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All the yumminess of a sugar cookie, but in convenient bar form, makes this an easy treat! These Patriotic Sugar Cookie Bars are perfect for celebrating Memorial Day, July 4th, or any other patriotic holiday with a sweet, festive treat.
These easy sugar cookie bars are a delightful twist on traditional sugar cookies, offering a soft, chewy texture in a bar form. The almond extract adds a subtle, nutty flavor that pairs perfectly with the rich, creamy frosting. Topped with festive red, white, and blue sprinkles, these bars are not only delicious but also visually stunning, making them a hit at any patriotic celebration.
The Chemistry of Sugar Cookie Bars
The secret to achieving the perfect sugar cookie bar lies in the balance of ingredients. Cornstarch is a key ingredient that helps create a tender, chewy texture by reducing the protein content in the flour, resulting in a softer cookie. The combination of unsalted butter and shortening provides both flavor and structure, ensuring the bars hold their shape while remaining moist. Whipping the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy incorporates air into the mixture, which helps the bars rise and gives them a tender crumb.
What is in patriotic sugar cookie bars?
Unsalted Butter
It is always important to use unsalted butter when baking. If you use salted butter, you have no way of knowing how much salt you are adding to your dough or batter and it will result in an overly salted treat.
Butter adds fats to your dough or batter which helps with moistness, flavor and texture. Butter melts at body temperature, which creates a ‘melt in your mouth’ sensation.
When baking with butter the temperature is important. If the butter is too warm your treat will melt down too fast and overspread in the oven, leaving you with a greasy, flat mess. If your butter is too cold it will have the opposite problem and not melt down enough, leaving your treat too thick.
Shortening
Being 100% fat, it provides a flakier texture and prevents spreading because it does not melt down in the oven.
Granulated Sugar
Adds sweetness, provides a caramelized flavor and crisp texture. Sugar assists with rising when creamed with butter. It helps add moisture to your treat and helps it evenly spread as it melts into a liquid in the heat of the oven. Sugar also helps with naturally preserving your baked treat.
Almond Extract
Adds a unique sweet and nutty flavor to your dough.
Vanilla Extract
When using pure vanilla extract, as opposed to imitation flavoring, it will add the deep rich flavor that everybody wants in a treat.
Eggs
Adds both a protein (egg whites) and fat (egg yolks). The egg whites help with rising because, when foamed, little air pockets get trapped inside the egg white mixture. The water content in egg whites encourages steam while baking, which helps with gluten formation, resulting in nice and thick treats. Egg yolks have emulsifying properties that bring batters and doughs together and help them from collapsing. Unless otherwise specified, always use large eggs.
Egg Yolks
Adding extra egg yolks to your batter will add extra richness and chewiness to your cookie or brownie.
Fine Sea Salt
Enhances flavor, adds balance, masks any bitter flavors. Salt is the most powerful and oldest preservative. Always make sure to use fine sea salt so it melts down at the right speed in the heat of the oven. If you use larger granule salt, it will not melt down fully when baked and will leave salt crystals throughout your treat, making it crunch like you dropped it into sand.
Baking Powder
Puffs up your batter or dough instead of spreading it out. Baking powder contains a little bit of baking soda, an acid & cornstarch. Because of this, it only needs a liquid to react. It also consists of two different acids, so it’s double reacting. It reacts as soon as it’s mixed with a moisture and then again when it’s heated up.
Cornstarch
Helps create a crumbly tender texture to toppings. Softens cookies, brownies and cakes. And it can also thicken sauces and fillings.
All-purpose Flour
Builds structure as it absorbs liquids and expands. All-purpose flour falls in the middle of bread flour (high in gluten) and cake flour (low in gluten). It’s exactly what it is named, all-purpose, the most universal flour that can be used in most baked goods.
Cream cheese
Provides a unique, tangy flavor. When baked it adds moisture to your treat.
Unsalted butter
Often the main ingredient of frosting, it adds structure to your buttercream. It also adds a smooth and velvety texture. Butter melts at body temperature, so it will make your frosting have a melt-in-your-mouth sensation.
Powdered Sugar
Is just finely ground granulated sugar. It will absorb moisture in your batter or dough. It dissolves easily, ensuring a smooth texture without grittiness. Because it is so fine, it can melt quickly in the oven and spread cookies out more. Powdered sugar also stabilizes and thickens the frosting, thanks to the small amount of cornstarch it contains.
Coconut Extract
Adds a sweet tropical flavor to your treats.
Red, White & Blue Sprinkles
For a festive, patriotic touch.
How do you make patriotic sugar cookie bars?
Bars
- Prepare the dough. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. In a standing mixer with the paddle attachment, cream together 3/4 cup unsalted butter, 3/4 cup shortening, and 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar until light and fluffy. This takes about 2 minutes on high speed, scraping down the bowl every 30 seconds. If you do not have a standing mixer, you can also use a hand mixer.
- Add the wet ingredients to the butter mixture. Add 1 teaspoon almond extract, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract, 2 eggs, and 2 egg yolks. Mix on medium speed until just combined.
- Incorporate the dry ingredients. In a separate bowl, combine 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, 2 teaspoons cornstarch, 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder, and 1/4 teaspoons fine sea salt. Slowly pour the dry ingredients into the wet mixture, mixing on low speed until combined.
- Shape and bake. Press the sugar cookie dough into a greased with non-stick spray and parchment paper lined 9×13 pan or a 12×12 candy pan, flattening it with a smaller roller or your hands. Bake for 15 minutes; the bars should be slightly golden brown on top, then remove and cool completely before frosting.
Frosting
- Prepare the frosting. In a standing mixer, combine 8 ounces cream cheese and 1 cup of unsalted butter. Mix on low until softened, then add 5 cups powdered sugar, 1 teaspoon almond extract, and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract. Whip on high for 1/2 minutes until light and fluffy.
- Frost and decorate. Spread a thick layer of frosting evenly over the entire surface of the cooled bars. Sprinkle with red, white, and blue star sprinkles for a festive finish. Cut into squares and enjoy the best sugar cookie bars!
TIP: If you want to make these for a huge crowd, you can double the recipe and bake them in a larger pan like a baking sheet.
How to Store Sugar Cookie Bars
Store the bars in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. If refrigerated, allow them to come to at room temperature before serving.
You can make these sugar cookie bars up to two days in advance. Store in an airtight container, and frost them the day you plan to serve them for the freshest taste. The dough can also be prepared ahead of time and stored wrapped in plastic wrap in the fridge for up to 3 days before baking.
Serving Suggestions
This easy patriotic treat is perfect for any July dessert, holiday gathering, picnic, or barbecue. It’s easy to transport, and its vibrant colors make it a standout on any dessert table. Serve it as is or with a scoop of vanilla ice cream for an extra indulgent treat.
Fun Fact
Did you know that sugar cookies originated in the mid-1700s in Nazareth, Pennsylvania? German settlers created a simple, butty cookie known as the “Nazareth Sugar Cookie,” which eventually became a popular treat across the United States. Today, sugar cookies are a beloved classic, especially during holiday celebrations.
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Why make these patriotic sugar cookie bars?
These cute patriotic sugar cookie bars are perfect for celebrating Memorial Day, July 4th, or Labor Day. Their bright, festive colors and sweet, buttery flavor make them a hit at any summer gathering or patriotic celebration. Enjoy this easy sugar cookie bar recipe that will impress your guests with its vibrant look and delicious taste!
FAQs
How do I ensure my sugar cookie bars are soft and chewy?
Avoid over-baking to keep your sugar cookie bars soft and chewy. Bake until the edges are just set, and the center is still slightly soft. The bars will continue to cook as they cool, producing a perfectly chewy texture.
Can I make these sugar cookie bars ahead of time?
Yes, you can make these bars a day or two in advance. Store them in an airtight container at room temperature to maintain freshness.
What frosting works best for sugar cookie bars?
A cream cheese-based frosting, like the one in this recipe, pairs wonderfully with the sweetness of the sugar cookie bars. You can also add a bit of coconut extract for an extra layer of flavor.
How do I store leftover sugar cookie bars?
Store any leftover bars in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. You can also refrigerate them for more extended storage, but bring them back to room temperature before serving to enjoy the best texture.
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Patriotic Sugar Cookie Bars
Ingredients
Bars
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter
- 3/4 cup shortening
- 1 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tsp almond extract
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 eggs
- 2 egg yolks
- 1/4 tsp fine sea salt
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 2 tsp cornstarch
- 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
Frosting
- 8 ounces cream cheese
- 1 cup unsalted butter
- 5 cups powdered sugar
- 1 tsp coconut extract
- 1 tsp almond extract
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup red, white and blue sprinkles
Instructions
Bars
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees
- In a standing mixer cream your butter, shortening and sugar together until lighter in color and texture. This takes about 2 full minutes of whipping on high, scrapping down the bowl down every 30 seconds.
- Add the extracts and stir until combined
- Add the eggs and egg yolks, stir until just combined
- In a separate bowl combine the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt
- Turn the standing mixer on low, slowly pour the dry ingredients in. As soon as the cookie dough comes together, stop the mixer.
- Pour the dough into a greased 9×13 pan or a 12×12 Candy Pan
- Flatten the dough into the pan with a small roller or your hands
- Bake for 15 minutes. Remove and allow to cool before frosting.
Frosting
- In a standing mixer, add the cream cheese and butter. Mix on low until the two are combined and slightly softened.
- Add the sugar and extracts, mix on low until the frosting is combined.
- Slowly increase the speed until your mixer is on high. Whip the frosting on high for 1-2 minutes until lighter in color and texture.
- Add food coloring if you desire.
- Scoop the frosting out on top of the cooled bars and spread until its in an even layer.
- Sprinkle your red, white, and blue sprinkles on top.
- Cut and enjoy!
Nutrition
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