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Spooky Halloween Sugar Cookie Bars

Halloween sugar cookie bars - featured image
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Soft, chewy sugar cookie bars with a bright orange buttercream frosting, designed for easy preparation and festive Halloween appeal.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 ½ cups All-Purpose Flour
  • ½ cup (1 stick) Unsalted Butter, softened
  • 1 cup Granulated Sugar
  • 1 large Egg, room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
  • 1 teaspoon Baking Powder
  • ½ teaspoon Salt
  • Zest of 1 medium Orange
  • ½ cup (1 stick) Butter, softened (for frosting)
  • 2 cups Confectioners’ Sugar, sifted
  • 1 to 2 teaspoons Orange Extract
  • 1 to 2 tablespoons Milk or Cream
  • Gel-based orange food coloring

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9×9 inch baking pan and line with parchment paper.
  2. In a large bowl, beat softened butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy (2-3 minutes).
  3. Add egg and vanilla extract; beat until combined. Mix in orange zest briefly.
  4. In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.
  5. Gradually add dry ingredients to wet ingredients, mixing on low speed until just combined. Do not overmix.
  6. Press dough evenly into the prepared pan.
  7. Bake for 18-20 minutes until edges are lightly golden. Center should look slightly soft.
  8. Cool bars completely in the pan on a wire rack (30-45 minutes).
  9. While bars cool, beat frosting butter until creamy. Gradually add confectioners’ sugar, then orange extract and milk. Beat on high until fluffy.
  10. Add gel food coloring to frosting and mix to desired shade.
  11. Spread frosting evenly over cooled bars using an offset spatula.
  12. Decorate with spooky faces using remaining frosting in a piping bag or snipped Ziploc bag.

Notes

Ensure butter is room temperature for proper creaming. Do not overmix the dough to avoid tough bars. Bars must be completely cool before frosting to prevent melting. Use gel food coloring for best texture and color intensity.

Nutrition

Keywords: Halloween, sugar cookie bars, orange buttercream, fall dessert, easy baking, spooky treats

Find it online: https://cheerycrisp.com/spooky-halloween-sugar-cookie-bars/