Pink Sugar Cookie Bars with Cream Cheese Icing and Valentine’s Sprinkles Recipe
Delight in these Pink Sugar Cookie Bars featuring a soft, buttery cookie base topped with a creamy, sweet pink cream cheese icing adorned with festive Valentine’s sprinkles. Perfectly baked with a tender center and a lightly golden edge, these bars make an ideal treat for special occasions or everyday indulgence.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 9 bars
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Cookie Base
- ½ cup salted butter
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp salt
Icing
- ½ cup cream cheese
- ¼ cup salted butter, softened
- 1 ½ cups powdered sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- Red food coloring, as needed
- Valentine’s sprinkles, for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a 9×9-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving some overhang for easy removal of the bars.
- Mix Butter and Sugar: In a large bowl, beat the salted butter and granulated sugar together until light and fluffy, about 1–2 minutes.
- Add Egg and Vanilla: Mix in the egg and vanilla extract until fully combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed to ensure even mixing.
- Incorporate Dry Ingredients: Gradually add the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt to the wet mixture, mixing just until combined to avoid overmixing, which can toughen the cookies.
- Shape and Bake: Press the cookie dough evenly into the prepared baking pan. Bake for 18–22 minutes, or until the edges appear set and the center is slightly underbaked for a soft texture.
- Prepare Icing: While the bars bake, beat the cream cheese and softened butter in a medium bowl until smooth and creamy. Gradually mix in powdered sugar and vanilla extract until the icing is light and fluffy. Add red food coloring gradually until a desired pink color is achieved.
- Ice and Chill: Once the cookie bars have cooled, spread the pink cream cheese icing evenly over the top. Decorate with Valentine’s sprinkles. Chill in the refrigerator for 20–30 minutes to set the icing and make slicing cleaner.
- Serve: Remove chilled bars from the pan using the parchment overhang, cut into 9 squares, and enjoy your festive pink sugar cookie bars!
Notes
- Do not overmix the dough after adding flour to prevent tough bars.
- Chilling the bars after icing helps the frosting set and allows for clean slices.
- Use room temperature ingredients for better mixing and texture.
- Adjust the amount of red food coloring to achieve your preferred pink shade.
- Store leftover bars in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
