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- 1
Heat the oven and prep the pan
Preheat your oven to 350°F. Line a 9x13-inch pan with parchment paper or foil, leaving some overhang so you can lift the whole slab out later for easy slicing. If you use foil, give it a quick spray of nonstick.
- 2
Cream the butter and cream cheese
In a large bowl or stand mixer, beat 3/4 cup softened butter on medium until soft and fluffy, 1 to 2 minutes, scraping the bowl once. Add the 4 ounces of softened cream cheese and beat another minute until smooth. This is the secret to these bars: the cream cheese replaces some of the butter and keeps the crumb tender and chewy instead of dry.
- 3
Add sugar, egg, and extracts
Add 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar and beat 1 to 2 minutes until fluffy, then scrape the bowl. Add the egg, 1 teaspoon vanilla, and 1 3/4 teaspoons almond extract and beat well. That extra almond is what gives these that bakery sugar-cookie flavor, so don't skip it.
- 4
Mix in the dry ingredients
Add 1 teaspoon salt, all 2 3/4 cups flour, and the 1 tablespoon cornstarch. Beat just until the dough barely comes together, scraping the bottom of the bowl. Stop as soon as you don't see dry flour. Overmixing here develops the gluten and makes the bars tough, so a gentle hand keeps them soft.
- 5
Press into the pan
Transfer the dough to the prepared pan. Wet your hands slightly (shake off the excess) and press the dough into an even layer all the way to the edges. Damp hands keep the sticky dough from clinging to you.
- 6
Bake, and don't overdo it
Bake at 350°F for 25 to 30 minutes. They're done when just a few golden spots appear at the edges and the center is no longer shiny, and a toothpick comes out clean. This is the make-or-break moment: even a minute too long turns them dry and crumbly, so pull them the second the center sets. A metal pan will bake a couple minutes faster than glass.
- 7
Cool completely
Let the bars cool all the way on a wire rack before frosting. Frosting warm bars will melt the buttercream into a puddle. If you're impatient like the rest of us, pop the pan in the freezer to speed things along.
- 8
Whip up the buttercream
Beat 1 cup softened butter with the whisk attachment until fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Add half of the 4 cups powdered sugar plus 2 tablespoons heavy cream and beat well; add the rest of the powdered sugar and 2 more tablespoons cream and beat again. Mix in 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon vanilla, 1/2 teaspoon coconut extract, and 1/2 teaspoon almond extract. The whisk attachment makes it noticeably fluffier than the paddle, and that trio of extracts is the whole magic.
- 9
Frost and slice
Spread a thick, generous layer of buttercream over the cooled bars. For clean edges, trim about an inch off all four sides, then slice into 16 bars, wiping your knife between cuts. Store in an airtight container so they stay soft.
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Soft and Chewy Sugar Cookie Bars
Created by: SugarAndButter
Ingredients
- 1 3/4 cup butter
- 4 oz cream cheese
- 1 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 egg
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 1/4 tsp almond extract
- 1 1/4 tsp salt
- 2 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
- 1/2 tsp coconut extract
- 4 cup powdered sugar
- 4 tbsp heavy cream
Instructions
- Heat the oven and prep the panPreheat your oven to 350°F. Line a 9x13-inch pan with parchment paper or foil, leaving some overhang so you can lift the whole slab out later for easy slicing. If you use foil, give it a quick spray of nonstick.
- Cream the butter and cream cheeseIn a large bowl or stand mixer, beat 3/4 cup softened butter on medium until soft and fluffy, 1 to 2 minutes, scraping the bowl once. Add the 4 ounces of softened cream cheese and beat another minute until smooth. This is the secret to these bars: the cream cheese replaces some of the butter and keeps the crumb tender and chewy instead of dry.
- Add sugar, egg, and extractsAdd 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar and beat 1 to 2 minutes until fluffy, then scrape the bowl. Add the egg, 1 teaspoon vanilla, and 1 3/4 teaspoons almond extract and beat well. That extra almond is what gives these that bakery sugar-cookie flavor, so don't skip it.
- Mix in the dry ingredientsAdd 1 teaspoon salt, all 2 3/4 cups flour, and the 1 tablespoon cornstarch. Beat just until the dough barely comes together, scraping the bottom of the bowl. Stop as soon as you don't see dry flour. Overmixing here develops the gluten and makes the bars tough, so a gentle hand keeps them soft.
- Press into the panTransfer the dough to the prepared pan. Wet your hands slightly (shake off the excess) and press the dough into an even layer all the way to the edges. Damp hands keep the sticky dough from clinging to you.
- Bake, and don't overdo itBake at 350°F for 25 to 30 minutes. They're done when just a few golden spots appear at the edges and the center is no longer shiny, and a toothpick comes out clean. This is the make-or-break moment: even a minute too long turns them dry and crumbly, so pull them the second the center sets. A metal pan will bake a couple minutes faster than glass.
- Cool completelyLet the bars cool all the way on a wire rack before frosting. Frosting warm bars will melt the buttercream into a puddle. If you're impatient like the rest of us, pop the pan in the freezer to speed things along.
- Whip up the buttercreamBeat 1 cup softened butter with the whisk attachment until fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Add half of the 4 cups powdered sugar plus 2 tablespoons heavy cream and beat well; add the rest of the powdered sugar and 2 more tablespoons cream and beat again. Mix in 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon vanilla, 1/2 teaspoon coconut extract, and 1/2 teaspoon almond extract. The whisk attachment makes it noticeably fluffier than the paddle, and that trio of extracts is the whole magic.
- Frost and sliceSpread a thick, generous layer of buttercream over the cooled bars. For clean edges, trim about an inch off all four sides, then slice into 16 bars, wiping your knife between cuts. Store in an airtight container so they stay soft.