Christmas Sugar Cookie Blondie Bars

These sugar cookie bars are half-cookie, half-blondie and I think kids and grown-ups alike will really enjoy them. I've covered mine with a thick vanilla bean frosting and of course, some festive sprinkles! They crisp on the edges and soft and chewy on the inside, just how a good sugar cookie should be and exactly what you would expect from a blondie bar. I've made these with almond extract which is a favorite of mine but these are exceptional with just vanilla extract as well.

If you're looking to find fun and festive sprinkles that are not super expensive, search HomeGoods, Marshall's or TJMaxx. I always find really great options here including ones that are not filled with tons of artificial color. It's important to keep your eye out on expiration dates but with that in mind, there is usually tons of variety in sprinkles and other baking items at these stores. The sprinkles I've used for these here came from HomeGoods and they're so much fun and were perfect to decorate these with!

I recommend using a 9 x 13 baking pan to make these but if you're looking to stretch the recipe to feed a larger crowd (this recipe can easily be doubled) or you would like a thinner bar, try a half-baking sheet or a jelly roll pan.

This recipe calls for tapioca flour but if that's not found in your pantry, simply use cornstarch or arrowroot flour in the same measurement. This will give the bars some "lift" and create a nice, fluffy texture.

To make the bars:

INGREDIENTS

For the bars:

1 stick of salted butter, melted

1 ¼ cup sugar

2 tablespoons almond or vanilla extract

2 eggs plus 1 yolk, at room temperature

2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour

¼ cup, plus 2 tablespoons tapioca flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon baking soda

¼ teaspoon salt

½ cup festive sprinkles, plus more for decoration

For the frosting:

3 cups powdered sugar

1 stick butter, softened

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

¼ teaspoon salt

2 to 4 tablespoons heavy cream (add as needed)

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350° and prepare a 9 x 13 baking dish or jelly roll pan by lining it with parchment paper and spraying it with a non-stick spray.

In a large bowl, melt the butter. Add the sugar and stir until fully combined. Stir in the vanilla extract along with the eggs, mixing well.

In a smaller bowl, whisk together the flours, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Slowly add into the butter mixture and mix until fully combined. Stir in sprinkles.

Gently press the dough evenly into the pan and bake for 15 minutes until the top is a light, golden color. Let cool completely before removing from pan. Using an off-set spatula, spread frosting evenly over bars and decorate with extra sprinkles. I like to let them set for about an hour prior to cutting into squares.