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
Ruby_&_Cake says
That is such a gorgeous story! Free cookies 🙂 I bet they were bewildered but so happy. That buttercream looks to die for. Strawberries have such a heavenly flavour and roasting them is so brilliant.
Kelsie says
Awww thank you Ruby! I’m totally obsessed with this frosting :). Have a great week my friend!
Stacey @ The Sugar Coated Cottage says
These look so delicious and that frosting is everything!! The sweet couple were lucky to have been passing by at that moment!! Take care.
Kelsie says
Thank you so much Stacey! Have a great week!
Lorraine @Not Quite Nigella says
That looks so delicious and I love the pink touch too! 😀
Kelsie says
Thank you Lorraine! Happy Monday!
Milena | Craft Beering says
I am glad you found someone nice to give these awesome bars to Kelsie! Dangerous business having too many of them easily accessible:) I bet you will be seeing this couple again very soon. By now probably a lot of people in your new neighborhood have heard of the sugar cookie bar with the roasted strawberry buttercream combo. Way to make friends and influence people:)!
Kelsie says
I’m definitely hoping they show up on my doorstep soon. I just wish I’d found out where they live; although they probably wouldn’t love me just showing up at their house :). Did Dale Carnegie include giving cookies in his book? If not I might write to the publisher to suggest it, haha! Have a great week Milena!
Love In My Oven says
Kelsie you are the cutest!!! I love that you ran outside with your cookies, haha sooo awesome. We need more people like you around my neighbourhood. Loving the flavors of this, and I’m one of those “give me ALL the textures and flavors” type of people too. YUM, girl!
Kelsie says
Awww thank you Katherine! Allll the textures make life worth living right? Unless there’s a strawberry buttercream in the mix, and then I’m good with just that :). Have a great week!
hummingbirdthyme says
Roasted strawberries sound fantastic! I love any fruits roasted, or really any way at all. But this sounds divine! You are right, Sugar Cookie bars are a stroke of genius – saves so much time rolling and cutting. Thanks for the recipe! Stay cool!
Kelsie says
Roasted strawberries are SO good! If you’re a roasted fruit fan then def try it. I think you’ll LOVE them! Happy Monday!
lynne hoareau says
Yes, it is hard to believe it is June already. Time is flying !!! These sugar cookie bars really sound so yummy. Roasted strawberry buttercream sounds wonderful. I will have to pin this, and make as soon as we get strawberries in the shops again. Have a lovely week ahead Kelsie. 🙂 x
Kelsie says
Thank you Lynne! It’s easily one of my favorite frostings ever (and I’ve made way too much frosting in my life, haha!). You have a lovely week, too!
3scoopsofsugar says
I totally hear you on that time thing…time does just fly by!! But it’s probably standing still for that sweet old couple you handed these amazing bars too. That is just so sweet! Now if only I had one of these bars to celebrate all the sweetness with!! I will have to get going on that! 🙂 Have a great Monday Kelsie!
Kelsie says
Thank you Megan! I wish I could send you a few but, of course, I’d eat them all before I got them into a box :). Have a great week my friend!
marcie@flavorthemoments says
These look so thick and delicious and I’m in love with the roasted strawberries in that buttercream!
Kelsie says
Thank you Marcie! Have a great week!
Mary Ann @ thebeachhousekitchen says
I know! I can’t believe how time is flying! I thought it was just me because I’m old. LOL! I’m loving these bars Kelsie. That roasted strawberry buttercream sounds amazing! Happy Monday!
Kelsie says
Haha! I remember summer lasting forever when I was growing up and now I blink and three weeks go by. Thank you Mary Ann! Happy Monday to you too!
Maria Doss says
Aww… you are just too sweet Kelsie:) I fell in love with your roasted strawberry butter (genius!!!) and more reason to roast some berries (this is great way to use not so sweet ones). Love this shade of pink as well:)
Kelsie says
Thank you so much Maria! It’s the perfect way to use up the less-sweet ones! All the sugar in the frosting will cover that right up :). Have a great week!
Cheyanne @ No Spoon Necessary says
No I can NOT believe we are halfway through the year. I always feel like spring and summer FLY by and then fall and winter are slow creepers. Which is a same in my opinion, because spring and summer are my faaaavs! Speaking of favs, SUGAR COOKIES! They are so freakin’ delish! So I’m looooving that you turned them into bars!!! That roasted strawberry buttercream frosting sounds TO DIE FOR! I could eat a dangerous amount of these! SO YUM! Cheers, girlie!
Kelsie says
Spring and summer are my favorites too! With the exception of Christmas baking, I don’t love winter and it seems to last foreeeevverrrr. As someone who did eat a dangerous amount of these, I recommend having plenty of people around if you make them. It’s too easy to tell yourself they’re not so bad for you because, hi, fruit makes it healthy! Happy Monday, Cheyanne!
Patrick@looneyforfood says
Halfway through the year ?I didn’t think of it that way. These look irresistible !
Kelsie says
Thank you Patrick! Have a great week!
eastofedencook says
I’m a bit stunned it’s June already too! Whoa! The best part of this time of year is all the summer berries! A big fat slice of these fabulous bars would make me very happy, just divine.
Kelsie says
Right? Where the heck did June come from! SLOW DOWN 2017! Thank you Deb :). Happy Monday!
Kelly @ Kelly Lynn's Sweets and Treats says
Awwww! That was so sweet of you! I bet that couple loved the cookie bars! And I’m totally digging the roasted strawberry frosting. Yum! And halfway through the year???? Omg I didn’t even realize it until you said it! Crazy!! Happy Monday darling! Xoxo 🙂
Kelsie says
Thank you Kelly! Time moves so fast it’s killing me a little :). Have a wonderful week my dear friend!
David | Spiced says
You are the nicest person ever, Kelsie! I wish someone would run out and accost me (uh, I mean share) with sugar cookie bars whenever I walked down the street! I have to think that the couple loved these bars. I mean what’s not to love. Roasted strawberries AND sugar cookie. (And for the record, I politely disagree with your assessment of sugar cookies as boring.) Great recipe, and great way to start some good karma for the week!!
Kelsie says
Hahaha! Accost is definitely the right word. They weren’t expecting a crazy girl wielding a tray of cookies to come running at them, I’m sure :). I will never again call a sugar cookie boring; I have a whole new appreciation for them now! Happy Monday, David!
Julie is Hostess At Heart says
That was sweet impulse Kelsie to meet that cute little couple. I’m sure they appreciated knowing that someone took interest in them too. I never make sugar cookies because I only do the cutouts and they are so much work. Love that you made pan cookies here and hey, I better get started Christmas is coming right!
Kelsie says
Haha! I’m definitely getting excited for Christmas baking :). They were just the cutest and I’m so happy I could share with them! Have a great week Julie!
Dawn - Girl Heart Food says
What?! I can believe it! But you know that Costco will definitely have Christmas stuff out next month (they always do). I do enjoy sugar cookies, but you’ve taken ’em to another level with that beautiful pink strawberry buttercream….and I do remember that strawberry butter you posted a while back (how could I possibly forget??). That is too funny that you ran outside greeting the couple with the cookies! I’m sure they loved them. They may just knock on your door next time actually requesting them 😉 Pinned! Have an awesome week, Kelsie!
Kelsie says
Thank you Dawn! I’m kind of hoping they come back because I have a freezer full of stuff for them :). I KNOW! Costco, slow down with the seasonal changes! Why do they want time to move even faster than it already does? Happy Monday!
All That I'm Eating says
Roasted strawberries sound amazing, I bet that buttercream is delicious. Love the sound of these!
Kelsie says
Thank you! Roasted strawberries are my new favorite 🙂
Ben|Havocinthekitchen says
Halfway of this year? The summer is almost over already (Well, as you see, I’m a very optimistic person). Sugar cookies aren’t really my thing either (If there’s a choice between baking cookies and making ice cream, I would choose ice cream. If there’s a choice between eating a cookie or ice cream, I would definitely choose the second. If there’s a choice between a sugar and savory cookie, I will most likely opt for the savory. Finally, if there’s a choice between a lavender sugar cookie and lavender ice cream…what a hard choice! I would take both!) These cookie bars look and sound rather exciting. I might not be a huge fan of strawberries in dessert (If there’s a choice between a sugar cookie and strawberry ice cream, I might choose for a cookie), but I would definitely try this dessert. Roasting of strawberries elevates the idea to a more sophisticated level. Well done, Kelsie!
Kelsie says
Honestly, I’ve always started saying the summer is over as soon as the sun really starts shining in its summery way–we’re both optimists! I’m wondering if it would be possible to incorporate a lavender sugar cookie into lavender ice cream, so we could enjoy the best of both worlds :). Thank you Ben! Have a great week!