Description
Soft melt-in-your-mouth sugar cookie bars topped with super easy and delicious strawberry buttercream.
Ingredients
Scale
For Sugar Cookie Bars
- 3/4 C (1 1/2 sticks) Unsalted Butter at room temperature
- 3/4 C Granulated Sugar
- 1 Lg Egg at room temperature
- 1 1/2 tsp. Vanilla Bean Paste (you can sub for vanilla extract)
- 1 tsp. Baking Powder
- 1/2 tsp Salt
- 2 C All Purpose Flour
For Strawberry Buttercream
- 1 C (2 sticks) Unsalted Butter at room temperature
- 4 C Powdered Sugar
- 1 Package of Freeze Dried Strawberries – pulverized in a food processor.
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- Pinch of Salt
- 2–3 TBSP Heavy Cream at room temperature
Instructions
For Sugar Cookie Bars
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and prepare a 9X9 baking dish with parchment paper
- In a stand mixer, cream butter and sugar for 5 minutes
- Add egg and vanilla bean paste, mix to combine.
- In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt
- Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture 1/2 at a time, mixing until just combined
- Press the dough into an even layer in the pan and bake for 15-17 minutes. Let finish baking on the counter
- Cool completely
For the Strawberry Buttercream
- In stand mixer with the paddle attachment, beat butter on medium speed for 5 minutes
- Sift the powdered sugar and set aside
- When butter is ready, add salt and vanilla and mix to combine
- Add the powdered sugar in two batches, mixing for 2-3 minutes each time
- Add the pulverized strawberries.
- Add cream 1 TBSP at a time until you reach your desired consistency
- Spread the buttercream on the cooled cookie bars and then slice and serve!
Notes
I like to make my buttercream when the butter is still a little bit chilled – not completely squishy. My general rule is to let the butter sit out for about 30 minutes before I make a buttercream.