Easy Sugar Cookie Bars

So, for this last book club meeting I had a lot of things going on. A lot of dishes that I wanted to serve, and things I wanted to do, but out of all of them these sugar cookies were my number one priority. We were discussing the book Sugar Coated by Shannen Crane Camp. In the book there are multiple references to sugar: it's look, touch, taste and feel. The main character loves sugar so much that she carries around sugar cubes with her, for snacking. Perhaps more significantly, the book mentions the smell of sugar. Both is a positive and pleasing manner, but also in an ominous way when describing a toxic gas that smells like sugar cookies baking. (It's really a fun, interesting and easy read if you are into reading fiction, science fiction, or dystopian material.) Anyway, so I wanted my house to smell like sugar cookies when everyone arrived. (I know, I go a little overboard but that's how I've always been. I'm a constant over achiever and people pleaser. There are worse things.)

  So, back to the cookies. I had the dough made, but I wanted to make them at the last possible minute so that the house would smell great. Well, I was juggling a lot of things and was distracted to say the least and I ended up deciding to make the cookies into bars instead of individual cookies, so save myself come time, hassle and clean up. I am so glad I did! By baking the cookies in one big dish it kept them moist and chewy, but still crunchy around the edges - which is hard to achieve with a sugar cookie. They are usually cake-like and soft, or too thin and crunchy. Both of which are not necessarily bad things. They are just not what I was looking for. The bars turned out so well that I'm considering making them this way all the time!

   I'm bummed to tell you that I did not take any step-by-step pictures, but I do have these final shots for you.

 The recipe is really easy to follow, but if you have any questions please leave a comment and I will answer. :)

Here's the recipe:
adapted from Easy Sugar Cookies

Easy Sugar Cookie Bars

  

2 3/4 cups sifted all-purpose flour (sift before measuring)

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon baking powder 

1 cup butter, softened (I used salted)

1 1/2 cups white sugar, plus more for top
1 large egg  
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Using a hand mixer, or stand mixer, cream together the butter and 1 1/2 cups sugar until smooth.  Beat in the vanilla, egg, baking soda and baking powder until completely combined. (You can also whisk together the flour, baking powder and baking soda seperatly and then add them together to the butter/sugar/egg mixture.) Add in the flour, a little at a time until completely incorporated. Dump into a greased 9x13 glass/Pyrex baking dish. Press into an even layer, and sprinkle the top with more sugar. Bake @ 350F degrees for 30 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cut while they are still warm, and then allow to cool before removing from the pan.