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool completely and frost.
Frosting1/2 cup butter at room temp
1/2 cup shortening
1 tsp vanilla
pinch of salt
4 cups powdered sugar
5 Tbsp milk
food coloring (optional)
For frosting combine butter and shortening until smooth and creamy.
Add vanilla and salt.
Add powdered sugar in 1-2 cup increments until combined, then add milk & mix until smooth and spreading consistency.
Spread over cooled cookie (and add sprinkles), then cut into bars.
I am Jen the Beantown Baker. Engineer by day and baking maven by night. Hubby serves as my #1 fan and official taste tester. We got hitched back in 2006. Barefoot. In the sand. With the waves crashing behind us. It was one of the best decisions we’ve ever made. 
Caramelized onions. I would always snarl at them until I actually tried them and realized they are delicious!
Love Fish Taco’s! We like ours with: fish fingers, cabbage and ranch sauce w/ taco seasoning…ummm..
Try the true Mexican way: with shredded, crispy cabbage, it’s so good.
I tried something I thought I wouldn’t like (that’s a very small percentage of the foods in the world!) and I was right, I totally disliked it – and that’s octopus!
Brussel sprouts. I split them in half, and saute them with olive oil, butter, and garlic. They’re my new favorite vegetable, and my wife and I make them once a week.
On a fish taco note, I had always wanted to try them, finally did, and they were terrible. Turns out I tried them at a bad Mexican restaurant, even though the place was always packed. It was sort of a tourist trap, and eventually went out of business. I’d never thought to try them home, that sounds like a great idea.
I just had to comment…I was the same way with fish tacos and then i tried them and LOVED them. I can’t get enough! Glad I’m not the only one
Oh boy fish tacos… when I first heard of them I thought the concept was a terrible idea. I finally let my husband convince me to try them and I of course loved them. Like Nancy said, we eat them the Mexican/Baja way with cabbage. So good!
Now have you tried shrimp tacos?!
I have not tried shrimp tacos. I will have to look into that.
So true!! I always giggle about them too lol. I had this sandwich that sounded so gross I wanted nothing to do with it, then a friend ordered it and made me try it… it was AMAZING!
roasted corn seasoned, mashed and mixed with diced red bell pepper, topped with cheddar, apricotjam and mixed greens, on wheat
The use of sprouts in your tacos is a great idea! I’m going to have to try that!
I’m not a big fan of fish but these look very delicious:) I used to turn my nose up to deep fried pickles but then I finally tried them…they are delicious!!!
I was skeptical of fish tacos until I tried them. Now they are probably one of my top 5 foods. I love mine with cabbage, lime, and pico de gallo
Also used to turned my nose up at fish tacos! Had them again tonight, this time with swordfish nuggets (Hey the bits and pieces were only 4.99 per lb!) DELISH 🙂
Jen, I too was a fish taco “snob” Couldn’t imagine whoever would think to do such a thing. You actually opened my mind up to trying them. I made salmon with taco seasoning ones and we really loved them, thanks to you. I told a friend whose husband goes to Alaska fishing and always brings home lots of salmon and halibut. They are coming over tonight and guess what we are having? SALMON TACOS!! Thanks.
So glad to hear it!