4th of July Sugar Cookie Bars

if you are looking for a last minute dessert to take with you to a 4th of july cookout, look no further than this (admittedly unhealthy) sugar cookie cake/bars.

i made this one a while ago but picture how pretty it would look decorated like the american flag. something a little more like this?

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again, this is by no means a healthy dessert. it's basically sugar cookie dough pressed into a sheet pan and baked.

then iced with sugar cookie icing and decorated. you can take them in the sheet pan decorated like an american flag and cut it when ready to eat. or, ice it with white icing, cut into bars and decorate, or you could cut them into bars and then ice some red, some white, and some blue. anyway you do it, they are super easy and kids always love them.

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Sugar Cookie Bars
adapted from annie's eats
(makes approximately 48 bars)

cookie bar dough:
1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 1/2 cups sugar
4 large eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
zest from 1 lemon
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 tsp salt
½ tsp. baking soda

frosting:
3/4 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 tsp vanilla extract
pinch of salt
3 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted
food coloring (optional)

preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.  cream together butter and sugar in an electric mixer on medium-high speed until light a fluffy (approximately 2 minutes).  add eggs one at a time, blending well after each addition and scraping down sides of the bowl as necessary. add vanilla and lemon zest. in a separate bowl, whisk together dry ingredients (both flours, salt, and baking soda). add dry ingredients to mixer a little at a time and beat until final dry ingredients are just incorporated.

press cookie dough into a 13" x 18" greased rimmed baking sheet. bake 10-15 minutes until just starting to brown around the edges. let cool completely on a wire rack.

note: it is very important to let the cookies cool completely before frosting - otherwise, icing may melt!

to make frosting, cream butter in electric mixer on medium-high speed until smooth. add vanilla and salt. then add sifted confectioners' sugar a little at a time and blend until smooth. tint with desired food coloring and spread over cooled cookies in the pan. let set and cut into bars and serve!