Easter Egg Sugar Cookie Bars

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Easter Egg Sugar Cookie Bars 🐣🌸

These soft, buttery sugar cookie bars are a festive and foolproof dessert for Easter and spring gatherings! Instead of rolling and cutting individual cookies, this recipe lets you bake everything in one pan, then frost and decorate for a beautiful, effortless treat.

The cookie base is rich and buttery, the frosting is smooth and creamy, and the decorations make them irresistibly cute! Whether you’re making them for an Easter party, brunch, or just because, they’re guaranteed to be a crowd favorite.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

✔ No Rolling or Cutting – No need to shape individual cookies—just press the dough into the pan and bake!
✔ Perfectly Soft & Buttery – The sugar cookie base has a melt-in-your-mouth texture with just the right amount of chewiness.
✔ Beautiful & Customizable – With pastel frosting and mini chocolate eggs, they’re stunning for Easter but can be decorated for any occasion!
✔ Make-Ahead Friendly – These bars stay soft for days, making them perfect for prepping ahead of time.

Ingredients

For the Sugar Cookie Bars:

  • 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract (or almond extract for a unique twist)
  • 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt

For the Frosting:

  • 2 cups powdered sugar
  • ¼ cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 2 tablespoons milk (adjust for consistency)
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • Food coloring (pastel pink, blue, yellow, or green)

For Decoration:

  • Mini chocolate eggs (Cadbury Mini Eggs, M&M’s, or speckled candy eggs)
  • Pastel-colored sprinkles (nonpareils, confetti, or sugar pearls)

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Prepare the Cookie Dough

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 9×13-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving a slight overhang for easy removal.
  2. In a large mixing bowl, use a hand mixer or stand mixer to beat butter and sugar together on medium speed for about 2 minutes until fluffy and pale in color.
  3. Add the egg and vanilla extract. Beat again until fully combined.
  4. In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.
  5. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing on low speed until a soft dough forms.

💡 The dough will be thick but soft—this is normal! Avoid overmixing, as it can make the bars tough.

Step 2: Bake the Sugar Cookie Bars

  1. Press the dough evenly into the prepared baking pan, smoothing the top with a spatula or your hands.
  2. Bake for 18-22 minutes, or until the edges turn lightly golden.
  3. Remove from the oven and let the bars cool completely in the pan before frosting.

💡 Don’t overbake! The bars should be soft in the center, as they will continue to set while cooling.

Step 3: Make the Frosting

  1. In a medium bowl, beat powdered sugar and butter together until smooth.
  2. Add milk and vanilla extract, then continue beating until light and fluffy.
  3. If the frosting is too thick, add a little more milk. If too thin, add more powdered sugar.
  4. Divide the frosting into separate bowls and tint each with a few drops of pastel food coloring.

💡 For vibrant pastel colors, start with just one drop of food coloring and add more as needed. Gel food coloring works best!

Step 4: Decorate the Bars

  1. Once the bars are completely cool, spread the frosting evenly across the surface.
  2. Use multiple colors of frosting for a fun Easter effect! You can swirl the colors together for a marbled look or spread them in sections.
  3. Press mini chocolate eggs into the frosting in clusters to resemble little bird nests.
  4. Sprinkle with pastel-colored nonpareils or confetti sprinkles for an extra festive touch.

💡 For a bakery-style finish, use a piping bag to pipe decorative frosting swirls before adding the mini eggs!

How to Store & Make Ahead

Storage:

  • At Room Temperature: Store in an airtight container for up to 2 days.
  • In the Refrigerator: Keep in an airtight container for up to 5 days. The frosting will firm up, so let them sit at room temperature before serving.
  • In the Freezer: Freeze unfrosted bars in a freezer-safe container for up to 2 months. Thaw, frost, and decorate before serving.

Make-Ahead Tips:

  • The bars can be baked 1-2 days in advance and stored in an airtight container before frosting.
  • The frosting can be made ahead and stored in the fridge for up to 5 days. Let it come to room temperature and mix again before spreading.

Variations & Customizations

✔ Lemon Sugar Cookie Bars: Add 1 teaspoon of lemon zest to the dough and use lemon extract in the frosting for a fresh citrus twist.
✔ Chocolate Lover’s Version: Stir ½ cup of white or milk chocolate chips into the dough before baking.
✔ Spring Confetti Bars: Mix ¼ cup of pastel sprinkles directly into the dough for a funfetti-style cookie bar!
✔ Dye-Free Frosting: Instead of food coloring, use freeze-dried fruit powders (strawberry, raspberry, or blueberry) for natural pastel hues.

Serving Suggestions

🌿 For Easter Brunch: Serve these alongside carrot cake, fruit salad, or hot cross buns for a complete spread.
☕ With Coffee or Tea: These bars pair beautifully with a warm latte or a cup of chamomile tea.
🎉 As a Party Treat: Arrange them on a platter with other pastel-colored treats for a stunning dessert table centerpiece.

Final Thoughts

These Easter Egg Sugar Cookie Bars are soft, buttery, and beautifully festive—the perfect springtime dessert! Whether you’re celebrating with family, hosting a brunch, or just treating yourself, these bars will bring a touch of sweetness and joy.

They’re easy to make, fun to decorate, and absolutely delicious. Try them once, and they might just become an Easter tradition in your home!

Happy baking, and enjoy your Easter treats! 🐰🌷

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