Use plastic wrap to press dough into even layer. This is an easy, no mess way of pressing a soft dough into an even layer. After the dough has chilled it can be pulled away easily.
Chill the cookie dough. To prevent the cinnamon sugar topping from melting into the dough as it bakes, chill the dough for about 20-30 minutes first.
Underbake the cookie bars slightly. To achieve soft, fluffy cookie bars, we want to underbake them slightly. I found that 25 minutes was the perfect amount of time.