Sourdough Sugar Cookie Bar Hearts (soft & chewy!)
Soft, buttery sourdough sugar cookie bars cut into heart shapes and topped with frosting and sprinkles, an easy, festive dessert perfect for Valentine’s Day and sourdough discard baking.
Servings:
16
servings
Equipment
- 1 9x9 inch baking pan
- Parchment paper
- Food scale
- Mixing bowl
- Hand or stand mixer
Ingredients
- 113 grams unsalted butter (softened )
- 150 grams sugar
- 1 large egg
- 100 grams sourdough discard (fed or unfed & brought to room temp)
- 7 grams vanilla extract
- 140 grams all-purpose flour
- 3 grams baking powder
- 2 grams salt
- 3 grams cornstarch
- 80 grams Valentine's themed sprinkles (+ more for topping)
For the frosting
- 28 grams unsalted butter (softened )
- 170-180 grams powdered sugar
- 30-45 grams heavy cream (start with 30)
- 5 grams vanilla extract
- 1-2 drops red natural or regular food dye (for pink color-optional )
- a pinch of salt to cut the sweetness
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 9×9 inch (or 8×8-inch) baking pan with parchment paper.
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Cream the butter and sugar together in a large bowl until light and fluffy (about 2–3 minutes). You can use a hand mixer or stand mixer for this step.
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Add the egg, sourdough starter, and vanilla extract to the bowl. Mix until well combined and smooth.
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In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and cornstarch.
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Gradually mix the dry ingredients into the wet mixture, stirring just until combined. Be careful not to overmix.
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Fold in the sprinkles using a spatula, making sure they’re evenly distributed throughout the dough.
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Spread the dough evenly into the prepared baking pan. Use a spatula or an icing tool to spread it into the corners and smooth the top. Note: this is a wetter sugar cookie bar dough, this is normal. It helps achieve optimal texture.
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Bake for 28-35 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Note: if using an 8×8 inch pan you may need to bake the sugar cookie bars a little longer.
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Let the bars cool completely in the pan before shaping & frosting.
How to make the frosting
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In a medium bowl, beat the softened butter until smooth.
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Add the powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons of heavy cream, vanilla extract, 1 drop of red food dye or natural dye, and a pinch of salt (if using). Beat until smooth and fluffy. Add the remaining tablespoon of cream if needed to reach your desired consistency.
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Set frosting aside to prepare for shaping.
How to Shape the Sugar Cookie Bar Hearts
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Once the cookie bars are fully baked, allow them to cool completely. This step is important, cutting while warm can cause the bars to crumble or lose their shape.
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Use a heart-shaped cookie cutter to cut out the cookies. You should be able to get about 9 heart shapes from one batch, depending on the size of your cutter. Press straight down for clean edges, and gently lift each heart out of the pan.
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After shaping, frost each heart generously and finish with festive sprinkles or decorative toppings.
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Store the frosted bars in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days, or refrigerate for up to 5 days for maximum freshness.
Notes
Sourdough discard: Ensure your sourdough discard is no more than a week old to avoid a sour taste in the sugar cookie bars. Active starter can be used.
Baking pan: If using an 8x8 inch baking pan the cookie bars may need to bake slightly longer.
