The Ultimate Chewy Snickerdoodle Cookie Bars with Fluffy Eggnog Frosting
Get ready to elevate your holiday baking with these incredible Chewy Snickerdoodle Cookie Bars, crowned with the most divine Eggnog Frosting! These aren’t just any cookie bars; they’re a symphony of festive flavors and textures, making them the ultimate showstopper for your next cookie exchange or holiday gathering. Imagine a soft, chewy base, beautifully swirled with warm cinnamon, all topped with a light, airy frosting infused with the nostalgic taste of eggnog. It’s pure holiday magic in every bite. Plus, we’ve got exciting news about a Holly Jolly Giveaway you won’t want to miss!
Disclosure: This post has been sponsored by Sprouts. As always, all opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that support Cake ‘n Knife!
Who else feels that undeniable urge to bake absolutely *everything* once the holiday season rolls around? For me, it’s a feeling that starts in late autumn and lasts until the New Year. The kitchen becomes a haven of warm aromas and sweet anticipation, a place where memories are made with flour, sugar, and a whole lot of love.
Back in my corporate days, I would relish the opportunity to experiment with new recipes, bringing in fresh batches of treats to share with colleagues. Baking for holiday parties, whether I was hosting or not, was always a non-negotiable part of my festive routine. And there’s truly nothing quite like whipping up special homemade goodies to gift to family and friends throughout the season. These traditions make the holidays feel truly special, bringing people together through the simple joy of delicious food.
Have you ever experienced the delight of mailing homemade treats to loved ones who live far away? Or perhaps you’ve been on the receiving end of such a thoughtful package? There’s a special kind of excitement that comes with opening a surprise box filled with delicious baked goods. It’s a tangible way to share warmth and connection, no matter the distance.
The Joy of Sharing and Shopping at Sprouts
That’s precisely why I enthusiastically said “YES!” when Sprouts invited me to participate in their annual holiday treat exchange. Any excuse to bake more, and certainly any excuse to receive more delicious treats, is a win in my book! It’s a wonderful way to connect with fellow food enthusiasts and share the holiday spirit.
I frequently talk about my love for shopping at Sprouts, and for good reason. One of their most fantastic, yet often overlooked, features is their incredible bulk department. It’s a treasure trove for any baker or home cook! You’ll find expansive bins filled with an impressive array of fresh, high-quality ingredients – from aromatic coffees and various types of rice to wholesome nuts, dried fruits, essential pantry staples, and an extensive collection of spices. Plus, they even have delightful sweet treats! There truly is something for everyone, catering to whatever you might need on your shopping list that day.
For me, harnessing the bulk department is one of the most effective ways to save money while shopping at Sprouts. The prices are incredibly accessible, and I’ve been sourcing my flour, sugar, and countless other baking essentials from this section for years. The ability to purchase exactly the quantity you need, rather than being confined to specific package sizes, is a game-changer. This approach not only helps significantly reduce food waste, ensuring you only buy what you’ll use, but it also minimizes packaging waste, aligning perfectly with a more sustainable lifestyle. It’s a win-win for your wallet and the environment.
All of these fantastic benefits become particularly apparent when you find yourself baking up a storm during the busiest time of the year, especially when you’re making these exceptional snickerdoodle cookie bars. The tender, fluffy cookie dough, reminiscent of a classic sugar cookie, is perfectly complemented by a luscious swirl of cinnamon goodness baked right into the center. This creates that unmistakable, comforting flavor profile of a chewy snickerdoodle, but in an easy-to-share bar format.
And then, to truly capture the essence of the holidays, these bars are crowned with a creamy, fluffy eggnog frosting. This adds a delightful hint of spiced holiday cheer that is simply too delicious to resist. The combination of textures and festive flavors makes these cookie bars an absolute must-bake. So, head over to Sprouts today and stock up on all the high-quality ingredients you’ll need to create these incredibly soft and utterly irresistible snickerdoodle cookie bars!
Essential Tools for Baking Perfect Snickerdoodle Cookie Bars
To successfully bring these delightful Chewy Snickerdoodle Cookie Bars to life, you’ll need a few key pieces of equipment in your kitchen. A reliable stand mixer or a good quality electric hand mixer will be your best friend for both the cookie dough and the eggnog frosting. These tools ensure that your ingredients are perfectly incorporated and that your frosting achieves that coveted light and fluffy texture.
Once your cookie bars are baked to golden perfection and have had ample time to cool, an offset spatula will come in handy. It’s the ideal tool for spreading the creamy eggnog frosting smoothly and evenly across the entire surface of your bars, creating a beautiful and delicious finish.
Don’t forget a sturdy 9×13 inch baking pan, which is the perfect size for these bars, ensuring even baking and easy slicing.
More Festive Holiday Cookie Recipes to Explore:
- Soft & Chewy Gingerbread Cookies with Eggnog Cream Filling
- Decadent Peppermint Hot Chocolate Cookies
- White Chocolate Dipped Dark Chocolate Peppermint Cookies
- Christmas Ale Sugar Cookies with Spiced Buttercream Frosting
How to Master These Chewy Snickerdoodle Cookie Bars
Crafting these Snickerdoodle Cookie Bars is a straightforward and rewarding process. Let’s walk through each step to ensure your holiday baking experience is as smooth and delightful as the bars themselves.
1. Prepare the Irresistible Cookie Dough
The base for these bars is a wonderfully chewy cookie dough that comes together with ease, much like your favorite sugar cookie recipes. Begin by combining all your dry ingredients – flour, baking powder, cream of tartar, and salt – in a separate bowl. Cream of tartar is a key ingredient here, providing that signature tangy flavor and contributing to the chewy texture unique to snickerdoodles. In your stand mixer, beat the softened unsalted butter until it’s light and creamy, then gradually add both granulated and brown sugars, continuing to beat until the mixture is fluffy and well combined. Finally, incorporate the eggs and vanilla extract. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, mixing just until everything is combined. Be careful not to overmix, as this can lead to tough cookies.
2. Create the Aromatic Cinnamon Swirl Filling
The heart of the snickerdoodle flavor lies in its cinnamon swirl. This filling is incredibly simple: just combine melted unsalted butter, granulated sugar, ground cinnamon, and a touch of flour in a small bowl. Whisk these ingredients together until smooth. It’s best to prepare this filling just before you’re ready to assemble, as the melted butter will firm up if left to sit too long, making it harder to dollop and swirl.
3. Assemble for a Beautiful Swirl
Assembling these bars is where the magic really happens. First, spread half of your prepared cookie dough evenly into your greased 9×13-inch baking pan. The dough can be a bit sticky, so a lightly greased spatula or your fingertips can help immensely in spreading it smoothly. Next, take your cinnamon filling and dollop it in small spoonfuls evenly over this first layer of dough. Then, using a knife or a skewer, gently swirl the cinnamon mixture into the dough. Don’t overmix the swirl; you want distinct ribbons of cinnamon, not a fully incorporated mixture. Finally, carefully spread the remaining half of the cookie batter over the cinnamon-swirled layer, ensuring it’s as even as possible.
4. Bake to Golden Perfection
With your bars assembled, it’s time for the oven! Bake the cookie bars in a preheated oven until they become beautifully puffy and achieve a lovely golden-brown hue on top. A simple test: insert a toothpick into the center of the bars; if it comes out clean, they’re perfectly baked. Avoid overbaking to maintain that coveted chewy texture.
5. Frost, Decorate, and Serve with Flair
Patience is key here: allow your cookie bars to cool completely before applying the frosting. This usually takes about an hour. Once cooled, prepare your homemade eggnog frosting. In a clean stand mixer bowl, beat room-temperature butter until it’s creamy and fluffy. Then, gradually add confectioners’ sugar, eggnog, vanilla extract, nutmeg, and ground cinnamon. Beat until smooth and light. If the frosting feels too thick, add a tiny bit more eggnog (1 teaspoon at a time) until it reaches your desired consistency. Spread this luxurious frosting evenly over the cooled cookie bars. For an extra festive touch, sprinkle with red and green sprinkles before slicing into individual bars. Now, all that’s left is to serve and bask in the deliciousness!
Shipping and Storing Your Cookie Bars: Expert Tips
Can I ship these delicious cookie bars?
Absolutely! These snickerdoodle cookie bars are surprisingly resilient and ship wonderfully, making them perfect for sending to distant loved ones. To ensure they arrive in perfect condition, I recommend carefully lining your shipping box with a layer of tissue paper or parchment paper. Arrange the cooled and frosted cookie bars in a single, even layer. If you need multiple layers, place parchment paper between each layer to prevent sticking. Once packed, gently cover the cookies with another layer of plastic wrap or foil, then fill any remaining empty space in the box with additional tissue paper, crumpled newspaper, or even bubble wrap. The critical step here is to make sure the bars are snug and won’t shift around during transit. A tight fit prevents breakage and keeps them looking fresh upon arrival!
Do snickerdoodle cookie bars freeze well?
While many cookies can be frozen, I generally recommend against freezing these specific snickerdoodle cookie bars. Their charm lies in their incredibly soft and fluffy texture, which is best enjoyed fresh. Freezing and then thawing can unfortunately alter this delicate texture, causing them to lose some of that desirable chewiness and fluffiness that makes them so swoon-worthy. For the best experience, enjoy them within a few days of baking, or share them generously!
Looking for another fantastic cookie bar recipe? You’ll love these sinfully rich double chocolate chip cookie bars.
It’s Giveaway Time!
This giveaway is now closed.
My dearest friends, the holiday season is officially upon us, and with it comes the much-anticipated Holly Jolly Giveaways right here on Cake ‘n Knife! We’re spreading cheer and giving back to our wonderful community.
No matter what your holiday needs are this year, from essential baking ingredients to festive treats, you can find everything you’re looking for at your local Sprouts Farmers Market store! This year, I’m thrilled to be partnering with Sprouts to bring you an incredible prize. One lucky winner will receive a **$50 Sprouts gift card** to help you stock up on all your holiday essentials and finish the year strong!
To enter, simply head below the recipe card for all the details and your chance to win!
Make sure you stay tuned for all the exciting giveaways happening this season – keep a close eye on this dedicated page for all current posts! We’ll have several more giveaways launching in the coming week, so either bookmark the page or keep an eye on your inbox if you’re a subscriber to ensure you don’t miss out on any of the festive fun.
Chewy Snickerdoodle Cookie Bars with Eggnog Frosting
15 minutes
20 minutes
35 minutes
Equipment
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Offset Icing Spatula
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KitchenAid 7-Quart Pro Line Stand Mixer
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9 x 13 inch Cake Pan
Ingredients
- 2 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp cream of tartar
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter softened
- 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 4 Tbsp unsalted butter melted
- 3 Tbsp granulated sugar
- 1 Tbsp ground cinnamon
- 1 Tbsp all-purpose flour
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened
- 4 cups confectioners’ sugar sifted
- 5 Tbsp eggnog
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- Optional: red and green sprinkles for decoration
Instructions
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Prepare Baking Pan: Preheat oven to 350˚F (175°C). Lightly grease a 9×13-inch baking pan with cooking spray or butter and flour.
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Combine Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, cream of tartar, and salt. Set aside.
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Cream Wet Ingredients: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the softened butter on high speed until creamy. Add the granulated sugar and brown sugar, then beat on medium speed until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, followed by the vanilla extract, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
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Form Cookie Dough: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing on low speed until just combined. Be careful not to overmix.
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First Dough Layer: Spread half of the cookie dough into the prepared baking pan, creating an even layer. The dough can be sticky, so lightly greasing your spatula or fingertips with cooking spray can help prevent sticking.
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Prepare Cinnamon Filling: In a small bowl, stir together the melted butter, granulated sugar, ground cinnamon, and flour until well combined. Dollop this cinnamon mixture evenly over the first layer of cookie dough in the pan. Use a knife or skewer to gently swirl the cinnamon filling into the dough.
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Second Dough Layer & Bake: Carefully spread the remaining cookie dough over the cinnamon swirl, creating the top layer. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
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Cool Completely: Allow the cookie bars to cool completely in the pan on a wire rack before frosting, approximately 1 hour. This is crucial for the frosting to set properly.
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Make Eggnog Frosting: While the bars cool, prepare the frosting. In a clean bowl of your stand mixer with the whisk attachment, beat the softened butter on high speed until it’s creamy and fluffy.
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Finish Frosting: Gradually add the sifted confectioners’ sugar, eggnog, vanilla extract, nutmeg, and ground cinnamon. Beat on medium-high speed until the frosting is smooth, light, and fluffy. If the frosting seems too thick, add more eggnog 1 teaspoon at a time until your desired consistency is reached.
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Frost, Decorate & Serve: Once the cookie bars are completely cool, spread the eggnog frosting evenly over the top using an offset spatula. Optionally, sprinkle with festive red and green sprinkles. Cut into bars and serve immediately.
Holiday
Cookies, Bars, Dessert