Can I tell you something? I haven’t made one single Christmas cookie this year.
I mean, I am constantly making cookies, but none that I can deem Christmasy.
I haven’t created one cookie tray to give to neighbors for the holidays, or even thought about a holiday bake list.
I feel like a flunkie-baker.
Isn’t the holiday season supposed to be my time to shine? To pull out all the stops?
Apparently not.
You know what I would like?
I want someone to make ME cookies.
Wouldn’t that be nice, HUSBAND? Cookies for ME?
I think I will just give myself a pass this year on holiday baking.
Do you believe me?
Snort.
I’m not a future-teller or anything, but I would bet that if you were to come to my house next Friday around, say…3:00, you will be sure to see me beneath a cloud of flour, smack-dab in the middle of a holiday guilt-baking session.
I know myself. My resolve is weak.
I have to say, though, that these bars I am gonna share with you today, are the perfect treat for those of you who don’t have a lot of spare time (me!), but still have embraced the holiday baking thing. Just thinking about getting out my piping bags and decorating sugar cookies gives me a meringue-powder-migraine, so let’s keep it simple.
These taste like the famous Lofthouse cookies that are sold at every supermarket…and have a generous layer of buttercream slathered on top. Plus, the recipe makes a whole heck of a lot of bars, so one batch will go around the block and back!
Your neighbors will be happy to get a plate of these 
The batter is insanely delicious. I might have had a spoonful or 20.
Prepare a jelly roll pan (15×10) by lining it with foil. Spray it very lightly with cooking spray.
Spread the batter evenly on your pan…it’s sticky stuff.
Bake it for 20 minutes until the edges begin to golden.
On a side note…I am loving my new Frigidaire Gallery Range Double Oven for all the non-holiday baking that I have been doing. What’s so great about it is that even for small batches of cookies it’s really perfection. Preheating goes faster and I can still fit multiple cookie sheets in the top oven alone!
Moving on, let your bars cool completely before frosting.
Now make some buttercream.
You can tint your frosting any color you’d like. I like to add my coloring into the mixer and mix it up that way.
Then spread it all over. You’ll use about 3 cups of frosting…but I’m not gonna set a limit on you here. I’m not one to turn away frosting.
You’re done! If you want to fancy the bars up with sprinkles, knock yourself out!
Click here for my favorite buttercream recipe.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 1 cup butter, room temperature
- 8 oz cream cheese, room temperature
- 1 egg
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 1/2 cups flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
How to Make
- Preheat oven to 350°
- Line a jelly roll pan (15x10x1) with aluminum foil and spray lightly with cooking spray.
- In your mixer cream butter, cream cheese and sugar together. Add in egg and vanilla and mix until incorporated.
- With mixer on low, add in your dry ingredients: flour, baking powder and baking soda.
- Mix until just combined.
- Press dough evenly into your prepared pan. (dough will be sticky)
- Bake for 20 minutes until edges begin to golden.
- Cool completely before frosting.
Notes
recipe adapted from Today's Mama
Hi! I’m Shelly and I’m an addict. Of the buttercream sort. I started this site a few years ago as a way to justify my sugary, buttery obsession with desserts. It has worked out well for me so far, because as it turns out you guys all love sugary, buttery desserts too! It feels good to know you are not alone, doesn’t it? 
Where does the cream cheese come in? I’m missing that part of the instructions.
You cream it in with the butter, it’s there in the instructions…but I have had glitches before, so let me know if you can see it
Step 3.
I love the bar cookies! Might have to make these this weekend!
Maria recently posted..Le Creuset 16 QT. Stockpot & Mini Cocottes Giveaway
Ooooh, I’ve been wanting to try making my own Lofthouse-style cookies for a long time…this bar version is perfect for the holidays, since it’s not so labor intensive as individual cookies. You’re brilliant!
Ashley @ Kitchen Meets Girl recently posted..Cranberry Muffins with Eggnog Cream
I love how bar cookies have the same great flavor, but much less hassle. These look fabulous!
Aimee @ ShugarySweets recently posted..Andes Mint Cookie Dough Truffles
These look AMAZING! wow.
Sometimes I wish I would come home from work and there would be a pile of cookies just waiting for me… or bars. Would you like my address? You can ship me some. Im juuuust sayin!
Julia recently posted..Lemon Cranberry Bars
So simple and they look delish!
Emily ~SoDomesticated~ recently posted..Chocolate Peanut Butter Truffles…
Amazing!
Blog is the New Black recently posted..Mint Sugar Cookies
I already have a freezer full of Christmas baking but now that I see these lovelies I just might have to make them too! YUMO!!
Jen of My Tiny Oven recently posted..Puppy Chow
oo those look like super soft!
Angie @ Bigbearswife recently posted..Christmas Appetizer and White Cheddar Reindeer
Wow! Looks super easy and super yummy!
Karyn recently posted..Snowflake Cake Pops
omg… the only thing better than a lofthouse cookie is a lofthouse cookie BAR.
Jessica @ How Sweet recently posted..Blue Cheese Biscuits with Pinot Noir Butter.
I love these, I think they are great, way easier than cutting and frosting each cookie. I will have to remember this.
sue @ Cakeballs, cookies and more recently posted..Spritz Cookies, Week 12 of the 12 Weeks of Cookies
I love that you made cookies in bar form. Bars are soooo much faster and easier than cookies; total time savers.
And the flavor of these…mmmmm, perfect. Love the THICK frosting layer.
“I feel like a flunkie-baker.” <— umm, hardly. Your stuff is the most re-pinned stuff on pinterest that I see!!!!
Averie @ Love Veggies and Yoga recently posted..Thursday Things
Umm saw you post these on Instagram and they are just as wonderful as I was hoping. I think that every bar cookie should have a giant ol’ layer of frosting on top. It just makes hearts happy.
Tara @ Chip Chip Hooray recently posted..Gingerbread Scones
These look amazingly delicious and super easy! Definitely making these this holiday season!
they look so simple but they seem like a pretty nice treat for christmas
betty recently posted..German Chocolate Cake
I think these look pretty darn festive!
Julie @SavvyEats recently posted..Printable Recipe Cards
These look sooo good! Is it just me or does your oven look unusually large??
I have baked for a LOT of cookie swaps but have frozen exactly ZERO cookies for future cookie trays…so I think that kind of makes me a flunkie also. Oops.
maybe that cloud of flour will extend from NJ to NYC and cover both of us?
Joanne recently posted..Recipe: Sweet Potato Black Bean Chili…Eat.Live.Be.
Heaven, I’m in heaven!
Slice of Southern recently posted..Magic Bars
Aww yeah. These are like heaven!
Katrina @ Warm Vanilla Sugar recently posted..Carrot Cake {and Happy Birthday to Me!}
Oh I do know the cookies you are speaking of from the grocery store. Yours look just like them except they are square. Thank you for sharing! I cannot wait to try these.
That thick layer of frosting looks amazing!
Lauren at Keep It Sweet recently posted..Mini Red Velvet Cupcakes with Mascarpone Frosting
OMG these look perfect. Though I think I actually might make it into a cookie vs a bar. I’m guessing the dough’s pretty tough to work with? You think rolling it between parchment, freezing, then cutting would work?
Sarah @ See Sarah Bake recently posted..Swirl Sugar Cookies
The dough is a bit sticky, but I bet if you rolled them into balls instead of cutting them out that would work!
I was just thinking about these cookies the other day…they look so good!!!
I’ve not made holiday goodies for my house yet either. I keep telling myself tomorrow. And then tomorrow. And then tomorrow…
It. Will. Happen.
Cookbook Queen recently posted..Friday Fun!! Friday Fun!!
These look like a lot of fun! Plus baking them in a pan is a real time saver. Happy Holidays!
What I really love about these is that you can tint the color for any holiday and use fun sprinkles for that holiday, too! I’m thinking chocolate with Halloween sprinkles at Halloween and green or red with Christmassy sprinkles for Christmas. These would be great Easter bars.
It’s like an all-in-one recipe. If they’re half as good as they look…. which I’m sure they are. Recipes don’t post here unless they’re dangerously good.
JenMarie recently posted..Lessons in Shortbread
These look so good!!
Also, just wondering – do you still use the email address you have listed on you ‘contact me’ page (cookiesandcups@live.com)? I sent you an email but haven’t gotten a reply … just wondering if you have a new email address?
How weird! I didn’t get the email, and yes I use that address. When did you send it? It’s possible it went to my spam folder, as I have my filters set high. I get a ton of junk. Send me another one and then leave me a comment and I will check immediately
THanks!
Hmm… that is weird! I sent it about 2 weeks ago, but I just re sent it!
I still didn’t get it! you can use sjaronsky@hotmail.com. Try that one!
Oh, ok! Thanks, I’ll try that!
Those look SO cute!
Nicole @ Loving Simple Moments recently posted..Fashion, Fitness, and Random-Facts Friday
Love this! I just said today that I love making bars more than cookies – so we are totally thinking the same, here!!
Deborah recently posted..Cookbook of the Month Recipe – Lotus Blondies
Delicious and festive-looking for sure. I’d eat too many. Man, I need to go on a diet come Jan. 1 w/ the rest of the world!!
Lori @ RecipeGirl recently posted..Salted Caramel Sauce + Printable Labels
Ohhhh I love lofthouse cookies. I think I will be bringing these to a Christmas party!
Wow, these look great! And your site is gorgeous… so happy I stumbled upon it! Have a great Christmas– greetings from Spain!
Lauren of Spanish Sabores recently posted..Antonia’s Arroz con Leche (Recipe)
just finished icing these and using holiday sprinkles.. thanks so much.. WAY better freshly made!!
the thickness of that layer of frosting is absolutely perfect–excellent cookies, especially since they’re in bar form!
grace recently posted..what a gem!
I adore Lofthouse cookies but never buy them because they are expensive. I was so excited to try these. I dont’ know where I went wrong though – they didn’t come out thick and soft and puffy and Loft-house like or like your picture. They are thin and more chewy, almost doughy, even though I baked them long enough but not too long. Any ideas where I went wrong?
That’s weird! Mine were pretty soft and cakey. It sounds like maybe you added too much sugar, or maybe not enough flour..I have done that a million times, but I honestly don’t know!
Oh wow……I was munching on a Lofthouse cookie iced with a green tree when I came across your recipe. Have definitely got to give these a try.
Hi Shelly,
Just wanted to let you know I made these cookies last week and they were Fabulous! I will be making them again for New Years. Thank you so much for posting this recipe. The Buttercream frosting was to die for too. You should have seen the way my eyes rolled back into my head at the first taste! I will be posting them on my site http://www.michellestastycreations.blogspot.com and giving you 100% yummy credit!
Yay!! I think I might make them for New Years too!
I made these for Christmas using Carol’s sorghum blend (Gluten Free Flour recipe) and they were WONDERFUL! Even my non gluten free lifestyle friends enjoyed them…..as well as my dogs! They were easy to make, too!
What frosting did you use?
I put the link in the post to my buttercream recipe… http://cookiesandcups.com/vanilla-buttercream/
Oh thank you! I’m not sure how I missed that in the post…
Elizabeth recently posted..Dog Treats
I tried these this holiday season, along with the Santa Hat party mix, and these cookies are BY FAR my all-time favorites, and my 13-year old’s as well! I used pure almond extract instead of the vanilla (the second batch, after the first ones were devoured) and added some almond extract into the buttercream, too. I dream of these cookies . . .
Almond extract.. Great idea!!
The recipe looks great!! Can’t wait to try it
just want to know, it’s possible to freeze the batter for future use, right? Thanks!!
Hi – Do you use unsalted butter?
I always use salted, unless otherwise specified. Just a personal preference
Ok…LOVE your posts and everything I’ve made of yours has been amazing. I made these bars for work, but my hubby ate the whole batch in the middle of the night. That’s definitely a high rating at my house!