These patriotic sugar cookie bars are soft, buttery, and festive with red and blue dough, a sweet vanilla glaze, and colorful sprinkles. They make an easy crowd-pleasing dessert for summer celebrations and holidays.
Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 9x13-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the sides for easy removal.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
In a large bowl, beat the softened butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes.
Beat in the egg, vanilla extract, and almond extract until fully combined.
Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix just until a soft dough forms.
Divide the dough into three portions. Leave one portion plain, tint one portion red with gel food coloring, and tint the third portion blue with gel food coloring.
Press the dough portions evenly into the prepared pan in decorative stripes or patchwork sections, gently smoothing the top with your fingers or an offset spatula.
Bake for 18 to 22 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden and the center is set. Do not overbake.
Allow the bars to cool completely in the pan.
In a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, milk, melted butter, and vanilla extract until smooth. Spread the glaze over the cooled bars and top with red, white, and blue sprinkles.
Lift the bars out of the pan using the parchment overhang and cut into squares or rectangles to serve.
Notes
For the cleanest slices, chill the bars briefly after glazing before cutting. Gel food coloring gives the brightest color without thinning the dough.