Description
These Patriotic Sugar Cookie Bars are a festive and delicious treat perfect for celebrations. Featuring a tender sugar cookie base studded with colorful patriotic sprinkles and topped with a creamy cream cheese frosting, these bars are easy to prepare and sure to impress at any gathering. With a buttery, sweet flavor and eye-catching decoration, they bring a patriotic spirit to your dessert table.
Ingredients
Scale
Cookie Bars
- 1 stick salted butter, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 cup patriotic sprinkles (preferably jimmies to prevent bleeding)
Frosting
- 1 stick salted butter, softened
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 3 tablespoons cream cheese
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons milk
- Additional patriotic sprinkles for topping
Instructions
- Preparation: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) to get ready for baking.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: In a mixing bowl, beat the softened butter and granulated sugar together until the mixture is smooth and creamy.
- Add Egg and Vanilla: Incorporate the egg and vanilla extract into the butter-sugar mixture, mixing until fully combined for a rich dough.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour and baking powder; gradually blend them into the wet ingredients to form the cookie dough.
- Fold in Sprinkles: Carefully fold in the patriotic sprinkles to evenly distribute the festive colors without causing them to bleed.
- Prepare for Baking: Spread the cookie dough evenly into a greased baking pan, smoothing the top for uniform thickness.
- Bake: Place the pan in the preheated oven and bake for 20-25 minutes or until the bars are golden brown around the edges and set in the center.
- Cool Bars: Remove from the oven and allow the cookie bars to cool completely to room temperature before frosting.
- Make Frosting: In a bowl, cream together the softened butter, powdered sugar, cream cheese, and vanilla extract until smooth and fluffy.
- Adjust Frosting Consistency: Gradually add the milk, a little at a time, to reach a spreadable frosting consistency.
- Frost Bars: Evenly spread the cream cheese frosting over the cooled cookie bars.
- Decorate: Top the frosted bars with additional patriotic sprinkles for a festive finish.
- Serve: Cut into squares and serve at room temperature for best flavor and texture.
Notes
- Use jimmie-style sprinkles instead of nonpareils to prevent color bleeding in the dough and frosting.
- Ensure the cookie bars are completely cool before frosting to avoid melting the frosting.
- For easier spreading, let the frosting come to room temperature if refrigerated before using.
- You can store the bars in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or refrigerate for up to a week.
- These bars can be customized with different colored sprinkles to match other themes or holidays.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: Patriotic Sugar Cookie Bars, sugar cookie bars, patriotic desserts, cream cheese frosting, festive sugar cookies, sprinkles dessert
