Sugar Cookie Bars with Vanilla Frosting

By Foodiewife

These sugar cookie bars are a simple and quick way to make sugar cookies, without all the work of rolling the dough. The frosting is very sweet, so go easy (as I didn't the first time I made it). You can save the rest of the frosting for cupcakes.

Ingredients

• BUTTERCREAM FROSTING:
• 1 stick butter, softened
• 1 cups sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 1/2 cups flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 3/4 cup solid white vegetable shortening
• 3/4 cup butter, softened
• 2 teaspoons clear vanilla extract
• 1/3 cup, plus 2 tablespoons warm water
• 1 (2-pound) bag confectioner's sugar

Details

Servings 24
Preparation time 15mins
Cooking time 45mins
Adapted from foodiewife-kitchen.blogspot.com

Preparation

Step 1

Preheat to 375°F.

Sift together the flour, salt and baking soda to combine, and set aside.

Spray a 9 x 13 cookie sheet (with raised sides) with non-stick spray.

Put the butter in the bowl of an electric mixer and turn on to cream the butter. Slowly add the sugar and mix until creamy, about two minutes. Add the eggs and mix to combine. Add vanilla. In three parts, add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and stir just to combine, scraping the bowl in between additions.

Spread the dough in the 9 x 13 pan. Bake for 14 - 19 minutes, or until it is slightly golden around the edges.

Leave in pan to cool, on a wire rack.

When completely cool, spread with about 1 cup of frosting (recipe below), or to taste. Wait until frosting has set a bit before cutting, at least a half hour.

FROSTING:
Add shortening and butter to the electric mixer bowl and turn on to cream it.

Add 1/2 the sugar and mix on low to combine (you'll certainly want your bowl's dust lid/shield thing on at this point!).

Add the warm water and mix to a paste.

Once it is creamed, add the rest of the sugar. Mix. Add the extract. Mix to combine completely, scraping the sides of the bowl occasionally.

Then, turn mixer to high and beat to about 8 minutes. Store in the refrigerator for up to 8 - 12 weeks (seriously!).

Note: This recipe makes a lot more buttercream frosting than you'll need for this, but it stores really well in the refrigerator. I just make it in big batches and save it for future use.