Honey Butter Bars
These Honey Butter Bars were inspired by one of my favorite simple treats: fresh sourdough bread generously spread with butter and drizzled with honey. That combination is so comforting that I wanted to turn it into a truly decadent dessert.
The result is a layered bar with a sweet-and-salty shortbread crust, a moist honey cake, and a fluffy whipped honey cream cheese frosting. Each layer brings a different texture, but the warm flavors of butter and honey run through every bite.
Why You’ll Love These Honey Butter Bars
The shortbread is slightly sweet and salty, which helps balance the richness of the honey cake. The cake layer bakes up golden and gooey, while the tangy cream cheese in the frosting keeps the finished bars from tasting overly sweet. I never thought I liked cream cheese frosting, but this version completely changed my mind!
How to Make Honey Butter Bars
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Make the Shortbread Crust
In a large bowl, mix 1 1/2 sticks softened butter, the granulated sugar, 1 1/3 cups flour, the cornstarch, 1 teaspoon vanilla paste, and 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt.
Tip! If you are using a stand mixer, use the paddle attachment. The regular beaters on a hand mixer will also work well.
Mix for about 10–15 seconds, until the ingredients resemble wet sand.
Line a 9×9-inch metal baking pan with parchment paper, leaving a 3–4-inch overhang around the edges. The extra parchment will help you press the shortbread into the pan and lift out the finished bars.
Tip! If your parchment is not large enough to overhang every side, make sure at least one side is long enough to cover the pan completely.
Cut two straight lines into the parchment at each corner to create flaps. Fold the flaps along the shape of the pan, press the paper into the bottom, and then drape the flaps over the edges.
Pour the shortbread mixture into the pan and distribute it evenly.
Tip! Scrape the bowl well because you will use it again for the honey cake. There is no need to wash it since the two layers use many of the same ingredients.
Use the parchment flaps to help press the shortbread firmly into the pan with your fingers. The warmth of your hands will smooth the dough without it sticking to your fingers.
Tip! Make sure the corners and edges are filled and pressed evenly.
Trim the excess parchment, leaving enough to extend over the edges of the pan.
Mix the Honey Cake
In the same bowl, beat 1 1/2 sticks softened butter with the light brown sugar and 1/3 cup honey for 2–3 minutes, until the brown sugar is mostly dissolved.
Add the egg, egg yolk, 1/2 cup cream cheese, and vanilla paste. Mix well. Add 1 cup flour, the baking powder, and 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, then mix just until combined.
Tip! Scrape the bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula to make sure every ingredient is incorporated.
Pour the honey cake batter over the shortbread and spread it evenly into the corners and along the edges.
Bake for 40 minutes, until the top is golden brown. Let the bars cool completely for at least 30 minutes.
Tip! Cool the bars on a wire rack so air can circulate above and beneath the pan.
Whip the Honey Cream Cheese Frosting
While the bars cool, use the whisk attachment on a stand mixer—or a hand mixer—to whip 1/3 cup honey for 4–5 minutes. The honey will lighten from dark amber to a lighter brown.
Add 1/3 cup cream cheese and the remaining 1/2 stick butter. Whip for 5 minutes to make the frosting lighter, thicker, and fluffier.
Spread the frosting evenly over the cooled bars. Use the parchment flaps to lift the bars from the pan, then cut them into squares or rectangles.
Tip! These bars are rich, so I recommend cutting them into about 16 small squares.
How to Serve Honey Butter Bars
I love serving these bars with coffee and enjoying every decadent bite. They also make a beautiful sweet treat for afternoon coffee or tea.
More Dessert Bars and Cookies
Disclosure: This post contains Amazon affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. If you purchase through these links, I may earn a commission at no additional cost to you.
Honey Butter Bars
Equipment
- 9×9-inch metal baking pan
- stand mixer (paddle and whisk attachments needed; this is the exact mixer I use)
- hand mixer (optional alternative; this is the exact hand mixer I use)
Ingredients
For the shortbread crust:
- 1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter softened to room temperature
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 1/3 cup all purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla paste
For the honey cake:
- 1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter softened to room temperature
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar
- 1/3 cup honey pure, unfiltered, raw wildflower honey is best
- 1 large egg
- 1 egg yolk
- 1/2 cup cream cheese at room temperature
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon vanilla paste
For the whipped honey cream cheese frosting:
- 1/2 stick unsalted butter softened to room temperature
- 1/3 cup honey pure, unfiltered, raw wildflower honey is best
- 1/3 cup cream cheese softened to room temperature
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
For the shortbread crust:
- In a large bowl, mix the softened butter (1 1/2 sticks), granulated sugar, 1 1/3 cups flour, cornstarch, 1 teaspoon vanilla paste, and 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt.
- Mix until the ingredients resemble wet sand, about 10–15 seconds.
- Line a 9×9-inch metal baking pan with parchment paper. Leave plenty of excess parchment paper overhanging the sides of the pan.
- Pour the shortbread mixture into the pan and spread it evenly across the bottom.
- Scrape the bowl well because you will use it again for the honey cake. There is no need to wash it since the two layers use many of the same ingredients.
- Use the excess parchment paper to help press the shortbread mixture firmly into the pan. Make sure the sides and edges are pressed well.
For the honey cake:
- In the same bowl you mixed the shortbread, add the softened butter (1 1/2 sticks), the light brown sugar, the honey (1/3 cup), and whip well until the brown sugar is mostly dissolved, 2-3 minutes.
- Add the egg and the egg yolk, the cream cheese (1/2 cup) and the vanilla paste. Mix well.
- Add the flour (1 cup), baking powder and 1/4 teaspoon of kosher salt. Mix until barely mixed.
- Scrape the bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula to make sure all ingredients are incorporated.
- Pour the honey cake batter over the shortbread. Spread the batter evenly, making sure it reaches the corners and edges.
- Bake the bars for 40 minutes until the top of the cake is golden brown.
- Let the bars cool completely for at least 30 minutes.
For the frosting:
- Using the whisk attachment on a stand mixer or a hand mixer, whip the honey (1/3 cup) for 4–5 minutes, until it lightens from dark amber to a lighter brown.
- Add the cream cheese (1/3 cup) and the remaining butter (1/2 stick) and start whipping the mixture.
- Whip the frosting for 5 minutes. This incorporates air into the frosting, making it lighter, thicker, and fluffier.
- Spread the frosting evenly on top of the bars.
- Pull the flaps of parchment paper and remove the frosted bars from the pan. Cut the bars into squares or rectangles.
- I recommend cutting the bars into 16 small squares.