Description
Delight in the nostalgic flavors of Poptart Cookie Bars, featuring a buttery sugar cookie base layered with sweet strawberry preserves and topped with a smooth vanilla glaze and colorful sprinkles. Perfect for a fun dessert or snack, these bars combine the best of pop tarts and cookies in an easy-to-make, shareable treat.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Sugar Cookie Dough
- ½ cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
- 2 ½ cups + 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 2/3 cup strawberry preserves
For the Glaze
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 ½-2 tbsp whole milk
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- Rainbow sprinkles, for decorating
Instructions
- Prepare Pan and Preheat Oven: Line an 8×8 square metal baking pan with parchment paper, leaving overhang on all sides to easily lift the bars later. Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Cream Butter and Sugar: In a stand mixer, beat the butter and granulated sugar together for 3 minutes until light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl to ensure even mixing.
- Add Eggs and Vanilla: Mix in the room temperature eggs and vanilla extract until just combined, scraping down the bowl once more.
- Incorporate Dry Ingredients: Add the flour, sea salt, and baking soda to the wet mixture gradually, mixing until the dough starts to come together.
- Chill Dough: Refrigerate the dough for 20 minutes to firm it up, which will make it easier to spread in the pan.
- Press First Layer: Press half of the cookie dough evenly into the prepared pan. Lift this layer out carefully using the parchment overhang and place it on a baking sheet. Freeze this layer for now.
- Prepare Second Layer Base: Replace parchment strips in the pan to keep it covered on all sides, then press the remaining cookie dough evenly into the pan.
- Add Preserves: Spread the strawberry preserves evenly over the dough layer in the pan.
- Add Top Dough Layer: Remove the frozen first dough layer from the freezer, peel off the parchment, and place it on top of the preserves. Press gently to secure it to the layer below.
- Bake: Bake the cookie bars in the preheated oven for 28 minutes or until the top is golden brown.
- Cool: Let the bars cool completely on a wire rack.
- Flip Bars: Using the parchment overhang, lift the bars out of the pan and flip them upside down so the bottom becomes the top.
- Make Glaze: Whisk together powdered sugar, whole milk, and vanilla extract until smooth and pourable.
- Decorate: Pour the glaze over the bars evenly and sprinkle with rainbow sprinkles.
- Set Glaze and Serve: Allow the glaze to set at room temperature for 2 hours before cutting into 15 bars and enjoying.
Notes
- Use the spoon-level method to measure flour for best baking results or weigh it with a kitchen scale to avoid using too much flour.
- Always use a square metal 8×8 baking pan with straight edges to ensure even baking and the right texture.
- Allow the glaze to fully set before cutting to prevent moisturizing and wrinkling; avoid using the freezer for setting the glaze.
- Feel free to swap strawberry preserves with your favorite jam flavors such as grape, blackberry, or blueberry.
- Work with clean hands when pressing dough layers to avoid sticking and make spreading easier.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bar
- Calories: 250 kcal
- Sugar: 18 g
- Sodium: 120 mg
- Fat: 11 g
- Saturated Fat: 6 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 34 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 40 mg
