Marble Sugar Cookie Bars

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: Christmas, North American

Prep Time: 10

Cook Time: 25

Total Time: 35

Servings: bars

Calories: 339kcal

Author: Lord Byron's Kitchen

These pillow-soft, beautifully festive red and green Marble Sugar Cookie Bars are going to be on everyone's wishlist this Christmas! The cookie base is buttery and sweet with a light fruity note and topped with a homemade buttercream frosting. One should not question if they will make these; only question whether you will call them bars, squares, cookies, or even cake!

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Ingredients

For the Base:

1 cup salted butter, softened
2 cups sugar
4 large eggs, room temperature
2 teaspoons almond extract
5 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
8-10 drops red food colouring, liquid
8-10 drops green food colouring, liquid

For the Frosting:

3/4 cup vegetable shortening (or unsalted butter) softened
2 cups confectioner's sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 tablespoons milk
1 tablespoon sprinkles

Instructions

Begin by preheating your oven to 375 degrees F. Line a 9×13 baking pan with parchment paper. Fold the parchment paper so that it fits snugly in the pan. I use two sheets – one folded to fit the length of the pan and another folded to fit across the pan. Allow the excess parchment paper to hang out over the side of the pan. Once the confection is firm, use the excess parchment to lift the whole block out of the pan to make it easy to cut into squares.
Next, add the softened butter and sugar to a large mixing bowl. Beat until creamy and well combined.
Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
Next, beat in the almond extract.
Finally, add the flour and baking soda. Beat until just incorporated.
Now, divide the dough in half and transfer one half to a separate mixing bowl. Add 8-10 drops of green food colouring to one bowl and 8-10 drops of red to the second bowl of cookie dough. Beat the food colouring into the dough until just mixed, being sure to wipe the beaters clean after you have finished with the first colour. We don’t want any mixing of the colours at this point!
Using a small spring-action cookie scoop, scoop alternating spoonfuls of the red and green dough into the prepared baking dish in a random pattern. Try to cover the bottom of the pan. Once all of the dough has been randomly transferred to the pan, set aside the cookie scoop and use your hands to press the cookie dough flat into the pan. Really get in there so that there are no air pockets or gaps between the scooped cookie dough portions.
Transfer the pan to the preheated oven and bake for 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the bars comes out clean. Once done, remove the baking pan from the oven and allow the bars to fully cool before frosting them with the buttercream frosting.
To make the frosting, beat the butter (or vegetable shortening) in a large mixing bowl.
Add the confectioner’s sugar one cup at a time, beating well after each addition.
Next, beat in the vanilla extract and milk.
Once the sugar cookie base is fully cooled, you can frost it. If you want to remove the base from the pan before frosting, lift it straight up and out using the excess parchment paper you left draped over the sides when preparing the pan for baking. If you prefer, you can leave the sugar cookie base in the pan and frost it as is. Lifting it out makes it easier to slice it into squares.
Make sure your frosting is at room temperature. Smear the frosting evenly onto the sugar cookie base. Once the frosting is applied, add the sprinkles.
You can now slice the bars, but if you want a cleaner, professional-looking slice, place the entire baking pan in the fridge for 30-40 minutes. This will firm up the frosting which will allow you to cut through the frosting and the bar without too much smearing or smudging.
Once done, transfer the bars to a food-safe container.

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