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Frosted Sugar Cookie Bars

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This Sugar Cookie Bar recipe is the soft and chewy, swoon worthy dessert for every occasion – and you will be blown away at how easy it is!

These Sugar Cookie Bars are the incredibly easy, soft, chewy, melt-in-your-mouth dessert of your dreams crowned with silky, tangy, cream cheese frosting and sprinkles!  They boast everything you love about individual sugar cookies but are so much quicker and easier to make – no chilling, rolling or cutting required! Just spread your dough into a 9×13 pan, bake, cool, and frost – all at once – for a no hassle recipe that almost makes itself!  Best of all, these Sugar Cookie Bars are incredibly versatile – dye the frosting and customize the sprinkles for every occasion from Christmas to birthdays, baby showers, Valentines Day, 4th of July and more!

Everyone loves easy dessert bars! Don’t miss Snickerdoodle Bars, Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cheesecake Bars, Butterscotch Blondies, Pumpkin Bars or Chocolate Chunk Pecan Pie Bars.

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Watch How to Make This Sugar Cookie Bars Recipe

picking up sugar cookie bars showing how thick, soft and chewy they are


 

Why you’ll Love These Frosted Sugar Cookie Bars


Chewiest bars:   Many sugar cookie bars are more cakey than chewy – not this recipe!  It includes one extra egg yolk for richness and cornstarch for tenderness. So soft and chewy!

Uniform thickness:  I experimented with baking soda, baking powder and cream of tartar to land on the these beautifully even bars, without the middle sinking.   

Quick to make:  No chilling, rolling or cutting out dough.  Simply frost the cookie bars all at once!

Versatile for any occasion:  Change the frosting color, sprinkles, etc. to create festive bars for holidays, baby showers, birthdays, etc.

Perfect for parties and potlucks:  These cookie bars are made in a 9×13 pan so there’s enough to go around, are easily portable, don’t need to be chilled or warmed, and can be made ahead of time and even frozen.

Freezer friendly. You can even freeze this recipe with the frosting!

 

showing how to make sugar cookie bars by slicing into squares

This Sugar Cookie Bar recipe uses pantry friendly ingredients; just keep some cream cheese handy, and you can make this recipe at a moment’s notice! Let’s take a closer look at what you’ll need (full measurements in the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post):

  • Granulated Sugar: This imparts that classic sugar cookie sweetness! Do not use an alternative sweetener as it will affect the texture of the bars. 
  • Flour: I used all-purpose flour, but you should be fine to use a gluten-free 1:1 flour substitute like Bob’s Red Mill.
  • Baking Powder: This is a leavening agent that aerates the bars and helps them remain tender, soft and chewy and not cakey.  
  • Cornstarch: This is a secret ingredient that helps the bars bake evenly without puffing up to much around the sides and makes the bars super tender.
  • Butter: Use unsalted butter or omit the salt in the recipe. The butter plays a critical role in the structure and flavor, so please don’t make any substitutions.
  • Eggs: You’ll be using a combination of two whole eggs and one egg yolk in this recipe. The eggs give the cookie bars structure and the egg yolk makes them extra soft and chewy because it adds richness without any additional moisture. Bring the egg to room temperature before adding to the recipe. 
  • Vanilla and Almond Extract: Vanilla is the base of flavor in this recipe so use quality extract for the best results. Almond adds a hint of rich and delicious almond flavor – I think it’s the secret to the best sugar cookie bars!
  • Salt: This recipe calls for 1 teaspoon salt, which may seem like a lot, but it is the perfect amount to balance out the the sweetness. If you use salted butter, then reduce the salt to ½ teaspoon.
a stack of sugar cookie bars with cream cheese frosting decorated with sprinkles

For the vanilla cream cheese frosting: 

  • Cream Cheese:  Use full-fat brick-style cream cheese for best results.  Please do NOT use ⅓ less fat because it is much softer and doesn’t hold its shape as well.
  • Butter:  You may use either unsalted butter with a pinch of salt or salted butter and omit the salt.
  • Powdered Sugar AKA Confectioners’ sugar: This sweetens the frosting without making it grainy. 
  • Heavy cream: You need to thin the frosting slightly so it can be spread over the bars. Heavy cream or half and half is preferred, but milk can also be used.
  • Vanilla:  Use quality extract for the best flavor.
  • Salt: Good old table salt enhances the vanilla flavor and balances the sweetness. I start with ⅛ teaspoon, then add more to taste.

This Sugar Cookie Bars recipe come together in a few simple steps. Here’s an overview of the baking process (full recipe in the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post): 

  • Step 1: Mix the dry ingredients together. Combine the flour, baking powder, cornstarch and salt together in a bowl. Mixing the dry ingredients separately ensures that everything is evenly dispersed before combining with the wet ingredients and helps prevent overmixing.
  • Step 2: Cream the butter and sugar.  Beat the butter and granulated sugar together on medium high speed until fluffy.
  • Step 3: Add wet ingredients. Add eggs, and egg yolk, one at a time, beating on medium speed just until blended. Beat in the vanilla extract and almond extract.
  • Step 4: Add dry ingredients. Add flour mixture to creamed mixture and beat just until combined.
a collage showing how to make sugar cookie bars by 1) mixing dry ingredients together, 2) creaming butter and sugar, 3) beating in eggs and vanilla, 4) mixing until fluffy
  • Step 5: Spread dough in pan. Transfer the dough to a 9×13 pan lined with overhanging parchment. The batter will be extra thick and sticky, so I’ve found it’s easiest to spread by coating a piece of parchment paper with nonstick spray, laying it on top of the dough, then using your hands to spread the dough into an even layer.
a collage showing how to make sugar cookie bars by pressing dough into the bottom of 9x13 pan
  • Step 6: Bake. Bake the bars just until the edges are slightly golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
showing how to make sugar cookie bars by baking until just golden around the edges
  • Step 7: Cool. Let the bars cool completely in the dish. Use the parchment paper overhang to remove the cooled bars to a cutting board to frost.
  • Step 8: Make frosting. With a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter and cream cheese on medium speed until creamy – about 2 minutes. Add powdered sugar, cream, vanilla extract and salt with the mixer running on low. Increase to high speed and beat for 3 full minutes.
showing how to make sugar cookie bars by beating butter, cream cheese and sugar together until smooth and fluffy
  • Step 9: Frost cookie bars. Frost the bars with a thick layer of frosting and decorate with sprinkles if desired.
showing how to make sugar cookie bars by spreading with cream cheese frosting
  • Step 10: Slice the bars. I love that you can control the size of the bars – make them small or make them larger depending on how many you are serving. But remember, everyone will want more than one!
a stack of sugar cookie bars with cream cheese frosting decorated with sprinkles

Make These Easy Sugar Cookie Bars in Advance

You can make the Sugar Cookie Bars and frosting and store separately up to one day in advance. Store the unfrosted bars, tightly covered, at room temperature and the frosting in the fridge. Storing the bars at room temperature helps prevent them from drying out. Frost before cutting and serving.

Sugar Cookie Bars Recipe Tips and Tricks

  • Don’t pack the flour. It is important that you measure the flour correctly because too much flour will result in denser, drier Sugar Cookie Bars. The best way to measure flour is with a kitchen scale. If you don’t have one, then fluff your flour with a spoon, scoop it into the measuring cup and then level; as opposed to scooping the measuring cup into the flour which can cause the flour to compress.  
  • Soften the butter to room temperature: If you need to soften the butter quickly, don’t microwave it. Instead, warm 2 cups of water in a microwave safe liquid measuring cup or bowl until very hot, about 2 minutes.  Meanwhile, slice the butter, and transfer to a plate.  Remove the hot water from the microwave, then add the butter to the microwave, immediately close the door to trap in the hot air.  The radiant heat will soften the butter in about 10 minutes. 
  • Use room temperature eggs. Room temperature eggs mix more evenly, creating a uniform texture and whip into a greater volume for softer cookie bars. Cold eggs, on the other hand, can break the emulsion of the sugar and butter, so the dough loses air cells, resulting in drier, denser Sugar Cookie Bars.
  • Room temperature eggs hack. Add warm (not hot) tap water to a bowl then add eggs (still in their shells) for at least 20 minutes. 
  • Don’t over-mix the dough. After you add the eggs, mix the dough as little as possible, stopping the mixer when a few streaks of flour remain, then give the dough a final stir by hand. Over mixing means the Sugar Cookie Bars may not be quite as soft and tender. Overbeating eggs can also cause the bars to puff up too much in the center while baking and then collapse.
  • Bake at lower temperature for glass pans. Instead of baking the Sugar Cookie Bars at 350, bake them at 325 degrees instead.
  • Don’t microwave cream cheese or butter. For thick and fluffy frosting, always use cream cheese softened at room temperature, to room temperature. If you soften either in the microwave, it can be too thin and runny.
  • Adjust frosting: If the frosting is too thin, add additional powdered sugar. If it’s too thick, add additional milk/heavy cream. Add a pinch of salt if the frosting is too sweet. I usually add anywhere between ⅛ – ¼ teaspoon of salt.
  • Use cream if possible Use cream or half-and-half for the creamiest, fluffiest frosting. Milk is okay, but not quite as creamy.
  • Do NOT frost warm cookie bars: You must wait for the bars to cool completely before removing them from the pan, or they will fall apart. Also wait until cool to frost, otherwise the frosting will melt. 
  • Don’t over bake the bars. The key to the most tender sugar cookie bars is to remove them from the oven when the edges are just starting to turn golden, and the center is barely set. The center will look shinier than the edges, but a toothpick should come out clean, shiny but clean.

.

holding up a sugar cookie bar showing the frosting and sprinkles

Sugar Cookie Bar Variations

  • Add food coloring to the frosting for different occasions: You can make the frosting any color you like to create festive cookie bars! Try pink or blue for baby showers, pink for Mother’s Day, red for Valentine’s Day, green for St. Patrick’s Day, red, white or blue (or stripes!) for 4th of July, green for Christmas (then cut into triangle trees!) or pick a theme and run with it!
  • Add sprinkles: Gently fold up to ½ cup of sprinkles into the sugar cookie dough before baking.  You can also use different colored sprinkles for different occasions.
  • Top with crushed candy: You can top the Sugar Cookie Bars with any chopped or crushed candy or cookie like M&Ms, crushed Butterfingers, crushed candy canes, crushed Oreos, etc. and even create designs with different candies.
  • Use a different frosting: You use any frosting you’d like! Eggnog frosting could be especially fun at Christmas time!  
  • Top with fruit: Create a “fruit pizza” by topping with sliced strawberries/and or any fruit like kiwis, mango, pineapple, blueberries, etc. You can also make an American flag out of strawberries and blueberries for the 4th of July.
  • Add chocolate chips: Try chocolate chips, white chocolate chips, peanut butter chips, butterscotch chips, cinnamon chips or another favorite baking chip folded into the dough.
  • Add nuts: Add chopped pecans, walnuts, almonds, macadamia nuts or cashews to the dough.
  • Peppermint: Add ½ teaspoon peppermint extract when you add the vanilla extract then sprinkle with crushed candy canes.
showing how to serve sugar cookie bars recipe on a plate

How to Store Frosted Sugar Cookie Bars

Once frosted, tightly cover and refrigerate the bars for up to 5 days. Bring to room temperature before serving.

Can I freeze sugar cookie bars?

Definitely! The bars can be frozen with or without the frosting and either before or after slicing. If freezing the bars with frosting, I recommend slicing, laying in a single layer on a baking sheet and flash freezing until solid. Transfer the bars to a bag with a piece of parchment paper in between each layer. When ready to eat, thaw overnight in the fridge. 

a stack of sugar cookie bars with cream cheese frosting with a bite taken out

Looking for more cookie Recipes?

Nutella Cookies
Turtle Cookies
Caramel-Stuffed Brown Sugar Cookies
Pumpkin Snickerdoodles 
Chocolate Crinkle Cookies
Red Velvet Cookies

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Soft Sugar Cookie Bars

These Sugar Cookie Bars are the incredibly easy, soft, chewy, melt-in-your-mouth dessert of your dreams crowned with silky, tangy, cream cheese frosting and sprinkles!   They boast everything you love about individual sugar cookies but are so much quicker and easier to make – no chilling, rolling or cutting required! Just spread your dough into a 9×13 pan, bake, cool, and frost – all at once – for a no hassle recipe that almost makes itself!  Best of all, these Sugar Cookie Bars are incredibly versatile – dye the frosting and customize the sprinkles for every occasion from Christmas to birthdays, baby showers, Valentines Day, 4th of July and more!
Servings: 24 bars
Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes

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Ingredients

Sugar Cookie Bars

  • 2 1/2 cups (312 grams) all-purpose flour, spoon and level (see notes)
  • 1 ½ teaspoons cornstarch
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt (reduce to ½ tsp if using salted butter)
  • 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1 ¾ cup granulated sugar
  • 2 eggs, room temperature
  • 1 egg yolk, room temperature
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • ½ teaspoon almond extract (optional, recommended)

FROSTING

  • ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 2 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
  • 2 cups powdered sugar
  • ⅛ teaspoon salt (omit salt if using salted butter)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 tablespoon heavy cream, plus more as needed (may sub milk)
  • Food coloring if desired
  • Sprinkles for decorating

Instructions

Bars

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (325 if using a glass dish). Line a 9×13” baking dish with parchment paper so it overhangs the long edges. Spray with nonstick cooking spray.
  • In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, baking powder and salt; set aside.
  • With a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream butter and sugar on medium speed just until fluffy.
  • Add eggs, one at a time, followed by the egg yolk, beating on medium speed just until blended. Beat in vanilla and almond extract just until blended. Add flour mixture to creamed mixture and beat just until combined (don’t overmix!).
  • Add the batter to the prepared pan and spread into an even layer. Spreading Tip: The batter will be extra thick and sticky so I suggest coating a piece of parchment paper with nonstick spray and laying it on top of the dough (spray side down) and using your hands to spread the dough into an even layer.
  • Bake for 30-36 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out shiny but clean. (Take note that glass dishes can bake more quickly.) The edges should just have a little color and the center should be barely set (it will still look shiny). Let cool completely in the dish.
  • Once cool, use the parchment paper overhang to remove the bars to a cutting board to frost.

FROSTING

  • With a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment (recommended), beat the butter and cream cheese on medium speed until creamy – about 2 minutes.
  • Add powdered sugar, heavy cream, vanilla extract and ⅛ teaspoon salt with the mixer running on low. Increase speed to high and beat for 3 full minutes. Beat in food coloring, if using.
  • Adjust as needed: Add more powdered sugar if the frosting is too thin or more cream if frosting is too thick. Add a pinch of salt if frosting is too sweet. I usually add anywhere between ⅛ – ¼ teaspoon of salt.
  • Frost the bars with a thick layer of frosting and decorate with sprinkles if desired.

Video

Notes

Tips and Storage

  • Don’t pack the flour. It is important that you measure the flour correctly because too much flour will result in denser, drier Sugar Cookie Bars. The best way to measure flour is with a kitchen scale. If you don’t have one, then fluff your flour with a spoon, scoop it into the measuring cup and then level; as opposed to scooping the measuring cup into the flour which can cause the flour to compress. 
  • Room temperature eggs hack. Add warm (not hot) tap water to a bowl then add eggs (still in their shells) for at least 20 minutes.  
  • Make ahead: You can make the Sugar Cookie Bars and frosting and store separately up to one day in advance. Store the unfrosted bars, tightly covered, at room temperature and the frosting in the fridge. Storing the bars at room temperature helps prevent them from drying out. Frost before cutting and serving.
  • To store: Once frosted, tightly cover and refrigerate the bars for up to 5 days. Bring to room temperature before serving.
  • To freeze: The bars can be frozen with or without the frosting and either before or after slicing. If freezing the bars with frosting, I recommend slicing, laying in a single layer on a baking sheet and flash freezing until solid. Transfer the bars to a bag with a piece of parchment paper in between each layer. When ready to eat, thaw overnight in the fridge. 

Variations

  • Add food coloring to the frosting for different occasions: You can make the frosting any color you like to create festive cookie bars! Try pink or blue for baby showers, pink for Mother’s Day, red for Valentine’s Day, green for St. Patrick’s Day, red, white or blue (or stripes!) for 4th of July, green for Christmas (then cut into triangle trees!) or pick a theme and run with it!
  • Top with crushed candy: You can top the Sugar Cookie Bars with any chopped or crushed candy or cookie like M&Ms, crushed Butterfingers, crushed candy canes, crushed Oreos, etc. and even create designs with different candies.
  • Use a different frosting: You use any frosting you’d like! Eggnog frosting could be especially fun at Christmas time!  
  • Top with fruit: Create a “fruit pizza” by topping with sliced strawberries/and or any fruit like kiwis, mango, pineapple, blueberries, etc. You can also make an American flag out of strawberries and blueberries for the 4th of July.
  • Add chocolate chips: Try chocolate chips, white chocolate chips, peanut butter chips, butterscotch chips, cinnamon chips or another favorite baking chip folded into the dough.
  • Add nuts: Add chopped pecans, walnuts, almonds, macadamia nuts or cashews to the dough.
  • Peppermint: Add ½ teaspoon peppermint extract when you add the vanilla extract then sprinkle with crushed candy canes.

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12 Comments

  1. Naomi says

    This sounds like a delicious and easy recipe! I especially appreciate that you give us tips to “customize” the bars. I’m going to use chocolate chips, but then again cinnamon chips sound good too. Guess I will have to make 2 batches! Thanks for always having great recipes that include your detailed instructions and tips. I hope that you and your family have a wonderful Christmas!

    Reply

    • Jen says

      Thanks Naomi, two batches is always a good idea ;)! Thank YOU for the kind words, making my recipes and taking the time to comment! I hope you have a very Merry Christmas as well! xo

      Reply

  2. Ellen says

    So today I planned on making cutout sugar cookies, and then I saw this recipe. Feeling a little lazy, I gave it a try. Oh my goodness, sooo good. They look like your pics and the taste was perfect. The frosting was so creamy, and the bars were so moist. My family loves them. Thanks and Merry Christmas!

    Reply

    • Jen says

      I love that you made this recipe already! I’m so pleased they were a hit with your entire family! Merry Christmas Ellen!

      Reply

  3. Amanda says

    These are delicious! I’m not a baker at all, but I made these, and they are so good!

    Reply

    • Jen says

      YAY! I’m so pleased you loved them, thanks Amanda!

      Reply

  4. Caryann Jonsson says

    My dough was very sticky, I could hardly spread it and parchment paper just stuck to it too, I’m not sure how they will bake now. I measured the flour in grams from your recipe. Any thoughts?

    Reply

    • Jen says

      Yes, it is super sticky. You need to spray the parchment paper with nonstick spray and place that side on the dough and then be patient in spreading.

      Reply

  5. Carly says

    These were so good! I made them with the peppermint extract and red and green sprinkles and crushed candy cane for Christmas. So chewy and soft! I didn’t have any almond extract, I’d like to try it next time!

    Reply

    • Jen says

      I love your variation -so festive! Yum!

      Reply

  6. Lori Lawinger says

    What is your favorite brand of vanilla ? So many to choose from…

    Reply

    • Jen says

      My favorite vanilla brand is Nielsen-Massey, but King Arthur Baking Company and McCormick are also great options!

      Reply

The Face Behind the Recipes

Welcome to my food blog with all my favorite cravings! I am Jennifer, a lover of food and sharing my recipes. I am a cystic fibrosis survivor, lung & kidney transplant recipient, LOVER of life and FOOD. Start browsing recipes and subscribe to my weekly free newsletter! Read more about me here.

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