Description
Nostalgic pop tart cookie bars merge childhood breakfast memories with irresistible dessert charm. Layers of buttery pastry, sweet fruit filling, and crumbly streusel create a delightful treat you cannot resist sharing with friends and family.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 2 ½ cups + 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup unsalted butter
- ⅔ cup strawberry preserves
Seasoning and Leavening Agents:
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
Glaze and Decoration:
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 ½–2 tablespoons whole milk
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- Rainbow sprinkles
Instructions
- Prepare a metal 8×8-inch baking vessel by draping parchment paper inside, ensuring overhang for effortless extraction. Calibrate oven temperature to 375°F.
- Utilize a stand mixer to thoroughly amalgamate butter and sugar until voluminous and airy, approximately three minutes.
- Introduce eggs and vanilla essence, blending until harmoniously integrated. Methodically scrape mixer sides to ensure uniform mixture.
- Gradually incorporate flour, salt, and baking soda, gently mixing until dough coheres.
- Refrigerate dough for twenty minutes to enhance malleability and firmness.
- Strategically divide cookie dough into equal portions, pressing one half uniformly across parchment-lined pan’s base.
- Carefully transfer initial dough layer to freezing surface using parchment paper, allowing rapid chilling.
- Reposition parchment within pan, then evenly distribute remaining dough layer.
- Generously distribute strawberry preserves across dough surface.
- Extract chilled dough segment and position atop preserves, applying gentle pressure to secure layers.
- Transfer pan to preheated oven, baking for 25-28 minutes until surface achieves golden-brown perfection.
- Allow bars to completely cool on wire rack within pan.
- Leverage parchment edges to extract bars, inverting orientation.
- Whisk powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla into silky glaze.
- Cascade glaze over bar surface, embellishing with vibrant rainbow sprinkles.
- Permit bars to stabilize at ambient temperature, allowing glaze to solidify for 1-2 hours.
- Slice into fifteen delectable segments and savor.
Notes
- Chill the cookie dough before assembling to prevent sticking and make handling easier.
- Use parchment paper overhang as a foolproof method for smooth pan removal and clean cutting.
- Freezing the first layer of dough helps create distinct layers and prevents mixing of preserves.
- Whisking the glaze until smooth ensures a silky, even coating without lumps.
- Rainbow sprinkles transform these bars from ordinary to festive, adding a playful pop of color.
- Allowing glaze to set completely prevents messy cutting and ensures a pristine presentation.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Desserts, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 12
- Calories: 250
- Sugar: 18 g
- Sodium: 85 mg
- Fat: 9 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 38 g
- Fiber: 0.5 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 35 mg