Stars and Stripes Cookie Bars

Homemade cookie bars with red, white, and blue sprinkles and a fun herringbone effect on the frosting!

I always forget to make themed holiday treats unless it's one of three holidays: Halloween, Thanksgiving, or Christmas. But last year, I did remember to make a red, white, and blue treat for the 4th of July AND I have one planned for this year too. I don't really go ham on most holidays which is why I never really post any holiday recipes, but it is fun and brings me back to my childhood where I was always in the kitchen helping my mom or grandma make something fun for any holiday. I love cookie bars and there are a ton of quick ones that use box or pouch mix, but it was super fun to make a homemade version. You could also absolutely add star shape sprinkles on top since you have the stripes. Realistically, you could just switch up the sprinkles and the gel frosting colors and make this go for any holiday!

What you need:

For the Cookie Bars:

• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
• 1/2 tsp. almond extract
  
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1 cup red, white, and blue sprinkles

For the Frosting: 

• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
• 1/2 tsp. almond extract
• 4 cups powdered sugar
• 2 to 3 Tbsp. milk
• Red gel frosting in a tube
• Blue gel frosting in a tube
  

Directions:

1. For the Cookie Bars: With a stand mixer, cream together butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy.
2. Add eggs, vanilla, and almond extract and mix until combined.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. Then add to butter mixture gradually, scraping down the sides as needed.
4. Fold in sprinkles.
5. With your hands, press dough into a foil-lined, greased 9x13-inch baking pan.
6. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 19 to 23 minutes or until just golden brown. Do not overcook it.
7. Remove from oven and let cool completely before frosting.
8. For the Frosting: With a stand mixer, cream together butter with vanilla and almond extract.
9. Gradually add powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl occasionally.
10. As the frosting gets stiffer, add milk, 1 Tbsp. at a time, as needed.
11. Spread frosting over cooled bars.
12. Add alternating lines of red and blue gel frostings. Use a toothpick to drag lines through the opposite way you drew the stripes for a herringbone effect.
13. For easier slicing, refrigerate bars until serving time.
    

Recipe from Delightful E Made

Stars & Stripes Cookie Bars

Author: Sarah Ellis/Fantastical Sharing of Recipes

Ingredients

For the Cookie Bars:

• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
• 1/2 tsp. almond extract
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1 cup red, white, and blue sprinkles

For the Frosting:

• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
• 1/2 tsp. almond extract
• 4 cups powdered sugar
• 2 to 3 Tbsp. milk
• Red gel frosting in a tube
• Blue gel frosting in a tube

Instructions

1. For the Cookie Bars: With a stand mixer, cream together butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy.
2. Add eggs, vanilla, and almond extract and mix until combined.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. Then add to butter mixture gradually, scraping down the sides as needed.
4. Fold in sprinkles.
5. With your hands, press dough into a foil-lined, greased 9x13-inch baking pan.
6. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 19 to 23 minutes or until just golden brown. Do not overcook it.
7. Remove from oven and let cool completely before frosting.
8. For the Frosting: With a stand mixer, cream together butter with vanilla and almond extract.
9. Gradually add powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl occasionally.
10. As the frosting gets stiffer, add milk, 1 Tbsp. at a time, as needed.
11. Spread frosting over cooled bars.
12. Add alternating lines of red and blue gel frostings. Use a toothpick to drag lines through the opposite way you drew the stripes for a herringbone effect.
13. For easier slicing, refrigerate bars until serving time.

Notes:

Recipe from Delightful E Made

Created using The Recipes Generator