Ingredients

For Cookies

1 cup (226g) unsalted butter

1 cup (200g) white sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

½ teaspoon almond extract

1 egg

2 teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

3 cups (360g) all-purpose flour

For Strawberry Glaze

2 tablespoons water

2 tablespoons white sugar

1/3 cup strawberries, chopped

2 cups powdered sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 teaspoons lemon juice

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Prepare a baking sheet for the bars by lining it with parchment paper. Set aside for later!
First, prepare the cookies! Cream together butter and sugar in a large bowl, using either a stand mixer or a hand mixer, for at least 3 minutes. Mixture should be creamy, and fluffy.
Beat in the extracts and egg.
In a separate bowl, combine baking powder, salt, and flour and mix together.
Add the dry ingredients to the butter/sugar mixture slowly, continuing to mix as you do.
If the dough looks crumbly, keep mixing for an additional 30 seconds – 1 minute. It should start to come together!
Once the dough starts to pull away from the side of your bow, it’s ready.
Transfer the dough to the prepared cookie sheet and roll out until flat, in a rectangle about 12 inches long and as wide as the cookie sheet. This should leave you with bars about a ¼ inch thick.
Transfer the cookie sheet to the oven and bake for 16 – 20 minutes, until edges just start to turn golden brown and the middle is firm.
While the cookies bake, make the glaze!
In a small saucepan combine the water and sugar. Heat over medium until the sugar is dissolved.
Mash the strawberries and add them to the water-sugar mixture, then simmer on low for 7 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Once strawberries are nicely softened, add the vanilla extract.
Remove the strawberry mixture from heat and let cool. Use an immersion blender to mix the berry sauce until smooth.
Add the cooled strawberry mixture to the powdered sugar, along with the lemon juice and mix until smooth.
Remove the cookie bars from the oven once they are done baking and let cool.
Once cooled, spread the glaze over the sugar cookie bars and let sit for an hour or so before slicing.
Slice the bars into your preferred shape, and enjoy!