June 20: Vanilla Bean Sugar Cookie Bars

Vanilla Bean Sugar Cookie Bars

Ingredients:
Base:
8 tablespoons (4 oz) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
2 1/2 cups (11.3 oz) all-purpose flour

Frosting:
8 tablespoons (4 oz) unsalted butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups confectioners' sugar
2 1/2 tablespoons milk

1. Preheat the oven to 350 and place a rack in the center. Rub a 9 by 13-inch metal pan with butter or line the inside with nonstick foil.
2. Make the base: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, or in a large mixing bowl, using a handheld electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar gradually going from medium to high speed for about 3 minutes, or until light or creamy. Reduce the speed to medium-low and add the eggs, one at a time, scraping the sides of the bowl often. Continue beating on medium-low speed. Add the vanilla bean paste, salt, and baking soda. Reduce the mixer speed to low or, stirring by hand, gradually add the flour, stirring until incorporated.
3. Spread the batter in the prepared pan and bake for 10-15 minutes, until light golden brown or a toothpick comes out clean. If you've lined the pan with foil, you may lift the baked base out of the pan and transfer it to a flat surface before frosting. Let cool completely before frosting.
4. Make the frosting: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, or in a large mixing bowl, using a handheld electric mixer, beat the butter, vanilla bean paste, and salt together at low speed. Gradually add the confectioners' sugar and beat until combined. Add 1 tablespoon of the milk. Increase the mixer speed and continue adding the milk 1 tablespoon at a time, until the frosting is the consistency for spreading. Frost the cookie and cut into 32 bars.

Base ingredients

Addition of the egg(s)

Addition of the vanilla bean paste, salt and baking soda

Addition of the flour

Before the oven

And after

Frosting ingredients

Addition of the confectioners' sugar

Addition of the milk

Thoughts: The batter is very sticky and hard to spread in the pan. I would even consider using a 9 inch square pan instead. I ended up baking the bars for 17 minutes because after 12 minutes, they weren't a "light golden brown". The bar is kind of bland but the frosting came out very vanilla tasting and was very good!