Poptart Cookie Bars (Printable)

Soft sugar cookie base with strawberry jam filling, vanilla glaze, and colorful sprinkles for a fun nostalgic dessert.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Cookie Base

01 - 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
02 - 1 cup granulated sugar
03 - 2 large eggs
04 - 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
05 - 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
06 - ½ teaspoon baking powder
07 - ½ teaspoon salt

→ Filling

08 - ¾ cup strawberry jam

→ Glaze & Topping

09 - 1 ¼ cups powdered sugar
10 - 2-3 tablespoons milk
11 - ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
12 - Sprinkles for decoration

# How-To Steps:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 9x13-inch baking pan with parchment paper, allowing overhang for easy removal.
02 - In a large bowl, beat softened butter and granulated sugar together until light and fluffy, approximately 2-3 minutes.
03 - Beat in eggs one at a time, fully incorporating each before adding the next. Stir in vanilla extract.
04 - In a separate bowl, whisk together all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt until evenly distributed.
05 - Gradually add dry ingredients to the butter mixture, mixing on low speed until just combined. Do not overmix.
06 - Press approximately two-thirds of the dough evenly into the bottom of the prepared baking pan, creating a uniform layer.
07 - Spread strawberry jam evenly over the dough layer, maintaining a small border around the edges.
08 - Crumble the remaining dough over the jam layer, pressing gently to adhere without completely covering the jam.
09 - Bake for 23-27 minutes until edges are golden brown and center is set. Rotate pan halfway through for even baking.
10 - Let bars cool completely in the pan on a wire rack, approximately 1 hour, before glazing.
11 - Whisk together powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla extract until smooth and pourable. Add more milk if needed for desired consistency.
12 - Drizzle glaze evenly over cooled bars. Immediately sprinkle with decorative sprinkles before glaze sets.
13 - Let glaze set for 15 minutes. Using the parchment overhang, lift bars from pan and cut into 16 equal squares.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The combination of buttery sugar cookie and sweet jam hits the same nostalgic buttons as the boxed version but tastes infinitely better
  • You can switch up the jam flavor to match whatever season or mood youre in
02 -
  • Pressing the dough into the pan is easier with slightly damp hands so the dough does not stick to you
  • The glaze consistency matters because thin glaze will run right off while thick glaze will not drizzle nicely
03 -
  • Warm your jam for 15 seconds in the microwave to make it easier to spread evenly
  • Chill the dough for 15 minutes if it feels too sticky to handle

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