Sugar Cookie Bars

I love getting recipes from readers. I feel like if someone takes the time to email you a recipe, they must really love it. I have acquired quite a few recipes over the last couple of months and I'm determined to try all of them as time and my thighs allow it. BreeAnn emailed me this a while ago and I finally tried them and loved them. It seems like I've seen them bouncing across the food blogs a ton just recently so I may not be the first but here's my go at them. They are dangerously easy and great for holiday themed cookies or baby showers with half of the effort! No rolling and frosting individual cookies.

Someone couldn't wait for me to chill these and dug right in...

They should be less work although my kids were being high maintenance and wanted half yellow, half pink...and half normal icing, half almond flavored frosting. I actually preferred the almond frosting.

Sugar Cookie Bars

Source: BreeAnn Fankhauser

1 cup butter, room temperature
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
5 cups flour
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp lemon zest (optional)

Cream butter and sugar until fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing after each egg. Add vanilla and mix well. In a separate bowl combine flour, salt, baking soda and stir with a whisk to combine. Add to wet mixture and mix just until combined. Spread on a greased baking sheet (use a 13 x 18 pan). Bake at 375 degrees for 10-15 min, until light golden brown or until a toothpick comes out clean (they won't look done so do the toothpick test). Cool completely and frost.

Frosting
1/2 cup butter, room temperature
4 ounces cream cheese (1/2 of an 8 oz block) softened
1 tsp vanilla (I used almond extract for half of the frosting)
¼ tsp salt
4 cups powdered sugar
5 Tbsp milk
food coloring (if desired)

For frosting combine butter and cream cheese until smooth and creamy. Add vanilla and salt. Add powdered sugar in 1-2 cup increments until combined, then add milk a little at a time and mix until smooth and spreading consistency. You may not need all the milk! Spread over cooled cookie bars.