Peeps Tree Sugar Cookie Bars Recipes

PEEPS® TREE SUGAR COOKIE BARS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F. Line 13x9-inch pan with foil; spray bottom only with cooking spray.
• In large bowl, mix cookie mix, softened butter and egg with spoon until soft dough forms. Stir in 2 tablespoons holiday sprinkles; press dough in bottom of pan. Bake 20 to 23 minutes or until golden brown. Cool completely on cooling rack, about 1 hour.
• Remove bars from pan using foil; spread frosting on top. Place 18 marshmallow trees on top of frosting, to make 6 rows by 3 rows. Add additional sprinkles or sparkling sugar to exposed frosting edges. Cut into 18 bars, wiping knife with paper towel between cuts.
• Sprinkle small amount of powdered sugar "snow" on tops of trees.

SUGAR COOKIE BARS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly butter a 9-by-13-inch baking pan. Line the pan with parchment paper, running it up the two long sides of the pan and letting it extend past the rim by about 2 inches.
• Make the bars: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour and salt. In a large bowl with an electric mixer, or in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter and cream cheese on medium speed until well blended, about 1 minute. Add the granulated sugar and beat until smooth, about 1 minute. Add the egg and vanilla and beat on low speed until well combined, about 1 minute. Turn off the mixer and scrape down the bowl with a rubber spatula. Gradually add the flour mixture, mixing on low speed just until blended, about 1 minute.
• Using a spatula, scrape the dough into the prepared baking pan and spread it into an even layer. Bake just until the edges are starting to turn light golden brown, and a toothpick inserted in the middle has moist crumbs, 20 to 25 minutes. (Do not overbake! The bars should be quite moist, and almost slightly underbaked in the middle.) Remove the pan from the oven and set it on a wire rack. Let cool completely. When fully cooled, remove the bars from the pan using the overhanging parchment paper.
• Make the frosting: Place the butter in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat the butter on medium speed until creamy, about 1 minute. Add 1 cup confectioners' sugar, beating on low speed until fully combined, then repeat with remaining 1 cup confectioners' sugar. Add the 1 tablespoon milk or heavy cream, 1 teaspoon lemon juice, the vanilla, salt and food coloring, if using, and beat on medium speed until the frosting is light and fluffy, scraping down the sides halfway through, about 4 minutes. Add more milk if needed to thin out the mixture. Add lemon juice and vanilla to taste.
• Using a spatula, spread the frosting on top, then decorate with sprinkles, if using. Cut into 20 bars and serve.

PEEPS® CHRISTMAS TREE COOKIE CUPS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F. Make cookie dough as directed on pouch. Shape dough into 27 balls; place 1 ball in each of 27 ungreased miniature muffin cups. Bake 11 to 13 minutes or until edges are set and light golden brown.
• Immediately press indentation into center of each cookie cup with handle of wooden spoon. Cool 10 minutes in muffin cups; remove to cooling rack to cool completely, about 15 minutes.
• Place frosting in resealable food-storage plastic bag with 1 corner cut off. Pipe frosting into center of each cookie cup. Place marshmallow tree on top of each cookie cup. Decorate as desired.

PEEPS® COOKIE NESTS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 375°F. In large bowl, stir cookie mix, butter and egg until dough forms. Shape dough into 20 (1 1/2-inch) balls. Place balls 3 inches apart on ungreased large cookie sheets.
• Bake 9 to 12 minutes or until edges are light golden brown. Cool 2 minutes; remove from cookie sheets to cooling rack. Cool completely, about 30 minutes.
• Measure 1 1/4 cups frosting into each of 3 small bowls. Stir red gel food color into 1 bowl to desired color, stir yellow gel food color into 1 bowl to desired color, and stir blue gel food color into 1 bowl to desired color.
• Working with 1 color at a time, transfer frosting into decorating bag fitted with star tip. Leaving 3/4-inch circle near center of cookie, pipe a continuous swirl of frosting around to within 1/2 inch of edge of cookie. Top with another swirl of frosting to build up "nest" with a small well in center of cookie.
• Add 3 jelly beans to center well of cookie; top with PEEPS® chick. Continue for remaining cookies and frosting colors.

SUGAR COOKIE BARS MADE EASY

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease a 13x18-inch baking sheet.
• Beat white sugar and 1 cup butter together in a bowl until fluffy. Add eggs 1 at a time, mixing after each addition. Add 2 teaspoons almond extract and vanilla extract; mix well.
• Whisk flour, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and baking soda together in a bowl. Add to egg mixture and stir until just combined. Spread onto the prepared baking sheet.
• Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the cookie comes out clean, 10 to 15 minutes; they won't look done. Cool completely, about 30 minutes.
• Beat 1/2 cup butter in a bowl using an electric mixer until smooth and creamy. Add 1 teaspoon almond extract and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Add confectioners' sugar, 1 cup at a time, mixing until combined. Add heavy cream, 1 tablespoon at a time, until frosting reaches a smooth, spreadable consistency. Spread frosting over cooled cookie bars.