Layered Snickerdoodle Bars with a Honey Filling
Layered snickerdoodle bars start with a soft cookie base, then a honey filling instead of the usual cream cheese, so the middle stays tender rather than tangy. A cinnamon sugar topping bakes into a light, crackly crust, which is what pulls the whole bar back to that classic snickerdoodle flavor. These snickerdoodle cookie bars are easy to make ahead, since they need to cool completely before you slice them into squares. Plan on about 20 minutes of hands on prep, then let the oven and the fridge do the rest.
Servings 36
Calories 149kcal
Ingredients
COOKIE LAYER
- 8 tablespoons butter 1/2 cup, room temp
- ¾ cup sugar
- 1 ½ cups flour
- 1 teaspoon cream of tartar
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 egg
- ¼ cup milk
FILLING
- ¼ cup honey
- ¼ cup cream or half and half
- 1 tablespoon vanilla
- 12 tablespoons butter (3/4 cup, room temp)
- 1 cup sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 egg
- 1 ¼ cups flour
TOPPING
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350º. Line a 9 x 13 cake pan with parchment paper and spray with cooking spray.
COOKIE LAYER:
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cream of tartar, soda and salt. Set aside.
- With an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add an egg and cream and beat until combined. Add dry ingredients and beat until just combined. Spread into the prepared pan in an even layer, using an offset spatula or knife to even it out.
FILLING LAYER:
- In a small bowl, whisk together the honey, cream and vanilla. With an electric mixer, cream butter, sugar and salt until light and fluffy. Add an egg and beat until combined.
- With the mixer on low, add ⅓ of the flour, then ½ of the honey mixture, repeat until the flour is just incorporated. Spread over the cookie layer and smooth it out with an offset spatula.
TOPPING:
- Combine cinnamon and sugar and sprinkle over the top.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes until they have browned on top. The filling will be a little jiggly. Let cool completely before cutting.
Notes
- Use a metal pan rather than glass. It bakes more evenly, so the edges won't overbake before the center sets.
- Line the pan with parchment, leaving an overhang on two sides, so you can lift the whole thing out to slice instead of cutting inside the pan.
- Store covered at room temperature for up to 4 days, or in the fridge for up to a week.
- These freeze well for up to 2 months.
