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Strawberry Poptart Cookie Bars Recipe

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4.8 from 116 reviews

These Poptart Cookie Bars are a delightful twist on the classic poptart, featuring layers of buttery sugar cookie dough sandwiching a sweet strawberry preserve filling, all topped with a smooth vanilla glaze and colorful rainbow sprinkles. Perfectly baked to golden brown, these bars combine the nostalgic flavors of poptarts with the chewy texture of cookie bars, making a fun and delicious treat for any occasion.

Ingredients

For the Sugar Cookie Dough

  • ½ cup unsalted butter, room temperature (113 g)
  • 1 cup granulated sugar (200 g)
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature (106 g)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
  • 2 ½ cups + 2 tbsp all-purpose flour (296 g)
  • ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ⅔ cup strawberry preserves (200 g)

For the Glaze

  • 1 cup powdered sugar (100 g)
  • 1 ½ to 2 tablespoons whole milk
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • Rainbow sprinkles, for decorating

Instructions

  1. Prepare the baking pan and oven. Line an 8×8 inch square metal baking pan with parchment paper so that it hangs over all sides. Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C).
  2. Cream the butter and sugar. In a stand mixer bowl, beat the room temperature unsalted butter and granulated sugar together for about 3 minutes until the mixture is light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl to ensure even mixing.
  3. Add eggs and vanilla. Mix in the eggs one at a time with the vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste until just combined. Be careful not to overmix.
  4. Incorporate dry ingredients. Add the all-purpose flour, fine sea salt, and baking soda to the wet ingredients. Mix until the dough just begins to come together, forming a slightly sticky dough.
  5. Chill the dough. Refrigerate the dough for 20 minutes to firm it up, making it easier to handle and spread in the pan.
  6. Press first layer of dough. Remove half of the chilled dough (approximately 348 g) and press it evenly into the prepared baking pan.
  7. Freeze first layer. Lift the parchment with the dough out of the pan and transfer it onto a baking sheet. Place it in the freezer to keep firm while preparing the next layer.
  8. Press second layer of dough in pan. Replace the parchment strips in the pan so all sides remain covered, then press the remaining half of the dough evenly into the bottom of the pan.
  9. Spread strawberry preserves. Evenly spread the 2/3 cup of strawberry preserves over the dough layer in the pan.
  10. Add the frozen first layer on top. Take the chilled dough layer from the freezer, peel off the parchment, and carefully place it on top of the strawberry preserves. Press firmly to secure it.
  11. Bake the bars. Place the pan in the preheated oven and bake for 25-28 minutes, or until the top layer of the cookie dough turns a golden brown color.
  12. Cool and invert. Allow the bars to cool completely on a wire rack. Once cooled, lift the bars from the pan using the parchment overhang, then flip them upside down so the bottom layer becomes the top.
  13. Make the glaze. Whisk together the powdered sugar, whole milk (1 ½ to 2 tablespoons), and vanilla extract until smooth and pourable.
  14. Glaze and decorate. Pour the vanilla glaze evenly over the top of the bars and immediately sprinkle with rainbow sprinkles for decoration.
  15. Set the glaze. Let the bars sit at room temperature for 1-2 hours to allow the glaze to set fully.
  16. Serve. Once set, cut the bars into 15 pieces and enjoy this fun, sweet treat!

Notes

  • Use parchment paper hanging on all sides to easily lift the bars out after baking.
  • Measuring flour correctly is important for texture; spoon and level method is recommended.
  • Chilling and freezing the dough layers ensures clean layering and prevents the dough from mixing with the preserves during baking.
  • The glaze thickness can be adjusted by adding more or less milk to achieve desired consistency.
  • You can substitute strawberry preserves with any other jam or preserves of choice.
  • Store the bars in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or refrigerate for longer freshness.

Find it online: https://ameliameals.com/strawberry-poptart-cookie-bars-recipe/