Butter Bars

Butter Bars are notoriously simple to make.  A boxed cake mix, a couple of eggs, a stick of butter and a block of cream cheese and 10 minutes of free time is all it takes to whip up a batch of these rich and decadent dessert bars.  What could be easier?

I know what you're thinking - "Why in the world would I take such a simple recipe and make it more complicated?"  The answer is simple - I'm a total cake snob and I don't like to bake with boxed cake mixes.  I'm just not a fan of the chemical taste.  Maybe I'm uber sensitive to the artificial taste in boxed cake mix because I make so many cakes from scratch but I really do prefer the taste of homemade cake to boxed mix cakes.  Like I said - I'm a cake snob.  I know it.  

The fact is that just like cakes made from scratch, the homemade butter bars aren't really all that much more difficult to make than the boxed mix versions.  It does require a few extra minutes to put together but honestly, it's totally worth the extra effort.  If you don't believe me, make a batch of my Butter Bars and a batch of the boxed mix butter bars and let your family decide which is better.  

Butter Bars
Crust
2 1/2 cups flour
3/4 cup powdered sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt
12 Tablespoons butter

Filling
8 ounces cream cheese
8 Tablespoons butter
4 cups powdered sugar
2 eggs plus 2 egg yolks
2 Tablespoons vanilla
1/4 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 350.  Make a foil sling for a 9x13" pan.  Spray with cooking spray. 

For crust: Combine flour, sugar and salt.  

Add melted butter and stir with rubber scraper until combined.  

Crumble over bottom of prepared pan.  Press into an even layer.  

Use a fork to poke dough 20 times.  

Bake 20 minutes.  Let cool 30 minutes. 

For filling: Cream together cream cheese and butter.

Add sugar and beat until light and fluffy.  

Add eggs and yolk, one at a time.   

Add vanilla and salt and beat 2 more minutes. 

Spread filling over cooled crust.  

Bake 30 minutes until top is golden brown.  

Let cool in pan at least 3 hours.  

Remove from pan with foil sling. 

Cut into 24 pieces. 

Sprinkle with powdered sugar. 

You know you've had a good day when the hardest thing you have to do all day is wait for the butter bars to cool completely before you cut them.  🤪  I love my job and it certainly isn't without it's difficulties and stresses but on days like today when I get to make Gooey Butter Bars - IT'S ALL WORTH IT.  

Ciao!

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