Picnic Tablecloth Cookies

These delicious frosted sugar cookie bars are all dressed up to go on a picnic. Adorable Picnic Tablecloth Cookies!

When I think of Memorial Day the next word that comes to mind is always “picnic,” so that was the inspiration for these gingham picnic tablecloth cookie bars. I don’t know about you but when my family does picnics/potlucks it is pretty simple- and perfect! My dad and husband hang out around the grill while my mom and I cart the food and fixings out to the picnic table. There’s usually a plastic red checkered tablecloth involved along with paper plates, plastic forks, and red Solo cups. 😉

I used the ever-popular sugar cookie bar for the base. I’ve made these many times and keep returning to them because they are simple and pack a lot of flavor. Who doesn’t love a soft sugar cookie smothered in buttercream? Of course you could make this picnic tablecloth on a 9×13 cake too if that’s more your style.

I used tape and strips of paper to make the gingham pattern but you could use masking tape and skip the paper altogether. Using Wilton’s food coloring mist I took these outside and sprayed the pan with the strips of paper all going one way. Then I adjusted the paper strips to go the opposite way across the pan and sprayed again. It was a little windy so there was some overlap. Still, I loved the effect, and I loved even more that it was so simple. A few cookie crumbs and some black licorice complete the look.

My husband was amused when he saw the ant trails looping around the pan and asked me if I had ever seen ants going around in circles.

Well, ants follow their leader and this leader happened to be a bit whimsical. So there.

This post is part of a Virtual Memorial Day Potluck with Celebrations.com. I brought dessert. I promise there are many other tasty treats waiting for you so go check them out:

• Buffalo Chicken Dip from Celebrations
• Quinoa Salad with Veggies and Lime, Garlic Cilantro Dressing from Dinners, Dishes & Desserts
• Speck Skewers with Herb Mayonnaise and Grilled Mediterranean Aubergine Bundles with Provola from Apron & Sneakers
• Boneless Pork Ribs with Woodchuck Summer Cider Blueberry BBQ Sauce from Elle’s New England Kitchen
• Patriotic Biscuits from Hungry Happenings
• Picnic Tablecloth Cookies {You are here!}
• Lemon Cupcakes with Raspberry Curd Filling and Lemon Buttercream from Smells Like Home
• White Chocolate Mint Cake from Une Gamine dans la Cuisine

Sugar Cookie Bars {and Gingham Picnic Tablecloth Instructions}

Yield: 1 jellyroll pan

A sugar cookie bar decorated like a picnic table

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Ingredients

• For the sugar cookie bars:
• 1 Cup unsalted butter, room temperature
• 2 Cups sugar
• 4 eggs
• 1 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 5 Cups four
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• Animal crackers, nilla wafers, or any other cookie crumbles (optional)
• black licorice
• For the Frosting:
• 1/2 Cup butter, room temperature
• 1/2 Cup shortening
• 4 Cups powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract, optional
• 4 Tablespoons milk or heavy cream
• Red spray food coloring

Instructions

 

• For the sugar cookie bars:
• Preheat oven to 350.
• In the bowl of your mixer cream butter and sugar. Add vanilla and eggs one at a time.
• In a separate bowl whisk together flour, salt, and baking soda. Add this to the wet mixture slowly until just combined.
• Using your hands press the dough down into a greased jelly roll pan (10x15). You can use a 9x13 of course but you will need to increase the baking time.
• Bake at 350 for 10-15 minutes until golden brown or until a toothpick comes out clean.
• Cool completely before frosting.
• For the Frosting:
• In a mixing bowl beat butter and shortening until combined. Slowly add extracts and powdered sugar. Add milk/cream as the frosting thickens. Use as much milk/cream as you want until you reach your desired consistency.
• Spread over cookie bars.
• Assembling the tablecloth:
• Lay down a large trash bag and place your frosted cookies on top. (I did this outside...it was windy.)
• Using masking tape or long 1/2 inch strips of paper make a diagonal pattern across the frosted cookie bars.
• Spray the cookies with red food coloring.
• Adjust the paper strips to go the opposite way across the pan and spray again.
• Place black licorice pieces along the pan to look like ant trails.
• Sprinkle with cookie crumbs.

Original recipes and images © In Katrina's Kitchen

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