Lemon Sugar Cookie Bars

Easy lemon sugar cookie bars make the perfect springtime treat! These buttery soft cookie bars topped with delicious swirls of lemon frosting are perfection.

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Flavored with fresh lemon zest and vanilla, sugar cookie bars come together quickly and are perfect for bakers of all skill levels. These versatile bars are also delicious with lime, orange, tangerine zest, or any blend of citrus that you love!

Ingredients for Sugar Cookie Bars

To make these bars, you’ll need:

• All-purpose flour
• Cornstarch
• Baking powder, baking soda, and salt
• Fresh lemons (this recipe uses fresh lemon zest and juice)
• Sugar
• Unsalted butter
• 1 large egg
• Vanilla extract (or vanilla bean paste)
• Powdered sugar

Perfect Lemon Sugar Cookie Bars

Cookie Bars – Soft and buttery, the cookie bars are flavored with fresh lemon zest and pure vanilla extract. Cornstarch gives the cookie bars an ultra soft, melt-in-your-mouth texture.

Lemon Frosting – Flecked with fresh lemon zest, this creamy lemon frosting is buttery and sweet. Fresh lemon juice and vanilla extract (or vanilla bean paste) add incredible flavor.

Assemble Bars – Once the cookie bars are completely cool, use an offset spatula to swirl lemon frosting over the top. Top with fresh lemon zest and chill for 15 minutes to set the frosting before cutting into bars.

Double the Recipe – If you’re making treats to share, this recipe easily doubles for a 13 x 9-inch baking pan. Simply double the ingredients and bake as directed (the baking time will remain the same).

Lemon Sugar Cookie Bars

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• Author: Laura Kasavan
• Prep Time: 25 minutes
• Cook Time: 24 minutes
• Total Time: 49 minutes
• Yield: 16 bars
• Category: Dessert
• Method: Bake
• Cuisine: American

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Description

The BEST lemon sugar cookie bars! Soft and buttery cookie bars topped with delicious swirls of lemon frosting are so easy and delicous!

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Ingredients

Bars

• 1 1/2 cups (210 g) flour
• 1 1/2 tsp (4 g) cornstarch
• 1/2 tsp (2.5 g) baking powder
• 1/8 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp (1.5 g) salt
• 2 Tbsp (6 g) fresh lemon zest
• 3/4 cup (150 g) sugar
• 1/2 cup (112 g) unsalted butter, softened
• 1 large egg (50 g), at room temperature
• 1 tsp (4 g) vanilla extract

Frosting

• 6 Tbsp (84 g) unsalted butter, softened
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 1 Tbsp (3 g) fresh lemon zest
• 1 tsp (4 g) vanilla extract (or vanilla bean paste)
• 1 1/2 cups (180 g) powdered sugar
• 1 Tbsp (15 g) fresh lemon juice

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Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F and line an 8-inch square metal baking pan with parchment paper.
2. Whisk together flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a small bowl. Combine lemon zest and sugar in a food processor and pulse for 1 minute to combine. Beat butter and lemon-sugar in a large mixer bowl at medium speed until creamy. Beat in egg and vanilla until combined. Reduce speed to low and gradually add flour mixture; beat just until incorporated.
3. Scrape dough into prepared pan and use a piece of wax paper lightly coated with nonstick spray to press dough evenly into pan. Bake bars for 22 to 24 minutes, until edges are golden, top is set, and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool completely in baking pan on a wire rack.
4. For the frosting, beat butter and salt in a large mixer bowl on medium speed until smooth. Beat in lemon zest and vanilla. Reduce speed to low and beat in powdered sugar until incorporated. Add lemon juice and mix on low speed until combined, then beat on medium speed for 1 minute, until light and airy.
5. Lift parchment and place cookie bars on a cutting board. Use an offset spatula to swirl frosting over the bars and top with lemon zest or sprinkles. Chill for 15 minutes in the refrigerator to set frosting before cutting into bars with a sharp knife. Store leftover bars in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

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Notes

This recipe easily doubles for a 13 x 9-inch baking pan. Simply double the ingredients and bake as directed (the baking time will remain the same).

More easy lemon dessert recipes:

Lemon Sheet Cake
Vanilla Citrus Sandwich Cookies
Meyer Lemon Yogurt Cake