Poptart Cookie Bars (Printable Version)

Soft sugar cookie bars with strawberry jam filling and vanilla glaze topped with colorful sprinkles for a nostalgic treat.

# 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 or preferred flavor

→ Glaze & Topping

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

# Directions:

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, incorporating fully before adding the next. Stir in vanilla extract.
04 - In a separate bowl, whisk together all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt until well blended.
05 - Gradually add dry ingredients to wet mixture, mixing on low speed until just combined. Do not overmix.
06 - Press two-thirds of the dough evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan using your hands or the back of a spoon.
07 - Spread strawberry jam evenly over the dough base, leaving a small border around the edges to prevent overflowing.
08 - Crumble remaining dough over the jam layer in small pieces, pressing gently to adhere.
09 - Bake for 23-27 minutes until edges are golden brown and center appears set.
10 - Let bars cool completely in the pan on a wire rack before applying glaze.
11 - Whisk together powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons milk, and vanilla extract until smooth. Add additional milk if needed for pourable consistency.
12 - Drizzle glaze evenly over cooled bars. Immediately sprinkle with colorful sprinkles before glaze sets.
13 - Let glaze set for 15 minutes, then cut into 16 bars using a sharp knife.

# Top Tips:

01 -
  • The combination of soft sugar cookie and sweet jam hits that perfect nostalgic craving
  • They come together in under an hour but taste like you spent all day baking
02 -
  • Warm bars will turn your glaze into a runny mess, so patience during cooling is absolutely essential
  • Pressing the bottom dough evenly prevents thin spots where the jam might leak through during baking
03 -
  • Chill the dough for 15 minutes if it feels too sticky to work with
  • Use kitchen scissors to cut the bars for cleaner edges than a knife

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