With a chewy cookie base and a creamy frosting on top, these sugar cookie bars with roasted strawberry buttercream are the perfect dessert to end any summer meal.
Hi there! How’s your June going so far? At the risk of sounding like a broken record, can you even believe we’re like halfway through the year? HALFWAY! What the French toast is happening with time lately? I swear I’ll blink and it’ll be Valentine’s Day.
Ever since I made this banana bread with roasted strawberry butter I’ve been wanting to incorporate roasted strawberries into a dessert. (Dessert is my thing. It was only a matter of time before that happened.)
I don’t know why I settled on sugar cookie bars because sugar cookies aren’t usually my go-to; they’re just so unexciting.
Actually, I take that back. It’s not that sugar cookies aren’t exciting, it’s that I just bore really easily. I like everything I eat to have all kinds of textures and flavors to keep me on my toes.
And straight-up sugar cookies don’t have nuts and chocolate drizzles and caramel fillings to hold my interest. So again, why I thought of sugar cookie bars is beyond me.
But it was truly a stroke of genius. (I’m taking a break from humility today and will stick with that genius label.)
YOU GUYS! Paired with something other than a chewy, vanilla-y cookie, the frosting might not shine the way it does here. I love that the cookie base doesn’t overshadow the frosting’s sunny flavor.
So while it would sort of be OK for Valentine’s Day to come soon—because these sugar cookie bars are totes Valentine’s Day-appropriate, what with their pink frosting and oh-so-sweet deliciousness—I’m really not ready.
I need time to slow down a bit so I have more hours in the day to get used to life in Phoenix. Good news on that front though—we could change the name of these sugar cookie bars to “ice-breakers” because they (kinda, sorta) helped me make some new friends! (I’m using that term a little loosely.)
The day after I made these, I was standing in the kitchen staring out the window, mindlessly eating my second sugar cookie bar of the day and trying to talk myself into avoiding a third when I saw the cutest little couple walking down the sidewalk. They were seriously like 80 years old and they were HOLDING HANDS! I love when I see that :).
Without stopping to consider whether they eat sugar or gluten or whether they even speak English, I ran outside with the plate of cookies and asked if they’d like to take them home. And they did! And I didn’t ask their names or make any other small talk because they looked a little bewildered and I was a little embarrassed. But I like to think I now have a couple of friends nearby.
And I like to think they enjoyed these cookies as much as I did. (I’d also like to thank them for stopping me from eating that third cookie.)
Happy Monday everybody! Adorable couple included.
Sugar cookie bars with roasted strawberry buttercream are a delicious way to celebrate berry season!
- 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
- 3/4 cups granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1/2 cup white chocolate chips
- 1 1/2 cups sliced strawberries
- 1 teaspoon canola oil
- 1 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
- 2 1/2 to 3 cups powdered sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- additional sliced strawberries for garnish if desired
- Spray an 9-inch baking pan with cooking spray. Line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper and spray the paper lightly with cooking spray. Set pan aside.
- Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium mixing bowl.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, about two minutes. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl and beat for 30 seconds more. Add egg and vanilla and beat until well combined.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients until just combined, taking care to scrape the dough up from the bottom of the bowl so everything is mixed properly. Fold in the white chocolate chips. Press the dough into the prepared baking pan and refrigerate for 2 hours.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake the cookie bars for 14 to 16 minutes, until lightly browned around the edges. Set the pan on a wire rack to cool completely. Once completely cool, run a knife around the edge of the pan, then carefully invert the cookies onto a cutting board.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Toss the berries and canola oil together in a small mixing bowl. Arrange the berries in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet. Roast for 25 to 35 minutes, flipping berries once. The berries are done when their juices are thickened on the parchment. Transfer berries to a small mixing bowl to cool completely before proceeding—avoid transferring any berry bits that are scorched. Once berries are cooled, chop them up a bit.
- Place the butter in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat until very smooth. Add the berries and beat on medium until the berries are broken up and the mixture is well combined. Turn mixer to low and gradually add 2 1/2 cups of powdered sugar, beating until well combined. Add the vanilla and salt, then turn mixer to high and beat for 3 or 4 minutes, until frosting is very fluffy. If frosting is too thin, add additional powdered sugar until desired consistency is achieved. (Depending on how sweet your strawberries are, you might need to add additional salt as well—taste and add more if necessary.) Spread frosting over cooled cookies, then slice into bars, top additional sliced strawberries (if desired) and serve.
Sugar cookie bars adapted from Women of Great Taste
CY says
Hello! This sounds so amazing. I actually love sugar cookies. I happen to live buttercream frosting too. So this combo sounds delicious! My only issue – I’m allergic to strawberries. What other berry would you recommend? Is there another one you’ve maybe tried? I am so into lemon lately but I’d just make a basic buttercream if anothe berry won’t do (because roasting lemons just doesn’t seem like it would work 😉 Thank you! Can’t wait to make these!!!
Kelsie says
I haven’t tried it with any other berries but you could certainly google to see if anyone has a recipe for roasted blueberries or something–but the berries don’t have to be roasted either and I could see fresh blueberry buttercream (or raspberry!) being really good here 🙂
Dana says
oh yes, I hear you on the time thing. HOW the heck are we into mid June already? I love spring so by June I’m a bit sad because it’s just about over. But at least we have summer to look forward to, so that helps ease the pain! haha These look absolutely fabulous Kelsie, I’ve been eyeing your roasted strawberry butter a couple of times on IG. YUM!
Aww that was so sweet of you to bring over some of these delicious bars to the elderly couple! I bet they just loved your generosity of the sweet treat, and the gesture too. Love this story. I would SO love to live on your street! HAHA
While I do enjoy the odd sugar cookie, I don’t cry if I miss them at Christmas, either. Like you said, they are tasty but not the most exciting cookie in the world. What I do love is frosting on them!! That really takes ’em up a notch and I bet this strawberry frosting would be AMAZING on sugar cookie bars.
It’s almost strawberry season here in Canada, so these are at the top of my to-make list 🙂
Kelsie says
Thank you Dana! Combining strawberries with butter was easily one of the smartest things I’ve done in my kitchen, haha! Two of my favorites in one is always a good thing! I would love for you to live out this way so I’d have you as a taste tester! I never have enough of them. Have a great weekend my friend!
Teesh Osita says
Can you imagine being one of the couple – you might have looked like crazy cookie lady, with you bursting from your front door and running to them with a plateful of delicious looking cookies!
I’d totally love to be your neighbor!!!
Kelsie says
Hahaha! I think people secretly call me the crazy cookie lady :). I’d love for you to live nearby so I could have another taste-tester! Have a great weekend Teesh!
Agness of Run Agness Run says
Such a toothsome dessert! I could eat this treat all day long, Kelsie!
Kelsie says
Thank you Agness!
thefrizzybaker says
Roasted Strawberries sound insane! Why have a never done this before? Will definitely be giving those a go!
Kelsie says
Roasted strawberries are AMAZING! You’ll have to let me know if you try them!
cakespy says
This is HAPPY FOOD if I’ve ever seen it. I love these bars!
Kelsie says
Thank you so much Jessie!
Thao @ In Good Flavor says
My elderly parents hold hands while they walk. They don’t live in Phoenix, but they do live nearby. I am sure they too would have been delighted to have been offered these delicious looking sugar cookie bars from a nice lady down the street.
As for the frosting, I think the roasted strawberries are a brilliant addition to the buttercream!
Kelsie says
I would gladly give your parents any and all cookies I have! I love to see older couples holding hands :). Thank you Thao!
Melissa says
These bars are gorgeous and I love the looks of them! I think I need to add them to my baking to-do list!!
Kelsie says
Thank you Melissa! I’ve gone a little crazy over them :). Happy Sunday!
Katherine says
That is so sweet that you took them some cookie bars! Whenever my husband and I see a couple like that, we always say it will be us someday. 🙂
Sugar cookies are actually my husband’s favorite dessert. That roasted strawberry frosting looks incredible!
Kelsie says
Awww your husband sounds adorable :). Thank you Katherine! I hope you’re having a great weekend!
Pamela (BrooklynFarmGirl) says
They look so tempting! Yum 🙂
Kelsie says
Thank you Pamela!