Sugar Cookie Bar Variations: Strawberry Kiwi Sugar Cookie Cupcakes

As promised, here's the other variation on the sugar cookie bars that I've made. I'm sure you could come up with many other awesome desserts using this dough, too! I love a great, versatile recipe I can get creative with while being sure I'll come out with a great product.

This "recipe" is one I'm writing right now. When I made this, I used some extra dough from the big batch of pink sugar cookie bars I made and ended up with 6 "cupcakes". But I didn't take notes as I made these, so it's really more of a guess as to how many of these babies you'll actually end up with. If you make this, let me know how many this recipe made and I'll update this post! Side note: I took this dessert over to my neighbor's house for dinner since she's Muslim and needed to eat something halal. Though most desserts you probably make are halal since it mainly refers to how meat products (gelatin is included in this) are dealt with, it's good to know if you're ever in the same situation as me!

Again, you could top these with any fruit you wanted, but I like the contrast of the red and green together. I guess you could even deem these appropriate for a Christmas event? Maybe they're too summery. Christmas in the summer here confuses my normal thinking about it. I've been anticipating it because of the cold for months now.

STRAWBERRY KIWI SUGAR COOKIE CUPCAKES

Makes approximately 6 cupcakes, easily doubled for more

Ingredients

For the cookie base:

1/4 cup butter (or 1/2 stick)

1/2 cup sugar

1 large egg

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1 1/4 cups flour

1/4 tsp salt

1/8 tsp baking powder

For topping:

About 4 oz. or 1/2 block of cream cheese, softened

1 to 1 1/2 cups confectioners sugar

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1 kiwi

3 - 4 large strawberries

Directions

Grease the muffin cups with butter. For the cookie base, cream sugar and butter together in large bowl on medium speed for about 2 minutes. Mix in egg, scraping the sides of the bowl as needed. Blend in vanilla. Combine flour, salt, and baking soda. *Note: I like to do this step in a wire mesh strainer hooked to the top of my mixing bowl so that it sifts the flour at the same time, but you could also do it in separate bowl.* Add flour mixture to wet ingredients on low speed until just incorporated.

Press dough into muffin cups, about half of the way full. Bake them at 350 F for about 10 minutes. You will need to keep an eye on these because I don't remember how long I actually cooked them. Just make sure the edges are a bit browned and center is mostly set. If it's a little soft still that's probably good if you're like me and enjoy soft chewy cookies. Let fully cool before frosting.

For the topping, blend together the softened cream cheese, vanilla extract, and 1 cup confectioners sugar. Add more sugar as needed to reach desired consistency and taste. Frost cupcakes with the sweetened cream cheese. Dice up a kiwi and a few strawberries and use them for topping. Eat the leftovers, they're good for you. :)

PS: this post is my first one that I've "scheduled"! I feel like a real live blogger!

Sugar Cookie Bar Variations: Strawberry Lime Sugar Cookie Pizza

Hope you guys are having a nice day. I have had a great day. After prayer, Jordan took me by the new Nike store so I could get a new workout shirt and pants! Very fun. I have been trying to be really good about exercise this year, especially in the winter because I was feeling pretty stir crazy and lethargic. Exercise always helps this, and I find I'm much happier when I get in several workouts in a week. Bonus: it's actually been really fun to have somewhere already paid for to go [we got Scoopons for a local gym for $30 for 3 months!] since things can get a bit pricey here in Melbourne.

Now, to the food. Sorry about the incredibly long title! After I posted the sugar cookie bar recipe, I wanted to follow it up with a couple of variations I've made this year. I probably liked them better than the original recipe, and they are definitely more fancy! I made this a long time ago now and took it to a STINT dinner we were having, and everyone loved it! It's spring and strawberry season here, so I should really make it again since they are so cheap!

To make this variation on the traditional bars, mold the dough into a deep dish pizza pan. Alternately, you could use a jelly roll pan or any other pan with sides. This would just make the dough different heights. I decreased the amount of dough for these, but it still leaves a pretty thick cookie base for this fruit pizza with sweetened cream cheese as your "sauce." Since I love lime and strawberry flavors together, this was a fun combination for me to try. However, you could put any type of fruit you had onto this base and it would be awesome. Also, I think the more lime the better. I didn't put in as much as I could have in this - so feel free to add more. It would probably be delicious and more of a key lime cheesecake flavor. YUM.

Here's the recipe:

STRAWBERRY LIME SUGAR COOKIE PIZZA

Ingredients

For the dough:

170 grams butter (or 1 1/2 sticks or 3/4 cup)

1 1/2 cups sugar

3 large eggs

1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Zest from one lime (or two or three!)

3 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 tsp salt

1/4 + 1/8 tsp baking soda

For the topping:

8 oz cream cheese at room temperature, or softened in the microwave

56 g or 1/4 cup butter at room temperature, or softened in the microwave

2 1/2 cups confectioners sugar

4-5 tsp lime juice (or more)

Zest from one lime

Pint of strawberries

Directions

Grease pan lightly with butter. To make the cookie dough, cream sugar and butter together in large bowl on medium speed for about 2 minutes. Mix in eggs one at a time, scraping the sides of the bowl as needed. Blend in vanilla and zest. Combine flour, salt, and baking soda. *Note: I like to do this step in a wire mesh strainer hooked to the top of my mixing bowl so that it sifts the flour at the same time, but you could also do it in separate bowl.* Add flour mixture to wet ingredients on low speed until just incorporated.

Press into deep dish pizza pan, or other pan with sides. *Note: you may need to adjust baking time if in a different pan.* Bake at 350 F (or 180 C) for about 10-15 minutes, until edges begin to brown and center is set. Let it cool completely before frosting.

To make the topping, cream together cream cheese and butter on medium speed until fluffy. Add sifted confectioners sugar and lime juice alternately. Stir in zest. If you choose to add more lime juice than the recipe calls for, you may need to add more sugar to reach the desired consistency. Spread evenly over the cookie base, leaving a bit of a border. Slice strawberries and arrange on top for a pretty presentation!

Sugar Cookie Bars

I have been really happy to have this recipe this year. It is a really easy, delicious dough that is quick and inexpensive to throw together with all staple ingredients. And, the full recipe feeds a LOT. The frosting is really light and buttery and a nice complement to the sugar cookies, and would be easy to tint different colors based on whatever event you are bringing them to. I think they would be just perfect with maroon icing and some orange sprinkles! I have also used the dough recipe for a few other desserts this year too, which I will share in a few days. If you make these, be prepared to have a lot of these little bars on your hands, since you make these in a large jelly roll pan. Or perhaps half the recipe and put it in a 9x13 pan so you won't have so many!


Sugar Cookie Bars 
Makes about 48 bars
Ingredients:
For the cookie bars:
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 cups sugar
4 large eggs
2 tsp. vanilla extract
Zest from 1 lemon
5 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
For the frosting:
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 tsp. vanilla extract
Pinch of salt
4 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted
5 tbsp. milk
Food coloring (optional, but pretty!)


Directions:
     To make the cookies, preheat the oven to 350F. Grease a 13"x18" rimmed baking sheet. Cream together the butter and sugar in a large bowl on medium-high speed until light and smooth, about 2 minutes. Mix in the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Blend in the vanilla and lemon zest. In a medium bowl (or a wire mesh colander fitted to the top of your bowl), combine the flour, salt and baking soda. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and beat on low speed just until incorporated. 
     Transfer the cookie dough to the prepared baking sheet and press into an even layer. Bake 10-15 minutes, until light golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. The edges should be just starting to lightly brown. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let cool completely before frosting.
     To make the frosting, beat the butter in a large bowl on medium-high speed until smooth. Blend in the vanilla, salt, and confectioners' sugar until smooth, 1-2 minutes. Mix in the milk. Tint as desired with food coloring. Spread over the cookie in the pan, cut into bars and serve. *Note: Since this frosting is mostly butter, it will melt quickly on the bars if they are not cooled completely. (I learned this the hard way the first time when I tried to rush it!)
Source: Annie's Eats, who got it from The Repressed Pastry Chef

melting moments

almost every day, i ask jordan if he would have a melting moment with me.

you're probably thinking now that i'm really cheesy or weird or just overly romantic.

but really i'm asking him if he'll share the most wonderful australian cookie - a melting moment - also known as a yo-yo - with me. and we do kind of have a moment usually. but that's not what my question was about.

so i figured since i made some melting moments myself the other day (instead of eating the store-bought ones which are also incredible) i should share the wonderful recipe so you can try it too!

they are so delicate, they almost crumble as you pick them up and literally melt in your mouth. the lemon filling is just sweet and tart enough to make the shortbread cookie really special.

so delicious! i love australian cookies! i am leaving the recipe in it's original form because i think it is so interesting following aussie recipes! i always have the computer with me to make conversions. but it's getting easier to just know.

melting moments:

175g (60z) butter, softened

1/4 cup icing (confectioner's) sugar

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 cup plain (all-purpose) flour, sifted

1/4 cup cornflour (cornstarch), sifted

filling:

60g (2oz) butter, softened

1 cup icing (confectioner's) sugar

2 tsp. lemon juice

2 tsp. finely grated lemon rind

Preheat the oven to 180ºC (350ºF). Place the butter, icing sugar and vanilla in a bowl and beat with electric beaters until light and fluffy. Stir in the flour and cornflour with a spoon until combined.

Place the mixture into a piping bag (or ziploc). *I made these by just rolling them into balls by hand and then using a fork to put lines in one direction on the top.* Pipe 3 cm (1 in) rounds into a baking tray lined with non-stick baking paper, allowing room for spreading. Use a fork Cook for 12-14 minutes or until golden. Cool on trays.

To make the filling, place the butter, icing sugar, lemon juice, and rind in a bowl and beat with electric beaters until fluffy and creamy. Pipe onto half of the biscuits and sandwich with the remaining biscuits. Makes about 16 filled biscuits.

Variations:

Replace lemon juice and rind with lime or orange.

For chocolate, omit the lemon juice and rind. Use 3/4 cup icing sugar and 1/4 cup cocoa powder for the filling and add 1 tsp vanilla extract and 1 tsp water.

Enjoy!