Lemon Sugar Cookie Bars

Nothing says summer like a refreshing fresh lemon dessert! We all know I’m a sugar cookie addict and yes I’ve already posted a lemon sugar cookie but I’m starting to convert to making sugar cookie bars more often because they are easier and they don’t require dough to be chilled, plus they are easier to travel with for parties.

These are definitely one of the best sugar cookie bars I’ve ever tasted! They are brimming with vibrant lemon flavor. This isn’t one of those “hmm what’s this flavor I can’t quite put my finger on it?” desserts. With one small little nibble you’ll know they’re lemon. If you are making them for your kids and they don’t love a strong lemon flavor you can cut back on the zest and omit the lemon extract, but for the true lemon lover leave them just as they are.

I absolutely love fresh lemon in anything so these were incredibly hard for me to resist, I kept going back and trimming off little piece after little piece the entire day. Not to mention they are so soft and moist. They are Lofthouse style cookies turned lemon sugar cookie bar – and they’re made with real butter none of that margarine (and countless other additives) you’ll find in the Lofthouse cookies.

Last Saturday was my 31st birthday, and it was also national lemon bar day!! Except that it wasn’t, and I just made that up. The lemon bar part, it was in fact my birthday.

I spend all kinds of time conversing with people (I almost used the word conversating there only to find out that it isn’t actually a word, and that means I have probably been embarrassing myself all the time, but it’s cool). Anyway, I chat with people about what exactly they’d like to see on the blog. Some people want healthy things, some people want all of the chocolate. A couple of weeks ago it was all about my son and his big day and his favorite ORANGE BROWNIES.

I’ve already made these twice and I’m sure I’ll make them many more times this summer. I dare say they are my new favorite summer cookie and they will likely become yours too! They’re perfect infusion of lemon flavor and melt-in-your-mouth texture is simply dreamy!

But, for my birthday I’m just a small town girl living in a lemon world. So I “conversated” with myself and came up with these lemon sugar cookie bars…..

Happy birthday to me! No, I didn’t actually talk to myself.

Ingredients
For the Cookie Bars

• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 2 1/2 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

For the Frosting

• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 2 Tablespoons lemon juice
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 4 cups powdered sugar
• 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
• colored sprinkles
• yellow sanding sugar

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Spray a 9x13 pan with nonstick baking spray.
2. Beat the butter and sugars until creamy. Add the egg and lemon juice and beat again.
3. Stir together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Slowly mix this into the butter mixture until a soft dough forms.
4. Spread the dough into the prepared pan. Bake for 14 minutes. Let cool completely.
5. Beat together the frosting ingredients until creamy. Spread on the top of the cooled bars.
6. Top with desired amount of sprinkles and sanding sugar. Cut into 24 squares. Store in a sealed container on the counter.

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