Soft, chewy sugar cookie bars are frosted with a bold, raspberry buttercream. These bars are simple and full of fresh summer flavors. Everybody loves them.
Beat butter and sugar together in a stand mixer on high for 90 seconds. Add eggs, vanilla and almond extract. Beat again on medium until fully incorporated.
Add remaining ingredients and beat on medium until everything is combined.
Press dough evenly into a 9"x14" pan with hands (easier than a spoon).
Bake in preheated oven 25-28 minutes or until cookies are brown at edges and fully set. Do not overbake or cookies will not remain chewy and moist.
While cookies are cooking, start preparing the frosting.
To Make the Frosting: Put raspberries in a medium sauce pan over medium high heat. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Keep berries at a low boil for up to 10 minutes until they have fully disintegrated.
Use the back of a large spoon to press the raspberries through a sieve and collect most of the juice. Discard seeds.
Place juice back in the pan and simmer on medium until the juice is reduced by about half.
Cool juice completely before making frosting.
In a stand mixer with the whisk attachment, beat together butter and powdered sugar until crumbly. Add half of the cooled raspberry reduction, the vanilla and the salt. Beat on high until combined.
Taste. If stronger raspberry flavor is desired, add the rest of the raspberry reduction. Beat on high for several minutes to ensure fluffy texture. (If frosting thickens it can be thinned with a tablespoon or two of cream or milk.)
Spread frosting on cooled cookie bars. Shake on sprinkles if desired. Cut and serve.
Any leftover raspberry reduction is amazing added to drinks, stirred into yogurt or sweetened and spooned over ice cream.