White Chocolate Chip Sugar Cookie Bars with Browned Butter Pumpkin Spice Frosting

9/21/14

It’s Fall Foods Galore this week for #SundaySupper, so you know what that means – apples, pumpkins pears, squash, and all sorts of comfort food as the air starts to get a little crisp. If you are heading to an autumn party and need a fabulous dessert, the simple buttery vanilla cookie with the rich frosting with just a hint of pumpkin flavor and warm spices ill delight the whole crowd. It doesn’t get easier to make up a big batch of White Chocolate Chip Sugar Cookie Bars with Browned Butter Pumpkin Spice Frosting.

White Chocolate Chip Sugar Cookie Bars with Browned Butter Pumpkin Spice Frosting

So, my friends, one thing I want to work on is my writing. And some days I have a funny story to tell, or I want to whine about something, or I feel some sort of inspiration or emotion and want to pass that along. But other days I just want to give you lots and lots of (what I think are) pretty pictures…

This, my friends, is one of those days…

I edited and edited, and I got down to nine photos, and I just don’t want to decide between them.

Maybe that’s because I have too many major life decisions to make in the coming weeks and months. You know, like things involving what house do I want to buy, what preschool am I going to send The Bug to, am I going to send King Stuff to daycare part time and, you know, get really serious about this whole blogging career. For someone who hates making decisions, that’s about using up all of my decision making capacity. Really, how do you expect be to be able to decide between all of these…

I mean, White Chocolate Chip Sugar Cookie Bars with Browned Butter Pumpkin Spice Frosting, what’s not to love? Sugar Cookie Bars are one of my favorite simple and fast ways to make a big batch of cookies without the tie and effort to scoop and shape or roll and cut. You can mix in different flavoring or chips or chunks or nuts to flavor them how you like, or keep the simple and add a big punch of flavor with a homemade frosting. That’s what I did here. And let me tell you, this frosting, ohhhh, this frosting.

Buttery, nutty, just enough pumpkin to taste pumpkin but you’re not like, “Ugh, more pumpkin!” and just a hint of warm spices like cinnamon and ginger. I could eat it with a spoon. Perfect against the simple flavor of the sugar cookie bars there are studded with just a few white chocolate chips for those little creamy, vanilla-y bursts.

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Are you super excited about all the autumn awesomeness? You’ll get ideas and inspiration with all of the amazing #SundaySupper Fall Fods Galore recipes at the bottom of this post.

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Print Recipe

White Chocolate Chip Sugar Cookie Bars with Browned Butter Pumpkin Spice Frosting

Course: Bars, Cookies, Dessert

Author: Brianne @ Cupcakes & Kale Chips

Ingredients

For the cookies:

• 5 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• 1 cup 2 sticks butter, room temperature
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup light brown sugar
• 4 eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 1 cup white chocolate chips

For the frosting:

• 1½ sticks unsalted butter divided, ½ stick at room temperature
• 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
• ¼ cup pumpkin puree not pumpkin pie filling
• ½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
• 3 1/2-4 cups powdered sugar

Instructions

For the cookies:

• Preheat your oven to 375°F and grease or line a 13x18 inch baking pan with parchment paper (I use the parchment to make them easier to remove).
• Sift or whisk together the flour, salt and baking soda in a bowl and set aside.
• Combine the butter and sugars in a large bowl or the bowl of your stand mixer and cream with stand mixed or hand mixer until light and fluffy.
• Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well between each addition.
• Add the vanilla and mix well.
• Reduce the mixer speed to low and gradually add the flour mixture to the wet mixture, mixing until just combined.
• Stir in the white chocolate chips.
• Spread the dough on the prepared pan (I spray a spatula and sometimes my hand with cooking spray to do this).
• Bake for 10-15 minutes, or until lightly golden and a toothpick comes out clean (it won't look done, so use the toothpick test).
• Cool completely, then frost and decorate as desired.
• Cut into small squares.

For the frosting:

• Slowly melt one stick of the butter in a pan over medium-low heat, then cook slowly until butter is golden brown and smells nutty. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature.
• Place remaining softened ½ stick of butter and light brown sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer and beat until creamy.
• Slowly beat in the browned butter, then add the pumpkin and pumpkin pie spice, beating until combined.
• Gradually add 3 1/2 cups of the powdered sugar and beat until thick and fluffy, adding additional powdered sugar if needed to achieve the desired consistency.

Notes

Sugar Cookie Bars adapted from The Girl Who Ate Everything
Frosting adapted from Picky Palate

Enjoy!

Like this recipe? You’ll love these…

• Chocolate Chip Sugar Cookie Bars with Peanut Butter Frosting
• Chocolate Chip Cookie Cupcakes with Browned Butter Pumpkin Spice Frosting
• Gluten Free Pumpkin Swirl Pecan Crumb Cake

And here is the entree Autumn #SundaySupper Menu…
Appetizers and Drinks

• Hatch Chile Hummus by Shockingly Delicious
• Pearfect Harvest Cocktail by Eat, Drink and be Tracy

Soups, Stews, Chili, and Casserole

• Butternut Squash Chowder by The Texan New Yorker
• Butternut Squash Soup with Sage and Sautéed Mushrooms by Cooking Chat
• Cheesy Potato Chard Bake by Food Lust People Love
• Fall Harvest Onion Soup by MealDiva
• Homemade Poultry Seasoning and Chicken Dumpling Casserole by Hot Momma’s Kitchen Chaos
• Kale and Sweet Potato Stew by What Smells So Good?
• Pumpkin Chili by Bobbi’s Kozy Kitchen
• Smoked Gouda Cauliflower Casserole by Casadecrews

Salads and Side Dishes

• Brie and Pear Salad by Cindy’s Recipes and Writings
• Butternut Squash Dinner Rolls by Life Tastes Good
• Carrot and Chevre Souffle by Jane’s Adventures in Dinner
• Fall Harvest Panzanella by Curious Cuisiniere
• Garlicky Roasted Butternut Squash by Panning The Globe
• Maple Roasted Acorn Squash by Jelly Toast
• Roasted Vegetables with Spiced Pepitas and Sunflower Seeds by Nosh My Way
• Wild Rice Stuffed Acorn Squash by Ruffles & Truffles

Main Dishes

• Chicken alla Vendemmia by Crazy Foodie Stunts
• Oktoberfest Schnitzel Melt Sandwich by Kudos Kitchen by Renee
• Ratatouille by A Mama, Baby & Shar-pei in the Kitchen
• Roasted Pork Tenderloin over Sweet Potatoes by Family Foodie
• Streamlined Weeknight Shepherd’s Pie by The Weekend Gourmet

Desserts and Baked Goods

• Apple and Cinnamon Cake by Happy Baking Days
• Apple Challah Bread French Toast by Desserts Required
• Apple Dumplings with Salted Caramel Rum Sauce by The Life and Loves of Grumpy’s Honeybunch
• Apple Hand Pie {Apfeltaschen} by The Not So Cheesy Kitchen
• Apple Peanut Butter Breakfast Cookies by Pies and Plots
• Apple Pie Bars by The Wimpy Vegetarian
• Caramel Apple Cider Ginger Ale Floats by NeighborFood
• Chai Tea Jello Shots by Peaceful Cooking
• Cranberry Orange Baked Doughnuts by A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures
• Maple Glazed Apple Galette by That Skinny Chick Can Bake
• No Bake Caramel Apple Cheesecake Parfaits by Chocolate Moosey
• Peanut Butter Ginger Apple Cookies by Ninja Baking
• Pear Walnut Bread Pudding by Magnolia Days
• Pumpkin Bagels by The Redhead Baker
• Pumpkin Cheesecake by Confessions of a Culinary Diva
• Pumpkin Cinnamon Chip Cookies by Momma’s Meals
• Pumpkin Coffeecake Muffins by Take A Bite Out of Boca
• Pumpkin Ice Cream by Amee’s Savory Dish
• Pumpkin Pie Cookies by Fit Foodie Runs
• Pumpkin Scones with Maple Glaze by The Foodie Army Wife
• Pumpkin Snack Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting by Peanut Butter and Peppers
• Rustic Apple Pie by Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks
• Southern Coffee Cookies by Killer Bunnies, Inc
• Sticky Apple and Gingerbread Cake by Mess Makes Food