Easy Easter Sugar Cookie Bars with White Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting & M&M’s
Easter is a time for joyful celebrations, family gatherings, and, of course, delightful treats! There’s something inherently comforting and nostalgic about a classic sugar cookie, isn’t there? The tender crumb, the sweet simplicity, and the endless possibilities for decoration make it a perennial favorite. This year, we’re taking that beloved tradition and giving it a wonderfully festive, easy-to-make twist that your entire family will adore. Forget the fuss of rolling and cutting; these delicious Easter Sugar Cookie Bars are designed for maximum flavor with minimal effort.
The inspiration for this recipe came from a classic that has graced our family table many times. However, a recent trip to the grocery store sparked an idea for a fun and colorful upgrade. When I spotted those vibrant White Chocolate M&M’s on the shelf, I knew exactly what needed to happen. They were the perfect seasonal touch to elevate our traditional sugar cookie bars into something truly special for Easter. The result? A batch of incredibly moist, buttery sugar cookie bars, generously topped with a rich and tangy White Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting, and adorned with a cheerful sprinkle of Easter-colored M&M’s.
These bars aren’t just pretty; they are irresistibly delicious. The combination of the soft cookie base, the luscious frosting, and the playful crunch of the M&M’s creates a symphony of textures and flavors that captivate both young and old. They embody the spirit of spring and celebration, making them an ideal dessert for your Easter brunch, a lovely addition to any holiday potluck, or simply a sweet treat to share with loved ones during this special season. Get ready to bake a batch of smiles!
Why Choose Sugar Cookie Bars Over Traditional Cut-Outs?
While classic cut-out sugar cookies hold a special place in our hearts, sometimes holiday baking calls for a more efficient and less messy approach. That’s where sugar cookie bars truly shine! The beauty of baking in bar form is the incredible time-saving convenience it offers. Instead of meticulously rolling out dough, cutting shapes, and transferring them to baking sheets, you simply press the dough into a pan, bake, and then frost the entire slab. This eliminates several steps, significantly reducing prep and cleanup time – a huge plus when you’re juggling multiple holiday preparations.
Beyond the convenience, sugar cookie bars often boast a softer, chewier texture than their cut-out counterparts. Because the dough bakes in a larger mass, it retains more moisture, resulting in a delightfully tender crumb that practically melts in your mouth. This particular recipe yields bars that are perfectly soft and buttery, serving as an ideal foundation for our creamy frosting. Plus, for those who might find cookie decorating a bit intimidating, frosting a large sheet of bars and then sprinkling with M&M’s is a much simpler, more forgiving process that still produces a stunning, festive result. It’s a win-win for deliciousness and ease!
The Secret to Irresistible Frosting: White Chocolate Cream Cheese
What takes these sugar cookie bars from good to absolutely phenomenal is the White Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting. While a simple buttercream is always nice, the addition of cream cheese introduces a delightful tanginess that perfectly balances the sweetness of the sugar cookies and the white chocolate. It’s a match made in dessert heaven! The cream cheese also contributes to a wonderfully smooth, velvety texture that’s rich without being overly heavy, making each bite feel incredibly decadent.
Melting the fine white chocolate and incorporating it into the cream cheese and butter mixture creates a frosting that is not only luscious but also boasts a sophisticated flavor profile. Unlike milk or dark chocolate, white chocolate brings a subtle, creamy sweetness that enhances rather than overwhelms the other components. It’s essential to use high-quality white chocolate for the best results, as this will ensure a smooth melt and a superior taste. When melting, be gentle; a double boiler or short bursts in the microwave are best to prevent scorching. The delicate vanilla notes woven into the frosting further enhance its appeal, making it the perfect crown for these festive bars. This frosting is so good, you might find yourself wanting to put it on everything!
Adding that Festive Flair: Colorful M&M’s
Beyond the incredible taste, these Easter Sugar Cookie Bars are a feast for the eyes, thanks to the delightful addition of White Chocolate M&M’s. The vibrant pastel colors — typically shades of green, yellow, pink, and purple — instantly scream “Easter!” and bring a joyful, celebratory mood to your dessert table. These aren’t just for show, though. The candy coating of the M&M’s provides a satisfying, subtle crunch that contrasts beautifully with the soft cookie and creamy frosting, adding an exciting textural dimension to every bite.
The miniature chocolate centers of the M&M’s also deliver a burst of white chocolate flavor, reinforcing the theme of the frosting and adding an extra layer of sweetness. It’s a simple yet incredibly effective way to make your dessert pop. If you can’t find specific White Chocolate M&M’s, regular Easter-themed M&M’s or even a mix of pastel sprinkles would work wonderfully to achieve a similar festive effect. This customization allows you to adapt the bars for any occasion throughout the year – think red and green for Christmas, orange and black for Halloween, or any color combination to match a birthday party theme. The possibilities are endless, making this recipe incredibly versatile and fun for bakers of all ages!
Tips for Baking Perfect Sugar Cookie Bars
Achieving the perfect sugar cookie bar is simple with a few key tips:
- Room Temperature Ingredients: Ensure your butter and cream cheese are softened to room temperature. This is crucial for achieving a smooth, well-combined dough and a lump-free, creamy frosting. Cold ingredients will lead to a tough dough and a clumpy frosting.
- Don’t Overmix: When combining wet and dry ingredients for the cookie dough, mix just until combined. Overmixing can develop the gluten in the flour, resulting in dense, tough bars instead of soft, tender ones.
- Proper Pan Preparation: For a 13×18 inch pan (often called a half-sheet pan), ensure it’s generously greased or lined with parchment paper with an overhang on the sides. This makes lifting the baked bars out of the pan much easier for frosting and cutting. If you don’t have a 13×18 inch pan, you can use two 9×13 inch pans, but you’ll need to adjust baking times slightly (they might bake faster).
- Watch the Baking Time: Sugar cookie bars are best when slightly underbaked rather than overbaked. Bake for 10-15 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden brown and the center is set but still looks a little soft. They will continue to set as they cool. Overbaking will lead to dry, crumbly bars.
- Cool Completely Before Frosting: This cannot be stressed enough! Frosting warm bars will cause the frosting to melt and make a mess. Allow the bars to cool completely to room temperature, or even chill them briefly in the refrigerator, before spreading on that delicious white chocolate cream cheese frosting.
Variations and Customizations
One of the best things about this sugar cookie bar recipe is its adaptability. While the Easter theme with white chocolate M&M’s is delightful, you can easily customize these bars for any season or preference:
- Seasonal Sprinkles: Instead of M&M’s, use themed sprinkles for different holidays (e.g., patriotic sprinkles for 4th of July, spooky sprinkles for Halloween, snowflake sprinkles for winter).
- Other Candies: Chop up other candies like chocolate chunks, mini chocolate chips, or even crushed peppermints for a festive touch during the winter months.
- Citrus Zest: Add lemon or orange zest to the cookie dough or frosting for a bright, tangy flavor twist, especially lovely for spring and summer.
- Different Extracts: Experiment with extracts! A touch of almond extract in the cookie dough, as suggested in the original, adds a wonderful depth of flavor. You could also try a hint of orange extract or even a floral extract like rosewater (use sparingly!).
- Gluten-Free: For a gluten-free version, simply substitute a 1:1 gluten-free baking flour blend for the all-purpose flour. Ensure your blend contains xanthan gum, or add 1/2 teaspoon per cup of flour.
No matter how you choose to decorate or flavor them, these sugar cookie bars are bound to be a crowd-pleaser. They are incredibly simple to make, yet yield a truly impressive and delicious result that everyone, from the pickiest eaters to the most seasoned dessert connoisseurs, will enjoy.
So, gather your ingredients, enlist the help of little hands if you have them, and get ready to bake some magic this Easter. These bars are not just a dessert; they’re a canvas for creativity and a vehicle for sharing joy. We hope your family enjoys them as much as ours does! Happy baking, and a very Happy Easter to you and yours!
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Print Recipe
Sugar Cookie Bars with White Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients
- Sugar Cookie Bars:
- 2 sticks unsalted butter softened
- 2 cups sugar
- 4 eggs
- 2 tsp vanilla +1/2 tsp almond extract, optional
- 5 cups flour
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- White Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting:
- 1 – 8 ounce package cream cheese softened
- 6 squares fine white chocolate melted
- 1/2 stick butter softened
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 cups powdered sugar
Instructions
Cookie Bars:
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Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
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Cream together butter and sugar. Add vanilla and eggs, and beat well.
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Combine dry ingredients in a separate bowl, and gradually add to creamed mixture, mixing well.
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Spread into greased 13×18 pan, bake for 10-15 minutes, or until golden brown.
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Cool, and then frost.
Frosting:
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In your mixer, Cream together butter and cream cheese. Add vanilla.
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Add melted chocolate, beat.
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Gradually add powdered sugar, beating until creamy and smooth.