Sugar Cookie Bars

I love baking with my little monkey so much, I think it’s a great learning experience for him plus we always have a blast when we’re in the kitchen together, it’s one of the things I hope to pass along to my children.  So far, so good, because the minute I’m in the kitchen getting measuring cups out, M drags his little chair over to the counter, stands on it and gives me the biggest smile.

Baking with small kids (M is almost 2) can be… challenging.  I make sure to chop up some veggies or fruit for him to snack on while I work away and I find this helps keep little fingers out of raw eggs and such.  I let him help scoop flour or pour milk, little things like that.  I think he mostly enjoys just being there with me and watching what I’m doing though 🙂

Anyways, the other day we baked a pan of these sugar cookie bars.  I made these last year too and they were such a hit.  I adore baking actual sugar cookies, but these bars are super easy to make, much quicker to throw together, and require zero chilling.  You must try these – they taste amazing!

Sugar Cookie Bars

Ingredients:

• 1 cup softened butter
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 2 tsp vanilla
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 3 cups flour (sift before scooping so the flour is light & fluffy)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. In a mixer, cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.  Add egg and vanilla and mix together well.
3. In a smaller bowl, combine baking powder, salt and flour together.  Add in thirds to mixer, incorporating well after each addition.
4. Grease an 8×8 pan and spread dough evenly.
5. Bake 20 minutes (or until edges are light brown).  Cool completely before icing.

I made a simple frosting for these cookies and didn’t have any food colouring handy, so I have white  cookie bars this time.

Simple Frosting Recipe:

• 1/4 cup softened butter
• tiny splash of pure vanilla extract
• 1 tb milk
• pinch of salt
• icing sugar

In a mixer, use the whip attachment to whip the butter until fluffy, add vanilla and approximately 1/2 cup of icing sugar.  Mix well and add milk and salt, then keep adding icing sugar until icing is thick and fluffy.

I’m not going to lie, these are already gone and I’m planning on baking another pan for us to enjoy some more! 🙂