Valentine's Sugar Cookie Cake Bars - Soft and chewy sugar cookie cake bars covered with buttercream frosting and decorated for Valentine's Day!
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Everyone loves a good sugar cookie, but when it comes to making someone feel special for Valentine’s Day, you have to up your baking game. These cookie bars are soft with a slight chewiness, frosted, and decorated with festive sprinkles. Just like the thick, frosted bakery style cookies, these bars literally melt in your mouth with every bite.
Not only are these Valentine’s Sugar Cookie Cake Bars absolutely delicious, but they are even easier than baking a batch of cookies. Since you won’t need a cookie cutter, you’ll cut your prep time in half. This makes them the perfect heart-felt treat for those of us that tend to procrastinate!
HOW TO MAKE VALENTINE'S SUGAR COOKIE CAKE BARS
To make these festive sugar cookie cake bars for Valentine's Day, you'll need:
- Unsalted butter
- Sugar
- Eggs
- Flour
- Vanilla extract
- Salt
- Baking soda
- Powdered sugar
- Milk
- Red gel food coloring
- Nonpareils for decorating
Once you’ve gathered all your ingredients, preheat your oven to 375℉. Then, line a jelly roll pan with parchment paper and set it to the side.
Now, let's get to making these cake bars!
MAKING THE CAKE BARS
- Cream together the butter and sugar for the bars in a large bowl.
- Mix one egg at a time into the sugar mixture. Then, add the vanilla extract and mix well.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. - Gradually add your dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Mix well.
- Add a little flour to your hands to prevent the dough from sticking and then spread the dough evenly onto the jelly roll pan.
Bake the sugar cookie bars for 12-15 minutes being careful not to over-bake them. Go ahead and remove the sugar cookie bars from the oven and allow them to fully cool before frosting them.
PREPARING THE FROSTING
While the bars are cooling you can prepare the frosting.
- Beat the butter for the frosting until it is creamy. Add the vanilla and salt, then gradually add the powdered sugar, mixing well.
- Add the milk to the frosting and mix until it reaches your desired consistency.
- It should be creamy and easy to spread.
- Add a few drops of red food coloring to make it a pink hue.
Spread the frosting onto the cooled cookie bars.
And decorate them with these gorgeous red and pink nonpareils.
I usually can get about 32 bars out of the pan - and they're good-sized cookie bars!
TIPS FOR PERFECT SUGAR COOKIE CAKE BARS
- Soften the butter- Let your butter sit on the counter at room temperature for about 30-minutes to soften it. This is the best way to soften the butter without melting it.
- Measure the flour accurately- Flour should never be packed into your measuring cup. Instead, scoop it into the measuring cup with a spoon, and then level it off with a butter knife.
- Use room temperature eggs- The ingredients will blend together more seamlessly with room temperature ingredients, and the dough will rise more easily as well.
- Don’t over bake the bars- Your bars should come out clean with a toothpick when they are done. Be sure to check them once they’ve baked for 12-minutes. Over baking will result in dry bars.
WHAT IS A JELLY ROLL PAN?
A jelly roll pan is similar to a rimmed baking sheet. However, it is only 10 x 15 inches whereas the baking sheet would be 12 x 18 inches.
Ultimately, for this recipe, you will be using a smaller baking sheet. If you don’t have a jelly roll pan, you could use a half sheet pan instead.
HOW TO STORE SUGAR COOKIE BARS
The great thing about these Valentine’s sugar cookie bars is they're easy to store. You can just place them in an airtight container where they will stay fresh at room temperature for up to 5 days.
You can also give them as gifts! Place pieces in cute little cupcake boxes and give to friends, family, or that special someone.
CAN YOU FREEZE SUGAR COOKIE CAKE BARS?
Absolutely! Before you freeze them, place your bars in the refrigerator to harden the frosting.
Then, place your bars in a freezer-safe container or plastic storage bag. You can store your cookie bars for up to 3 months in the freezer.
MORE VALENTINE'S DAY TREATS YOU'LL LOVE
- Red Velvet Bourbon Cake Balls
- Heart-Shaped M&M Granola Bites
- Strawberry Crumble Ice Cream Cake
- Pink Squirrel
- Flourless Chocolate Cake
- Air Fryer Lava Cakes
- Funfetti Cake Mix Cookies
- Swirled Raspberry Cheesecake
Valentine's Sugar Cookie Cake Bars
Ingredients
For the Cookie Bars:
- 2 sticks unsalted butter (room temperature)
- 2 cups sugar
- 4 large eggs
- 5 cups flour
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
For the Frosting:
- 2 sticks unsalted butter (room temperature)
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 4 tablespoons milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
- 5-7 drops red gel food coloring
- Nonpareils for decorating
Instructions
For the Cookie Bars:
- Preheat oven to 375º Fahrenheit.
- In a large bowl cream together the butter and the sugar.
- Mix in one egg at a time.
- Add vanilla extract and mix well.
- In a separate bowl, mix together the flour, salt and baking soda.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients gradually, a little at a time. Mix well.
- Flour your hands to prevent the dough from sticking and spread on prepared jelly roll pan.
- Bake for 12-15 minutes (Do not over-bake or you’ll end up with dry bars).
For the Frosting:
- Beat butter until creamy.
- Mix in the vanilla and salt.
- Add the powdered sugar gradually, mixing well.
- Add the milk and mix until it reaches your desired consistency.
- Squeeze drops of red food coloring into the frosting until it reaches your desired pink hue.
- Spread the frosting onto the cooled cake bars.
- Sprinkle on some nonpareils.
Notes
- When your bars are done, they should come out clean with a toothpick when they’re done.
- Use room temperature eggs and butter.
- Store your bars in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
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