Description
Delight in these Frosted Easter Sugar Cookie Bars, a perfect treat for the holiday season featuring a soft, chewy sugar cookie base topped with creamy vanilla frosting and crowned with crushed sugar-coated mini chocolate eggs. Easy to make and irresistibly festive, these bars combine classic flavors with a colorful twist.
Ingredients
Scale
Cookie Bars
- 1/2 cup (8 tablespoons) salted butter, melted and cooled
- 1 cup packed brown sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp. baking powder
- 1/4 tsp. salt
Frosting
- 6 tablespoons salted butter, cubed and at room temperature
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- 1–2 tablespoons milk, at room temperature
- Blue gel food coloring (optional)
Topping
- About 1 cup sugar-coated mini chocolate eggs (such as Cadbury), crushed
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare Pan: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 9×9-inch baking pan with parchment paper, ensuring about an inch overhang on the sides for easy lifting. Set aside.
- Make Cookie Batter: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, combine the melted and cooled butter with brown sugar. Add the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla extract, beating to combine. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl. Add the flour, baking powder, and salt, mixing until just combined with no white streaks. Be careful not to overmix.
- Bake the Bars: Spread the thick batter evenly into the prepared pan. Bake in the preheated oven for 23-25 minutes until edges are set and the top is beginning to turn golden brown.
- Cool the Bars: Remove from oven and place pan on a wire rack to cool for 5 minutes. Use the parchment paper overhang to lift the bars out of the pan and place on the rack to cool completely.
- Prepare Frosting: In a clean stand mixer bowl with paddle attachment, beat the room temperature butter until smooth. Gradually add powdered sugar in thirds, beating after each addition and scraping the bowl sides as needed. Mix in vanilla extract and 1 tablespoon of milk until combined. Add the second tablespoon of milk if the frosting is too thick. Optionally, add a few drops of blue gel food coloring on low speed to tint the frosting.
- Frost and Decorate: Spread the cooled bars with an even layer of frosting. Place sugar-coated mini chocolate eggs in a zip-lock bag and crush lightly with a rolling pin or mallet. Sprinkle the crushed eggs evenly over the frosting and gently press down to adhere.
- Slice and Store: Slice bars into 16 pieces. Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2-3 days.
Notes
- The frosting thickness can be adjusted with the amount of milk added to achieve your preferred consistency.
- Crush the mini eggs carefully to avoid making too fine a powder; small chunks add texture and visual appeal.
- Ensure bars are completely cooled before frosting to prevent melting and sliding of frosting.
- Use parchment paper with an overhang to easily lift bars out of the pan without breaking.
- These bars can be made a day ahead; store covered to keep them fresh.
Keywords: Easter sugar cookie bars, frosted cookie bars, sugar cookie bars with frosting, Easter dessert, sugar cookie bar recipe, chocolate egg bars