Pink, Green, and Sweet

Around here Christmas is in full swing. We’re even seeing Santa today! Even more reason to come home and bake up a holiday goodie. Pink and green (our choice for holiday colors) frosted sugar cookie bars will do the trick. Merriment and sugar! Sounds like a perfect way to spend a Saturday!

Ingredients

• 5 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 cup butter softened
• 1/3 cup milk
• 2 cups sugar
• 4 egg whites
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 6 drops green food coloring
• 6 drops red food coloring

Frosting

• 3 3/4 cups powdered sugar
• 1/2 cup butter room temp
• 1/2 cup Butter Flavored Crisco
• 5 tablespoons milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a 13″ x 9″ pan with parchment paper.
• In a small mixing bowl combine flour, salt and baking soda; set aside.
• Using an electric mixer cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
• Beat in egg whites one at a time. Stir in vanilla extract and milk.
• Then with the mixer on low, slowly add the flour mixture, mixing until just combined.
• Evenly divide dough into two small mixing bowls.
• In one bowl add 6 drops of green food coloring, stir to mix in the coloring. Continue to mix in more green food coloring until you get the color you desire.
• In the other bowl add 6 drops of red food coloring, stir to mix in the coloring. Continue to mix in more red food coloring until you get the color you desire.
• Spread the dough to the prepared pan, I added the green first but you could do either one. Then add the remaining dough on top and spread, this was red for me.
• Bake for 25-30 minutes. Test at 20 minutes with a toothpick to check the baking process, then recheck at 25 minutes. Tester should come out clean when bars are done baking. Allow to cool completely before frosting the bars.

Frosting

• In a large bowl, cream together the powdered sugar, Crisco and butter until smooth. Gradually mix in the milk and vanilla with an electric mixer until smooth and stiff, about 5 minutes. Spread over cookie bars. 
• Top with red sprinkles. Cut, serve, and share. Merry Christmas!

*recipe inspired by Dash Of Sanity