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Strawberry Lemon Cookie Bars for Summer

What better way to celebrate summer than strawberry lemon cookie bars?! These cookie bars are so delicious. They are easy to make, but extremely hard not to eat. Bonus points if you eat them frozen. Make them today!
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Cooling Time 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 9 bars

Ingredients
  

For the Cookie Dough

  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1/2 cup softened butter
  • 1 egg yolk
  • 1 cup flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 cup chopped strawberries about 5-6 strawberries
  • 1 tablespoon lemon zest

For the Glaze

  • 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
  • 2 tablespoons softened butter
  • 2 tablespoons softened cream cheese
  • 1 tablespoon milk
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 1 tablespoon lemon zest
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla or almond extract
  • 1/4 teaspoon turmeric optional

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line an 8x8 baking dish with parchment paper.
  • Mix sugar, softened butter (about 8 seconds in the microwave), egg yolk, flour, baking powder, salt, and vanilla with a wooden spoon or spatula. After fully combined, mix in the chopped strawberries and lemon zest. Make sure the strawberries are dry enough.
    1/2 cup sugar, 1/2 cup softened butter, 1 egg yolk, 1 cup chopped strawberries, 1 cup flour, 1/2 teaspoon baking powder, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon vanilla, 1 tablespoon lemon zest
  • Press the cookie dough into the baking dish and bake in the preheated oven for 30-40 minutes or until the edges are golden and the center is cooked.
  • While the cookie bars are cooling, make the glaze by mixing powdered sugar, softened butter, softened cream cheese, milk, lemon juice, lemon zest, vanilla or almond extract, and optional turmeric for color.
    2 1/2 cups powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons softened butter, 2 tablespoons softened cream cheese, 1 tablespoon milk, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, 1 tablespoon lemon zest, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla or almond extract, 1/4 teaspoon turmeric
  • When the cookie bars are cool, spread the glaze over the top of the cookie bars. Let the bars sit in the fridge until the frosting I set. I put my cookie bars in the freezer, and they are so good frozen! It’s the perfect summer treat.