cookie bars Archives - Family Cookie Recipes

CHRISTMAS SUGAR COOKIE BARS

Nellie — Tue, 16 Nov 2021 10:09:00 +0000

Christmas Sugar Cookie Bars are thick, soft and absolutely amazing! Best sugar cookie bar recipe that I’ve ever tried!

Sugar cookies are a holiday must, but sometimes I just don’t have the time or energy for rolling out the dough, cutting out the cookies and frosting each cookie individually. Cue the sugar cookie bars!

I’ve tried many different sugar cookie bar recipes over the years, and most of them are pretty good, but this one is absolutely incredible. Perfect thickness. Perfect texture – not dry or crumbly at all, but thick and soft. And the frosting is delicious too! Even if you don’t think you are a fan of sugar cookies, you need to try this recipe.

The key to making the best sugar cookie bars?

I think the reason this recipe is so superior to all others is because there is cream cheese in the sugar cookie dough. The rest of the ingredients are pretty standard, but the cream cheese absolutely creates the perfect texture for these cookie bars.

And that little bit of almond extract isn’t completely necessary, but it adds a fantastic flavor, so don’t leave it out!

Also, make sure to beat the dough according to the directions. It may feel like you are mixing for longer than you normally do, but I promise that the results will be worth it!

When to serve sugar cookie bars?

Turn the frosting green and add some holiday sprinkles and you have the perfect Christmas dessert! The nice thing about the recipe is that it can work for any holiday…just change the frosting color and pick the right sprinkles and you can have the perfect dessert for Valentine’s Day, the 4th of July, Easter, Halloween, baby showers, etc.

Ingredients in Christmas Sugar Cookie Bars

Butter – You will need 2 sticks of butter for this recipe. Real butter works best and make sure the butter is softened to room temperature before adding to the sugar.

Sugar – Regular granulated sugar adds all the sweetness to these delicious cookie bars.

Cream cheese – One 8-ounce brick of cream cheese is what makes these sugar cookies so amazing. Regular cream cheese works best, but you can also use a low-fat or non-fat version. Just make sure to soften it before adding to the recipe.

Egg – You only need 1 egg to bind everything together.

Almond extract – This is the other “secret” ingredient that makes these cookie bars the best. You can leave it out and they will still be good, but I love the additional flavor boost that comes from adding the almond extract.

Vanilla extract – The higher the quality of the vanilla, the better!

Baking powder – Acts as the leavening agent in the cookies. Make sure your baking powder isn’t expired!

Flour – All-purpose flour works best in this recipe.

Frosting:

SUGAR COOKIE FROSTING INGREDIENTS

Butter – More butter! Again, make sure to use real butter and soften it to room temperature before making the frosting.

Cream cheese – You only need half of a brick of cream cheese for the frosting. Regular, non-fat or low-fat all work well. Make sure it is softened to room temperature as well.

Powdered sugar – Powdered sugar is the main ingredient in frosting so don’t leave it out!

Milk – Milk helps to thin out the frosting to desired consistency. Any type of milk or cream works great. Just add a little bit to begin with and add a little more if you want to thin the frosting out.

Vanilla extract – Adds a little extra flavor to the frosting. The higher the quality, the better.

Food coloring – Add some food coloring to make the frosting any color you want! Easy to adapt these bars to any holiday, party or special occasion.

How to make Sugar Cookie Bars

Preheat oven to 350°.

In a large bowl, beat the butter, sugar, cream cheese and egg for about 4 minutes.

Add the almond extract and vanilla and beat for another minute.

Add the flour and baking powder and beat for 2 more minutes.

Press the dough into a greased 10″X15″X1″ pan and bake for 20 minutes. Let the bars cool and then add the frosting.

Mix all the frosting ingredients together and beat until smooth. Frost the cooled bars and then slice and serve.

Christmas Sugar Cookie Bars

Christmas Sugar Cookie Bars are thick, soft and absolutely amazing! Best sugar cookie bar recipe that I've ever tried!

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword Christmas Sugar Cookie Bars

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 20

Servings

Calories 319kcal

Author Jessica & Nellie

Ingredients

1 cup butter softened to room temperature
1 ½ cups sugar
8 oz cream cheese softened to room temperature
1 egg
½ tsp almond extract
1 tsp vanilla extract
½ tsp baking powder
2 ½ cups flour
Frosting:
½ cup butter softened to room temperature
4 oz. cream cheese softened to room temperature
3 ½ cups powdered sugar
3-5 Tbsp milk start with 3 and add more to desired consistency
1 tsp vanilla
food coloring

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°.
In a large bowl, beat the butter, sugar, cream cheese and egg for about 4 minutes.
Add the almond extract and vanilla and beat for another minute.
Add the flour and baking powder and beat for 2 more minutes.
Press the dough into a greased 10″X15″X1″ pan and bake for 20 minutes. Let the bars cool and then add the frosting.
Mix all the frosting ingredients together and beat until smooth. Frost the cooled bars and then slice and serve.

Nutrition

HOW TO CUT PERFECT COOKIE BARS

The answer to getting every single cookie bar cut and looking perfect is parchment paper! I used to always get frustrated with desserts that are made in a 9X13 pan because I felt like I was always destroying the entire first row trying to get them out of the pan! Then I discovered that if you use parchment paper, you can remove all the cookie bars from the pan and slice them perfectly.

If you don’t have parchment paper, you can just grease your pan like you usually do but your first row may just not be quite as pretty! This cookie bar recipe is one of the easiest to cut into squares – they stay intact much better than many other desserts!

TIPS FOR MAKING THE BEST SUGAR COOKIE BARS

Do not melt the butter! The butter needs to be softened (at room temperature), but using melted butter will ruin the cookies.
Spend a little extra time when you mix everything together. Adding a few extra minutes (as the recipe states), will make a huge difference in the texture and consistency of the cookie bars.
Preheat the oven. This will help your cookies turn out right every time!
Use parchment paper. Doing this will make it really easy to remove the cookies from your 9X13 pan.
Make sure not to over bake your cookie bars. Once the edges begin to turn even the lightest golden brown, take them out of the oven! I prefer to err on the side of being slightly undercooked for cookies because if they cook even a little bit too long, they can get hard and I really like soft cookies!

LIKE COOKIE BARS? HERE ARE SOME OF OUR FAVORITE COOKIE BAR RECIPES!

I was looking through Christmas photos from years past and found this little gem from about 5 years ago. 5 years doesn’t seem that long ago, but my kids look like babies in this picture! Gotta love those Christmas morning photos on the stairs. Or maybe that’s only my family tradition…anyone else always get a picture of the kids coming down the stairs on Christmas morning?!

Christmas Sugar Cookie Bars are thick, soft and absolutely amazing! Best sugar cookie bar recipe that I’ve ever tried!

The post CHRISTMAS SUGAR COOKIE BARS appeared first on Family Cookie Recipes.

CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIE BARS

Jessica — Mon, 14 Oct 2019 17:05:11 +0000

Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars are quick & easy variation on a classic chocolate chip cookie recipe. These buttery, chocolaty cookie bars are family favorites!

I was craving cookies one day but didn’t have the time to bake several batches, so I broke out this recipe and wow! They were so delicious. It’s probably the cup of butter, right? Right.

I thought they’d taste just like regular cookies in bar form, but they were different. Dense, great flavor and the butter/ brown sugar combination bakes an almost toffee-like crust on the bottom. It’s heavenly. These disappeared in record time in our house!

Ingredients needed to make Chocolate Chip Bars Recipe

This is what you’ll need to make Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars ~

Softened butter
Packed brown sugar
Vanilla
Flour
Salt
Semi-sweet chocolate chips
Chopped walnuts or pecans

How to make Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a Bakers Quarter sheet with parchment paper.

Beat butter, sugar and vanilla until well blended. Add in flour and salt. Mix until blended.

Stir in chocolate chips and nuts.

Press mixture into the prepared pan.

Bake 20-25 minutes, until edges are lightly browned. Cool 5 minutes and cut into squares.

Enjoy with a glass of milk!

Tips for making the best chocolate chip cookie bars:

Making homemade chocolate chip bars is easy! Here are a few tips to getting perfect cookie bars every time!

Make sure you use softened butter – DON’T melt it! One of the most common errors in cookie making is using butter that is either really cold and hard, or using butter that is too warm and melted. If you have time, just leave butter out on the counter for about 1-2 hours before making your cookies. If you are like me and don’t plan your cookie cravings that far in advance, just place the butter in your microwave and soften in 5 second intervals, being very careful to pull it out before it melts. I actually like to use the defrost setting on my microwave to soften butter- I don’t know the technical reasons behind it, but it seems to soften the butter more evenly and takes a little bit longer so I’m less likely to start melting it!
Most cookie recipes require that you mix the dry ingredients separately before adding the wet ingredients. This is an important step! And be sure not to over mix the dry and wet ingredients together. Just mix until combined and then stop!
Make sure to slightly press peanut butter cookies on the top with a fork before baking.

Easy Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars

Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars are quick & easy variation on a classic chocolate chip cookie recipe. These buttery, chocolaty cookie bars are family favorites!

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword chocolate chip cookie bars

Prep Time 10

Total Time 30

Servings bars

Calories 185kcal

Author Jessica & Nellie

Ingredients

Ingredients:

1 cup softened butter 2 sticks
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups flour
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans

Instructions

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a Bakers Quarter sheet or 9x13 pan with parchment paper.
Beat butter, sugar and vanilla until well blended. Add in flour and salt. Mix until blended.
Stir in chocolate chips and nuts.
Press mixture into the prepared pan.
Bake 20-25 minutes, until edges are lightly browned. Cool 5 minutes and cut into squares. Enjoy with a glass of milk!

Video

Nutrition

How do I soften butter?

The traditional way of softening butter is leaving however much you need for a recipe out at room temperature for long enough to soften.

However, there are some other, quicker ways to soften butter such as: cutting up the butter, pounding the butter, beating the butter and if it comes to it, microwaving the butter. If microwaving, use the defrost setting for only about 15 sec. You don’t want your butter to melt!

Can you freeze Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars?

Yes, you can freeze these cookie bars! After the bars have baked, and you’ve cut them, you can freeze them. Just separate layers with parchment paper and be sure to use an air tight container.

We’re dog sitting for a couple weeks and it’s been eye opening! First, this dog is smart. Super smart. I’m convinced she’s half human because no dog can be THIS easy to take care of. She listens. And then somehow very clearly communicates what she wants or needs. It’s amazing! I grew up with dogs but none quite like this one. My kids keep saying, “let’s just keep her!” Ha! It doesn’t quite work that way, I’m afraid. At any rate, here they are enjoying said smart dog with their cousins. Everyone always wants to be petting the dog all the time… so the two of mine that aren’t, well I’m sure you can guess which ones they are by the scowls on their faces. HA!

Do you have a dog?

Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars are the best chocolate chip cookie recipe made into a cookie bar recipe! This delicious treat is so easy, ready in 30 minutes, and is loved by everyone.

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NO BAKE COOKIE BARS

Jessica — Fri, 23 Aug 2019 13:38:33 +0000

No Bake Cookie Bars recipe is a quick variation on THE BEST no bake cookies recipe. Made with quick oats & chocolate chips, these no bake oatmeal cookies couldn’t be tastier!

These are literally THE BEST no bake cookie recipe I have ever had. Making No Bake Cookies in bars is a faster, easier process that I love.

What are No Bake Cookies?

No bake cookies are an amazing, addictive cookie recipe. They include on chocolate, peanut butter, oats, and best of all, no baking!

Although there are many variations, they are all so incredibly tasty because they use real chocolate chips, instead of cocoa powder.

What’s in No Bake Cookie Bars?

This is everything that’s in this No Bake Cookie Bars recipe:

— Butter

— Sugar

— Milk

— Coconut

— Semi Sweet Chocolate Chips

— Walnuts

— Quick Oats

— Vanilla

How to make No Bake Cookie Bars:

This is how to make No Bake Cookie Bars ~

First, prepare a cookie sheet for later by lining a 9×13 cookie sheet with wax paper.

Then, start making the recipe by combining the butter, sugar and milk in a pan. Bring the mixture to a boil and let it boil for 1 minute. Remove pan from heat.

Make sure you only let it boil for 1 minute, or else your cookies might not set right.

Add the semi-sweet chocolate chips to the pan. Stir the chocolate chips until they have melted completely.

Then, add the coconut, walnuts, oats and vanilla. Mix everything until it’s all thoroughly combined.

Pour onto the prepared cookie sheet. Gently smooth if needed. Let cool.

When completely cooled, cut into desired size of bar.

What to do when No Bake Cookies recipe won’t set?

Putting your cookies in the fridge or freezer will help them firm up a bit.

To avoid your No Bake Cookies not setting, make sure you boil the cookies for 1 minute.

Another important component of No Bake Cookies that set right is using the right oats. I use quick oats in this recipe. Using other kinds of oats will change the consistency of the cookie, since quick oats are smaller.

No Bake Cookie Bars

No Bake Cookie Bars recipe is a quick variation on THE BEST no bake cookies recipe. Made with quick oats & chocolate chips, these no bake oatmeal cookies couldn't be tastier!

Course chocolate, Cookies, Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword no bake cookies

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 5

Cooling time 10

Total Time 20

Servings

Calories 123kcal

Author Jessica & Nellie

Ingredients

1 cup butter 2 cubes
2 cups sugar
1/2 cup milk
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
3/4 cup shredded coconut
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
3 cups quick oats
1 tsp vanilla

Instructions

Line a 9x13 cookie sheet with wax paper.
Combine butter, sugar and milk in a pan. Bring to a boil. Boil for 1 minute. Remove pan from heat.
Add the semi-sweet chocolate chips. Stir until chocolate chips have melted completely.
Add coconut, walnuts, oats and vanilla. Stir until everything is mixed in.
Pour onto prepared cookie sheet. Gently smooth if needed. Let cool.
When completely cooled, cut into small squares.

Video

Nutrition

Love Chocolate, No Bake or Bar Cookie Recipes? Try some of these tasty recipes:

— REESE’S CHOCOLATE COOKIE CUPS

— DOUBLE CHOCOLATE CHERRY COOKIES

— CHOCOLATE CARAMEL CAKE MIX COOKIES

— MARSHMALLOW PEANUT BUTTER NO BAKE COOKIES

— PEANUT BUTTER NO BAKE COOKIES

— NO BAKE MICROWAVE OATMEAL CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

— OATMEAL CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

— LEMON SUGAR COOKIE BARS

— SWIRLED PATRIOTIC COOKIE BARS

Can No Bake Cookie Bars be frozen?

Yes, No Bake Cookies can absolutely be frozen! It will help them firm up, and in my opinion, taste better! Especially in the summer. Now, if only I could get them to last long enough to make it to the freezer before everyone eats them all!

Which oats are best for No Bake Peanut Butter Bars?

Different No Bake Cookie recipes will call for different kinds of oats, but for this recipe you should use quick oats. Using different kinds of oats will change the texture of the bars, and you risk them not setting up right. Being the main ingredient in this recipe, it’s important to get the right kind of oats.

Do No Bake Cookie Bars need to be refrigerated?

Putting No Bake Cookie Bars in the fridge will help the cookies to hold a firmer shape. They also will last longer if you keep them in the fridge.

However, they technically don’t need to be refrigerated. You can store them in an airtight container in room temperature and they will be fine.

How long does it take for no bake cookies to set up?

These no bake cookies only take about 15-20 minutes to cool and set up at room temperature, but you can reduce that time by at least half if you let them set up in the refrigerator. If you prefer the taste and texture of these cookies at room temperature just make sure to remove them from the refrigerator once set. You can definitely eat them while cold though too! I think they somehow taste better cold 🙂

Will Chocolate No Bake Cookies stick to foil?

I’ve seen No Bake Cookies stick to aluminum foil before, but it doesn’t always. To avoid the hassle and the risk I would recommend using wax paper. It’s always worked for me, and they just slide right off!

What kind of peanut butter to use in No Bake Cookie Bars?

The recipe calls for creamy peanut butter but you can use crunchy peanut butter if you prefer. Any type of peanut butter, even the more natural varieties will work just fine in this recipe.

The easiest way to measure out peanut butter in a recipe is with a measuring cup like this one. You can measure the peanut butter and push it out so easily without trying to scrape it all out of a regular measuring cup! These measuring cups work so well for peanut butter, honey, shortening…I use mine all the time!

We celebrated the FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL this past week! WAHOO. When I say “we celebrated” I mean, I celebrated and my kids went along with it so they could see their friends again. Ha! I actually love this time of year- more set schedules, kids are active and engaged all day and I get some time to myself. All 5 of my kids are in school this year and I honestly don’t know what I’m going to do with myself. I have a few ideas though!

No Bake Cookie Bars recipe is a variation on no bake cookies. Made with real chocolate instead of cocoa powder, these no bake oatmeal cookies are easily the best recipe ever!

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