These delicious sugar cookie bars are soft and chewy with a thick layer of blood orange cream cheese frosting and a candied blood orange on top!  What a perfect dessert for special occasions and easy enough for an everyday treat!

I had some one see my instagram feed today and ask when blood oranges are in season. Blood oranges are in season in the United States from December to May.  Maybe I shouldn’t have been so excited but I found them in Trader Joes this week and knew I had to make some candied Blood oranges.  If you’re interested in making candied blood oranges, you can find an easy tutorial here.  Don’t be scared or intimidated by candied citrus, it’s so easy!

Also, another fun little fact and probably one we could have guessed, the largest producer of blood oranges is California.

If you love bar cookies, check out these Lemon Sugar Cookie Bars and these Cadbury Cookie Bars. You won’t be disappointed!!

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Sugar Cookie Bars with Blood Orange Cream Cheese Frosting

Prep Time

10 mins

Cook Time

30 mins

cooling time

20 mins

Total Time

40 mins

 

These delicious sugar cookie bars are soft and chewy with a a thick layer of blood orange cream cheese frosting and a candied blood orange on top!  What a perfect dessert for special occasions and easy enough for an everyday treat!

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Servings: 20 people

Calories: 348 kcal

Ingredients

Sugar Cookie Bars

• 2 1/4 C All Purpose Flour
• 1 tsp Baking Soda
• 1 tsp Salt
• 1 Cup Butter
• 1 1/2 Cup Sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 2 large eggs

Blood Orange Cream Cheese Frosting

• 4 oz Butter, softend and at room tempreture
• 8 oz Cream Cheese, softened
• 3 Cups Powdered Suage
• 1/2 tsp Vanilla extract, or orange if you have it
• 2 Tablesoons Lemon Juice
• 2-3 Tablespoons Blood Orange Juice (about 1 orange)
• zest from 2 blood oranges. (Try to zest very finely so there isn't chunks in the frosting)

Instructions

Sugar Cookie Bars

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

2. Combine flour, baking soda, and salt in a small bowl.

3. Beat the butter, sugar and vanilla in a large mixing bowl until creamy. Add the eggs and then beat well. Gradually beat flour mixture into the butter mixture.

4. In a large baking dish, 12 by 17' for thin cookie bars and 9 by 13" for thick cookie bars. press the dough onto the pan. Cover the bottom of the pan as evenly as possible.

5. Bake in a 325 degree oven for 20-25 minutes or until just barley golden. Take out of the oven and let them cool.

Blood Orange Cream Cheese Frosting

1. In a mixing bowl, cream together the butter and cream cheese. Beat until light and fluffy.

2. Add powdered sugar slowly, a cup at a time.  Add the vanilla extract and the zest.  Slowly add the blood orange juice and the lemon juice until the frosting is fluffy and spreadable.

3. Spread on the sugar cookie bars! Add some candied blood oranges to garnish the top of the sugar cookie bars.  Sprinkles work great too!

4. Store in a covered container for a week if you don't need it all.

Nutrition Facts

Sugar Cookie Bars with Blood Orange Cream Cheese Frosting

Amount Per Serving

Calories 348 Calories from Fat 162

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 18g 28%

Saturated Fat 11g 55%

Cholesterol 67mg 22%

Sodium 345mg 14%

Potassium 42mg 1%

Total Carbohydrates 44g 15%

Sugars 33g

Protein 2g 4%

Vitamin A 12.2%

Vitamin C 1%

Calcium 2.1%

Iron 4.4%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Are you still in the mood for a little something citrus?  Check out these Lemon Blueberry Scones,  or these strawberry cream scones.

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