Description
Celebrate Easter with these delightful Easter Sugar Cookie Bars topped with creamy coconut frosting and colorful festive decorations. The soft and chewy cookie base loaded with confetti sprinkles, layered with a rich coconut frosting, and decorated with green-dyed coconut flakes, Easter Peeps, and jelly beans makes for a perfect holiday treat that’s as fun to make as it is to eat.
Ingredients
Scale
For The Cookie Base:
- 3 & 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 & ½ cups granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon almond extract, optional
- ¼ cup confetti sprinkles
Coconut Frosting:
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- ¼ cup cream of coconut
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon coconut extract
- pinch of salt
For Assembly:
- 1 & ½ cups sweetened coconut flakes
- green food coloring
- Easter Peeps
- Jelly beans
Instructions
- Prepare the Baking Dish: Preheat your oven to 375°F. Line a 9×13 inch baking dish with parchment paper and lightly spray it with baking spray to prevent sticking. Set aside.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until evenly combined. Set this dry mix aside for use later.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: Using a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment or a hand mixer, beat the softened unsalted butter and granulated sugar on medium speed until the mixture is light, fluffy, and well combined, which usually takes about 3 minutes.
- Add Eggs and Extracts: Add eggs one at a time to the creamed butter and sugar, mixing well after each addition. Then pour in the vanilla extract and almond extract (if using), blending until everything is combined.
- Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients: Gradually add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients in batches, mixing on low speed until just combined. Make sure there are no dry patches, but avoid overmixing to keep the cookie texture tender. Scrape down the bowl sides as necessary.
- Incorporate Sprinkles: Gently fold in the confetti sprinkles with a spatula until evenly distributed throughout the dough.
- Shape and Bake Cookie Base: Press the cookie dough evenly into the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Bake in the preheated oven for 20 to 24 minutes or until the edges are lightly golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out mostly clean. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely on a wire rack.
- Make Coconut Frosting: While the cookie base cools, prepare the frosting by whipping the softened butter in a stand mixer or with a hand mixer until smooth. Gradually add powdered sugar and continue mixing until combined.
- Add Flavor and Whip: Mix in the cream of coconut, vanilla extract, coconut extract, and a pinch of salt. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and whip the frosting on medium-high speed for about 3 minutes until it becomes light and fluffy.
- Frost the Cookie Bars: Carefully lift the cooled cookie bars out of the baking dish using the parchment paper. Spread the prepared coconut frosting evenly over the top of the bars.
- Color the Coconut Flakes: Place the sweetened coconut flakes and a couple of drops of green food coloring into a quart-sized zip-top bag. Seal the bag tightly and shake or toss it until the coconut flakes turn a vibrant green. Add more food coloring if needed to achieve the desired shade.
- Cut and Decorate: For easier serving, cut the frosted bars into 12 equal slices first. Then sprinkle the dyed green coconut flakes generously over each piece.
- Garnish and Serve: Top each slice with an Easter Peep and several jelly beans for a festive finishing touch. Serve these delightful bars immediately and enjoy!
Notes
- Ensure the cookie bars cool completely before frosting to prevent melting or sliding of the frosting.
- Use parchment paper in the baking dish for easy removal and clean-up.
- If you don’t have cream of coconut, you can substitute with coconut milk combined with a little extra powdered sugar, but the flavor might be milder.
- To dye the coconut flakes evenly, shake in small increments and add food coloring gradually to avoid overly wet flakes.
- Store any leftover bars in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or refrigerate them for up to a week.
Keywords: Easter sugar cookie bars, coconut frosting, holiday dessert, Easter treats, confetti sprinkles, sweet cookie bars