Strawberry Crunch Sugar Cookie Bars

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup (113g) salted butter, room temp
• 2 oz (56g) cream cheese, room temp
• 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
• 1 egg, room temp
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp almond extract (optional)
• 1 2/3 Cups (210g) all-purpose flour, spooned & leveled or weighed (don't pack it in)
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/3 cup freeze-dried strawberries, lightly crushed (not crushed into a powder, just small chunks)
• 4 oz (113g) cream cheese, room temp (for the cream cheese frosting)
• 2 tbsp (28g) unsalted butter, room temp (for the cream cheese frosting)
• 1 cup (120g) powdered sugar (for the cream cheese frosting)
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract (for the cream cheese frosting)
• Pinch of salt (for the cream cheese frosting)
• 10 Golden Oreos (for the strawberry crunch)
• 1/2 cup crushed freeze-dried strawberries (for the strawberry crunch)
• Optional: 1-2 tsp strawberry Jell-O powder (it's sweeter, up to you) (for the strawberry crunch)
• 2 tbsp (28g) unsalted butter, melted (for the strawberry crunch)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F and grease/line an 8x8 pan with parchment paper.
2. Beat butter, cream cheese, and sugar together until light and fluffy.
3. Then, add the egg, vanilla, and almond extract and mix until fully combined.
4. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt, then gently fold into the wet ingredients until just combined.
5. Fold in the lightly crushed freeze-dried strawberries.
6. Spread evenly into the prepared pan and smooth the top.
7. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until the edges are set or a toothpick inserted comes out mostly clean/with a few moist crumbs.
8. Let it cool completely.
9. To make the frosting, beat the cream cheese and butter together until smooth. Then beat in the powdered sugar and vanilla.
10. Spread this over the completely cooled bars & top with a generous layer of the strawberry crunch.