Butter Bars From Scratch Gooey Goodness

 

Ingredients

Crust

• 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 2 large eggs
• 3/4 cup butter, at room temperature

Filling

• 8 oz cream cheese, at room temperature
• 3 large eggs
• 4 cups powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preparation

1. Place the flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, salt, butter, and eggs in a large mixing bowl. Beat with an electric mixer on low just until a dough forms.
2. Line a 9×13 baking dish with foil and spray with nonstick cooking spray, or just spray your pan directly with a good coating of cooking spray if you prefer not to use foil. (The foil makes it easier to remove the bars and get clean cuts, but it's optional.)
3. Pat the dough into the bottom of the prepared pan and set aside.
4. In another large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese until smooth and creamy. Add the 3 eggs, vanilla, and powdered sugar, and beat until smooth with no lumps.
5. Pour the cream cheese mixture over the crust in the pan.
6. Bake at 350°F for about 50 minutes, or until the top is golden brown. The bars should remain slightly gooey in the middle, so don't rely on the toothpick test—use the golden color as your guide.
7. Allow the bars to cool completely before cutting, so the top layer sets nicely.

Notes

Hint: These bars are delicious warm but may not cut as cleanly. I suggest enjoying one warm and then letting the rest cool for neater slices—but you didn’t hear that from me!

Nutrition

Calories: 209 kcal per serving