Sugar Cookie Squares

Ingredients

• 10 Tbsp butter, softened
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 egg white
• 1 1/2 Tbsp sour cream
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp almond extract, optional
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 cup salted butter, softened
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 2-3 Tbsp half and half
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
• Several drop food coloring, optional

Directions

1. Heat the oven to 375 degrees. Coat a 13" x 9" baking dish with butter and put it aside. In a mixing bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder and salt, then set that bowl aside too.
2. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the butter with the sugar until the mixture looks light and airy, about 3-4 minutes. Mix in the egg and egg white.
3. Add the sour cream, vanilla and almond extract, and beat just until everything comes together. Gradually work in the dry ingredients, mixing only until the dough is combined.
4. Butter your hands, then ease the dough into the prepared baking dish, pressing very gently, more like patting than pushing. Bake for 15 – 17 minutes, until the bars are set and a toothpick poked into the middle comes out clean.
5. Let the bars cool all the way, then frost them and slice into squares.