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Peppermint Sugar Cookie Bars

This recipe is such a cute winter, peppermint dream! I love pink during the holidays, and this recipe is so girly but also perfect for the winter season. So today, I’m sharing the step by step guide to making these delicious peppermint sugar cookie bars.

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This recipe is such a cute winter, peppermint dream! Incorporating holiday flavors to your favorite desserts can make them more fun and festive and topping the classic sugar cookie bars with a delicious hint of peppermint is a quick and easy way to create a holiday-themed dessert. I love pink during the holidays, and this recipe is so girly but also perfect for the winter season. This recipe is so easy to make you can even use store bought dough and frosting to whip this up even faster. So today, I’m sharing the step by step guide to making these delicious peppermint sugar cookie bars.

Peppermint Sugar Cookie Bars

Peppermint Sugar Cookie Bars
Notes & Tips:

I included recipes for both the frosting and cookie mix but you can buy both store bought sugar cookie mix and frosting instead! If you can’t find pink frosting, a few drops of red or pink food coloring does the trick. I used a dry sugar cookie mix so I could mix in sprinkles and peppermint extract. However, if you want to skip that step, you could buy pre-made dough.

You can add more toppings, such as vanilla chocolate chips!

Ingredients

Peppermint Cookie Bar:
  • 3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened, but not starting to melt
  • 4 ounces full-fat cream cheese, room temperature
  • 1 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 large egg yolk, in addition to the 1 large egg
  • 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract
  • 2 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • Pink sprinkles (optional)

Or you can buy dry sugar cookie mix and add in peppermint extract and sprinkles.

Peppermint Frosting:

Or you can buy store bought frosting and add peppermint extract and red food coloring.

Equipment:

Shop All of the Ingredients and Equipment:

Instructions:

Step One – Line with Parchment Paper

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line the 9×13 inch pan with parchment paper so that there’s an overhang around the edges.

Step Two – Prepare the Dough

In a mixer, beat together the butter, cream cheese and granulated sugar until creamed. You should no longer see lumps of butter or cream cheese. Beat in the egg, egg yolk and peppermint extract.

Step Three – Add Dry Ingredients

Sift the flour, baking powder and salt into the butter mixture. Starting with the mixer on a low speed, beat the ingredients together until combined. Stop mixing as soon as combined.

Step Four – Sprinkles

Mix in sprinkles (optional).

Step Five – Bake Cookie Bars

Spoon the dough into the prepared pan and spread/press into an even layer.

Bake in the preheated oven for about 22-25 minutes, or until the top looks set and the edges are just starting to turn golden.

Step Six – Prepare Pink Frosting
Homemade Frosting:
  1. In a large bowl, beat the butter until smooth.
  2. Add in 2 cups powdered sugar, 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract and the salt. Starting with the mixer on a low speed beat together until incorporated. If the powdered sugar is lumpy, I recommend sifting it into the mixture.
  3. Beat in the rest of the powdered sugar about 1/2 cup at a time, alternating with 1 tablespoon of cream until the desired thickness and sweetness is reached. Optionally, beat in a little more peppermint extract and a few drops of red food coloring.
Store Bought:

Using store bought white frosting, mix in a couple drops of peppermint extract and a few drops of red until the color is the desired shade of pink.

Step Seven – Transfer Cooked Dough

Lift the bars out of the pan using the parchment overhang and place on a cutting board. Allow it to cool completely.

Step Eight – Frost

Frost the cooled bars using a flat-edge knife or spatula.

Step Twelve – Sprinkles

Sprinkle with crushed candy canes or crushed peppermint candy. White chocolate chips would even be yummy!

Step Thirteen – Serve

Cut and enjoy!

Serve with More Treats

Printable Recipe

Peppermint Sugar Cookie Bars

This recipe is such a cute winter, peppermint dream! I love pink during the holidays, and this recipe was so girly.
Prep Time 1 hour 45 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 10 minutes

Equipment

  • Stand mixer
  • 9×13 inch baking pan
  • Parchment paper

Ingredients
  

  • 3/4 cup unsalted butter softened, but not starting to melt
  • 4 ounces full-fat cream cheese room temperature
  • 1 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 large egg yolk in addition to the 1 large egg
  • 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract
  • 2 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • Pink sprinkles
  • 3/4 cup unsalted butter softened
  • 3-4 cups powdered sugar
  • 1/2 – 1 teaspoon peppermint extract
  • 3-4 tablespoons whipping cream
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1-3 drops red food coloring optional
  • Crushed peppermint candy

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 9×13 inch pan or line with parchment paper so that there’s an overhang around the edges.
  • In a large bowl, beat together the butter, cream cheese and granulated sugar until creamed. You should no longer see lumps of butter or cream cheese.
  • Beat in the egg, egg yolk and peppermint extract.
  • Sift the flour, baking powder and salt into the butter mixture. Starting with the mixer on a low speed, beat the ingredients together until combined. Stop mixing as soon as combined.
  • Spoon the dough into the prepared pan and spread/press into an even layer.
  • Bake in the preheated oven for about 22-25 minutes, or until the top looks set and the edges are just starting to turn golden.
  • In a large bowl, beat the butter until smooth.
  • Add in 2 cups powdered sugar, 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract and the salt. Starting with the mixer on a low speed beat together until incorporated. If the powdered sugar is lumpy, I recommend sifting it into the mixture.
  • Beat in the rest of the powdered sugar about 1/2 cup at a time, alternating with 1 tablespoon of cream until the desired thickness and sweetness is reached. Optionally, beat in a little more peppermint extract and a few drops of red food coloring.
  • If you lined the pan with parchment paper, lift the bars out of the pan using the parchment overhang and place on a cutting board. If you simply greased the pan, then leave the bars in the pan.
  • Frost the cooled bars using a flat-edge knife. Sprinkle with crushed peppermint candy.
  • Slice with a sharp, thin knife (not a table knife) and lift the bars out of the pan using a metal spatula.

Notes

I included recipes for both the frosting and cookie mix but you can buy both store bought sugar cookie mix and frosting instead! If you can’t find pink frosting, a few drops of red or pink food coloring does the trick. I used a sugar cookie mix so that I could mix in sprinkles and peppermint extract. However, if you want to skip that step, you could buy pre-made dough.
You can add more toppings, such as vanilla chocolate chips!
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