Sourdough Sugar Cookie Bars
Sourdough sugar cookie bars with vanilla frosting are easy to make and always a crowd-pleaser. Add festive sprinkles to match any holiday or celebration!
Ingredients
Dough ingredients
- 8 tablespoons (112 g) softened unsalted butter
- ¾ cups (150 g) granulated white sugar
- 1 large egg room temperature
- 2 teaspoons (5 g) vanilla extract
- ¼ cup (50 g) sourdough starter discard room temperature
- 2 cups (240 g) all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
Frosting ingredients
- 4 tablespoons (56 g) softened butter
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon heavy cream
Topping
- sprinkles
Instructions
Make the Cookie Dough
- If you plan to bake the cookie bars right away, preheat your oven to 350°F (176°C).
- Use an electric or stand mixer to cream 8 tablespoons softened unsalted butter and ¾ cups granulated white sugar for 2–3 minutes until light and fluffy. Add 1 large egg, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, and ¼ cup sourdough starter discard, then mix until fully combined.
- Add 2 cups all-purpose flour, ½ teaspoon baking powder, and ½ teaspoon fine sea salt to the wet ingredients and mix just until combined. Use a spatula to scrape down the sides of the bowl.
- Line an 8" x 8" baking tin with parchment paper and press the cookie dough evenly into the bottom. Lightly flour your hands to prevent sticking. (If you're not baking right away, cover and refrigerate the dough for up to 3 days.)
- Bake the cookies for 15-18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. The surface of the cookie bars will be a very light golden brown color.
- Take the tin out of the oven and transfer it to a wire cooling rack. Let the cookie bars cool down entirely in the tin before applying the frosting.
Make the Frosting
- Add 4 tablespoons softened butter, 1 cup powdered sugar, and ½ teaspoon vanilla extract to a mixing bowl and beat with an electric mixer until smooth and creamy. If the frosting appears too thick, gradually incorporate up to 1 tablespoon heavy cream until the desired consistency is reached. If the frosting is too thin, mix in a few tablespoons of powdered sugar to thicken it.
- Spread the frosting over the cooled cookie and top with sprinkles. Lift the cookie out of the tin using the parchment paper and cut the cookie into 9 large or 18 small squares.
Notes
- Measuring Ingredients: Our recipes are developed using a kitchen scale for precise measurements. Measuring cups can lead to inconsistent results, so keep that in mind if you’re not using a scale.
- Adjusting salt: We use Redmond's fine sea salt, which weighs 2 ½ grams per ½ teaspoon. If using regular table salt, use a heaping ¼ teaspoon. If using flaky sea salt, use ¾ teaspoon.
- Flour Substitutes: This recipe is designed for all-purpose flour, but you can substitute bread flour if needed. The texture may be slightly different.
- Discard Recipes: This recipe is designed to use leftover sourdough discard for added flavor and to reduce food waste. However, you can use an active starter if that's what you have on hand.
- Long Ferment: For a long ferment, this cookie dough can be pressed into the pan up to 3 days ahead of time and kept covered in the fridge until ready to bake.
- How to Store: To keep them fresh, store the squares in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- How to Freeze: For longer storage, freeze the squares in a single layer on a baking sheet for 1 hour. Then transfer them to a freezer-safe container, placing parchment paper between layers. Store in the freezer for up to 1 month.
Nutrition
Serving: 1cookieCalories: 187kcalCarbohydrates: 26gProtein: 2gFat: 8g