Description
Delight in these Spooky Halloween Sugar Cookie Bars, perfect for festive celebrations. Soft, buttery cookie bars topped with creamy vanilla frosting, colorful spooky sprinkles, and Halloween eyeball candies make a fun and delicious treat for any Halloween party.
Ingredients
Scale
Cookie Layer
- 1/2 cup butter
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 2 tbsp brown sugar
- 1 large egg
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp almond extract (optional)
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 3 tbsp cornstarch
- 1/4 tsp salt
Frosting
- 4 tbsp butter, salted or unsalted, softened
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 3 tbsp heavy cream
- Spooky sprinkles
- Halloween eyeball candies
Instructions
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Pan: Preheat the oven to 350F and line an 8×8 inch baking pan with parchment paper or foil. Set aside.
- Cream Ingredients: In a large bowl, cream together the butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until smooth and creamy. Add the egg, vanilla extract, and almond extract (if using), and mix until combined.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl or directly add to the wet mixture, combine the flour, baking powder, salt, and cornstarch. Mix just until the flour mixture barely disappears to avoid overmixing.
- Spread Batter and Bake: Spread the cookie batter evenly into the prepared baking pan. Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes; the center may look slightly raw but will set as it cools.
- Prepare Frosting: While the bars bake, whip together the softened butter and powdered sugar in a large bowl until combined. Add heavy cream and vanilla extract, then whip until light and fluffy.
- Frost and Decorate: Once the bars have cooled slightly, frost them with the prepared frosting. Decorate with spooky sprinkles and Halloween eyeball candies as desired.
- Serve: Slice into 16 bars. Serve immediately for softer frosting or chill to allow the frosting to set before enjoying.
Notes
- Use parchment paper for easier removal of bars from the pan.
- If almond extract is unavailable or unwanted, omit or replace with additional vanilla extract.
- For a firmer frosting, refrigerate the bars for at least 30 minutes before slicing.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or refrigerated for up to a week.
- Substitute heavy cream with milk or a dairy-free alternative for a lighter or vegan adjustment (though it may affect texture).
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bar
- Calories: 180 kcal
- Sugar: 15 g
- Sodium: 90 mg
- Fat: 9 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 22 g
- Fiber: 0.5 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 30 mg
