My kids might be surprised how I look forward to the end of the school year as much as them, albeit for different reasons.
I will no longer have to meticulously wrap sandwiches in plastic wrap, put pretzels in little baggies, wash and cut up fruit for lunches mostly not consumed anyway.
The after school bomb will cease to detonate at 3:30. Four kids will not simultaneously need snacks, attention, and help with their homework while leaving a trail of backpacks, coats, and smelly socks in their wake.
No longer will I have to quiz them on spelling words and litigate over how many times they should rewrite misspelled ones.
My mornings will stop having to be orchestrated like a fire drill. Everything won’t have to be laid out to be put on or consumed in the most efficient fashion so we can leave the premises in minimum time.
I have visions of quietly drinking a cup of coffee, instead of muscling it down in four frantic, burning sips. I can leisurely read the paper every morning while I let my kids sleep peacefully away from me.
I imagine my kids then slowly rising to be outside all day riding bikes, playing with neighbors, and building a clubhouse that requires no adult supervision or guidance.
You’re feeling me, right? Well, guess what? My days are now just filled with a different type of chaos. On day three of break my new summer reality came down with a vengeance.
With all the summer camps, sports, and clubs our lives have been absolutely bananas. I’ve had to coordinate a complex driving schematic so I’m not required to be at three different places at the exact same time.
There is no time for bonafide meals anymore, and we are all surviving on a series of snacks for sustenance to make it through the next activity. My drill sergeant status is still in full effect, and I want my relaxing, lazy summer back where minimal forethought and planning is required.
Who was the sadistic idiot that signed them up for all these things?! Oh…wait.
Occasionally we do have moments when the madness stops, though. We recently were invited to an outdoor movie night at a friend’s house. If you don’t have a friend who owns a projector to play outdoor movies on, you need to acquire one ASAP.
Let me paint a visual for you…You, talking to other adults, using adult words, and holding an adult beverage. Kids, being kids, running around outside, bothering you minimally due to all the fun they’re having, and then quietly sitting down for 90 minutes to watch a movie on a giant outdoor screen.
Look at how happy this night made little Finn and his BFF Rosie. I wish I could bottle up this cuteness and sell it on the blackmarket.
Of course, there was also the smorgasbord of delicious food to mindlessly snack on. We all contributed dishes, and my Snickerdoodle Bars with Vanilla Cinnamon Glaze were housed in no time.
I have a theory that pretty much any dessert can be elevated with a glaze or frosting, and these snickerdoodle bars from SugarSpunRun were no exception.
Plus, if your summer has been equally insane as mine, these bars take about five minutes to throw together and require virtually no brain activity. So, you can make them no matter how preoccupied or frazzled you are!
- 1 cup butter, melted
- 2 cups sugar
- 2 tbsp. milk
- 2 large eggs
- 2 3/4 cup all-purpose flour or gluten free all purpose flour, I recommend using Cup 4 Cup gluten free flour
- 1 tsp. baking powder
- 1/2 tsp. cream of tartar
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- 2 tbsp. sugar
- 1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2 tbsp. melted butter
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp. cinnamon
- 2-3 tbsp. milk
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Preheat oven to 350ºF and grease a 9X13" pan.
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In a large bowl combine melted butter, sugar, and milk. Add eggs and mix throughly.
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Add all-purpose flour or gluten free flour, baking powder, cream of tartar, and salt to bowl and stir until combined.
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Press down into prepared pan and sprinkle all over with combined sugar and cinnamon topping mixture.
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Bake for 30-33 minutes or until top starts to crack and toothpick inserted in middle comes out clean. Cool for about 30 minutes before drizzling topping on.
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Combine all the topping ingredients, except milk, in a bowl. Slowly add milk until you reach the desired pourable consistency. Drizzle all over slightly cooled bars.
WELCOME TO MAMAGOURMAND!
Erin says
I made these last week, and they were AMAZING! Way easier than individual snickerdoodle cookies with the same delicious taste. The glaze is an added bonus! Thanks for the perfect twist on an old standby!
Melissa says
I completely agree. I often make brownies / bars rather than cookies because you just dump it in a pan and bake. These are great because you don’t have to roll individual balls and roll them in cinnamon and sugar too. Glad you enjoyed them!
Alison says
I’m wondering if you can make these as round drop cookies and if the glaze gardens? My daughter is getting married and they would like to make snickerdoodles as favors w a tag about SMICKerdoodles.. Because her last name will be Smick.
Melissa says
Hi Alison, What a cute idea! I love it. I think your best bet would be to use a snickerdoodle cookie recipe. For cookies you would use softened butter, not melted, and you would chill the dough before rolling them into balls to coat in cinnamon sugar. Then you can use my glaze recipe over the top. The glaze would work out great because it hardens as it dries so it wouldn’t be a mess for favors. You can make all cookie “balls” ahead of time, freeze them, and then bake them from frozen when it’s getting close to wedding time.
Sarah says
Amazing!!!! My crew absolutely loved them. We served them with vanilla ice cream to make it a full on dessert.
Melissa says
Great idea, Sarah! So glad you guys enjoyed them.
Thalia @ butter and brioche says
oh my gosh! snickerdoodle bars! these look amazing and i LOVE all that glaze. yum! Xx
Melissa says
Thanks for stopping by Thalia! Wait till you try them…as good as they look and so easy to make!