Snickerdoodle Bars

I. ate.. every... last.... crumb...almost.  It was that good.

Earlier...

Yet earlier...

Today's post...

In contrast to my last post, today I return to golden brown.  What I want to share is a super delish riff on the vintage Snickerdoodle Cookie.  Remember that round, tender, and cinnamon-y-tasting treat of yesteryear?  No? Well, that just means you may be under 30!  Great!  Allow me to introduce you to Snickerdoodle Bars.

Back in the dark ages,  I remember using the Snickerdoodle Cookie recipe from my mother's Betty Crocker cookbook.  But that was then... And a few years back, a number of food bloggers offered a retake on the Snickerdoodle cookie. Guess what?  I took notice!  It is tough to surpass these lovely bars with their pillow-y, soft interior and crispy, thin cinnamon sugar topping.  And they offer other advantages too!

Once the dough is mixed, making these bars eliminates quite a bit of time  You no longer need to roll individual cookies, cover them individually in the cinnamon sugar mix, and place them individually on the cookie sheet. And, you don't have to repeat this process on a second baking sheet because the yield is dozens.  Consider placing all the prepared dough into a 9 x 13 baking pan, sprinkling with the cinnamon/sugar mix, and baking once.  Couldn't be simpler, right?  And let me assure you that the taste and texture is still there... perhaps a bit more cake-y and a lot richer in flavor.  My kind of bar!

Notes:

1.  Of course, I use self-rising flour, but if you prefer to use regular all-purpose flour, look at the mentor recipe link.
2. Some days it takes more will-power than I have to control my sweet tooth.  So, doubling the cinnamon sugar topping mixture makes the bars even more amazing.  If you are cutting back on your sugar ingestion, then maybe you will reconsider the doubling effect...but, then again... you only live once!
3.  I used a stand mixer, but using a hand-held mixer and a large bowl would work :)
4.  Bars can be cut easily into different shapes.  Notice my triangles and squares.
5.  Yield will be dependent upon the size/shape of your cutting.
6.  These are freezer friendly.  Cut them into manageable sizes, plastic wrap them, place them into zip-lock bags, and pop them into your freezer.  They will be there when you need a quick dessert.

Snickerdoodle Bars
adapted from here
Yield:  One 9" x 13" baking pan

Bars:
2 and 2/3 cups self-rising flour
1 teaspoon salt, optional
2 cups packed brown sugar (light or dark)
1 cup butter, at room temperature (2 sticks)
2 eggs, at room temperature
1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Topping:
4 tablespoons white sugar
4 teaspoons cinnamon

Directions

1.  Preheat oven to 350º F.  Lightly grease a 9" x 13" baking pan.  I used a glass pan.

2.  In your mixer, beat together the butter, brown sugar, eggs, and vanilla until smooth.
3.  Add in the self-rising flour and salt (if using) in small amounts (so you avoid a flour eruption) and mix until well combined.

4.  Spread the batter into the prepared pan.  It will have the consistency of cookie dough.
5.  Combine the white sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl.  Evenly sprinkle the mixture over the top of the batter.

6.  Bake for 25-30 minutes or until toothpick inserted into the cake is removed with no batter.

7.  Cool (yes they are).
8.  Bars can be cut while cake is still warm.