Sugar Cookie Bars

Back to school time means fun get-togethers and potluck opportunities. I volunteered to bring sweets to my youngest daughter's before school pool party with all her classmates and was trying to figure out an easy, tasty treat to make.  My kids love sugar cookies, but as you know, they take some time to bake in individual batches. This recipe is the best of both worlds- tasty sugar cookie taste, but in speedy-to-make bar form. I cut them in small rectangles as I figured it was similar to the amount that would be in a cookie. My daughter put them out on the table at the party and apparently they were gone in a flash...

Sugar Cookie Bars

1/2 cup butter
1 cup granulated sugar
1 egg
1 egg white
1 1/2 tablespoon sour cream
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 1/2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 375° Butter a 9"x 13" baking dish. In small mixing bowl combine flour, baking powder and salt. With an electric mixer, beat butter and sugar together until pale and fluffy, 3-4 minutes. Stir in egg and egg white. Add sour cream and vanilla  and mix until blended. Slowly add dry ingredients and stir until combined. With buttered hands, gently press mixture into butter baking dish. Bake 17-20 minutes until toothpick in center comes out clean and edges are lightly golden. Cool completely, then frost and cut into squares (or little rectangles, as I did above).  Enjoy!

Vanilla Frosting
1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
2 cups powdered sugar
2-3 tablespoon milk
food coloring (optional)

In mixing bowl, beat butter, powdered sugar and milk until fluffy. Stir in vanilla. Add food coloring if you want colored frosting and mix until blended.