Valentines Sugar Cookie Bars
1 cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
1 1/3 cups granulated sugar
3 large eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
candy, chocolate chips, toffee, chopped nuts, etc
Preheat the oven to 375. Line a 9x13 pan tightly with heavy-duty aluminum foil, and spray the foil with non-stick baking spray.
In the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar for about 2 minutes, just until well combined. Add the eggs and vanilla, and mix on low for 1 minute; the dough will look lumpy at this point, but you don't need to beat the eggs in aggressively.
In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and salt. Add to the mixing bowl, and mix on low just to combine into a smooth dough. Use a spatula if you need to scrape up any floury bits and mix them into the dough. If you're mixing in candy or chocolate, fold them in now with a spatula.
Pile the dough into the greased pan. Grease your hands with non-stick spray and spread the dough out into an even layer all the way to the edges. Sprinkle the top with candy, sprinkles, sparkling sugar, etc, or whatever you'd like. Or, keep the top plain, and add some frosting after they've cooled.
Bake the cookie bars on the middle rack in the oven for exactly 13 minutes. Do not overbake!!! They will appear to be barely set, and will not be browned.
Set the pan on a wire rack and cool completely (or even overnight - these are easy to whip up before you go to bed so that they're ready to cut the next morning).
Lift the foil out of the pan, and set on a cutting board. Carefully peel the foil off the bars, and then cut the bars into squares.
Recipe from Curly Girl Kitchen
Yields about 15-18 bars