This Sugar Cookie Bars recipe creates delicious, thick and chewy frosted bar cookies. They're the perfect sweet snack or light dessert!
When you want cookies, but are feeling a bit lazy, an easy dessert bars recipe like this one is the way to go!
Unlike cut out sugar cookies that take a while to roll and shape, these sugar cookie bars are much quicker to make. They're sweet, buttery and so delicious!
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Quicker than cut out cookies. Just make a batch of dough and press it into your baking pan!
- Fantastic flavor and texture. This treat is perfectly chewy and buttery, with a hint of vanilla flavor!
- Festive party treat. Whether it's a holiday gathering or a birthday party, this will be a favorite!
For another fantastic and easy party treat, make some cake pops with cake mix!
Ingredients
See ingredient substitutions in the next section. ⬇️
- butter: If you can afford it, I recommend using European butter rather than American-made. The extra butterfat will add more flavor to the sugar cookie bars.
- white granulated sugar
- large egg
- vanilla extract
- all-purpose flour
- baking powder: If you haven't used it in a while, you'll want to make sure that it's still fresh. When leaveners are too old, they don't produce the gas bubbles needed to cause baked goods to rise in the oven.
- frosting: If you're in a hurry, store-bought frosting is a big time saver.
- candy sprinkles: I think multi-color sprinkles add a festive touch for any party treat.
📖 Time-Saving Tip - Testing Baking Soda or Baking Powder for Freshness
This simple little test can save you time and money, because if your leavener is expired, whatever you're baking wont rise in the oven! This test works for baking soda and baking powder:
- Add about ½ teaspoon of baking soda or powder to a small bowl. Stir in an equal amount of an acidic ingredient, like vinegar or citrus juice.
- If the solution doesn't start to bubble immediately, it's time to replace your leavener.
Substitutions and Recipe Variations
- all-purpose flour: If you'd like to make gluten-free cookie bars, substitute the AP flour with a cup-for-cup brand of gluten-free all-purpose flour. Two popular brands are Bob's Red Mill and King Arthur Flour.
- baking powder: If you're out of baking powder, but you have baking soda and cream of tartar on hand, you can make baking powder!
To use baking soda as a substitute for baking powder, mix ½ teaspoon of cream of tartar with ¼ teaspoon of baking soda for every 1 teaspoon of baking powder. - white granulated sugar: You can use a cup-for-cup granulated sugar substitute to reduce the calories a bit. Monkfruit sugar is a good option.
I don't recommend using brown sugar as a substitute for white sugar for this sugar cookie bars recipe, as the molasses will overpower the other ingredients. - egg: The egg yolk is important for creating structure and adding moisture, so I don't know how well egg substitutes will work. If you want to do some testing on your own, feel free! For tips and suggestions, read my article, Egg Substitutions for Baking.
- Frosting: Any flavor of frosting will work! You can use store-bought, or make buttercream frosting, cream cheese frosting, or just enjoy them plain!
Variations
- Add sprinkles into the batter. You can add ½ cup of sprinkles into the batter if you'd like these to be funfetti cookie bars! You may also like our Funfetti Cake Mix Cookies!
- Use different colored sprinkles for holidays- these would be great for Christmas, St. Patrick's Day, Halloween, Valentine's Day, or any holiday! You can also dye the cookie bars different colors by adding a few drops of food coloring.
- Flavor the bars!: Feel free to add 1 teaspoon of vanilla or almond extract to the dough. Add lemon zest and 1 teaspoon lemon extract to make lemon sugar cookie bars.
How to Make My Sugar Cookie Bars Recipe
Summary only. The complete recipe instructions are in the card at the bottom of this post ⬇️
- Make the cookie dough.
- Press the dough into a parchment-lined pan.
- Bake and cool the bar cookies.
- Decorate with frosting and sprinkles.
Liz's Tips for the Best Bars
- Use a paper sling to make removing the cookie bars easy. Cut 2 strips of parchment paper, long enough to extend up and over the the sides of the pan. Lay them down in opposite directions, ,so they cross one another in the middle of the baking dish.
- Use an electric mixer to incorporate the ingredients. The key to making the best sugar cookie bars is to cream the butter and sugar together at high speed.
Storing
Storing: This dessert will stay fresh at room temperature for up to 4 days. To keep it fresh for up to a week, store it in the fridge.
Freezing: You can freeze unfrosted bars in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw completely before enjoying. I don't recommend freezing frosted sugar cookie bars because it changes the consistency and texture of the frosting.
Sugar Cookie Bars Recipe FAQ
How far in advance can I make sugar cookie bars?
You can make sugar cookie bars a week prior to when you want to serve them. Be sure to cover them in plastic wrap, or store them in an airtight container.
Other Bar Desserts
Sugar Cookie Bars
This Sugar Cookie Bars recipe creates delicious, thick and chewy frosted bar cookies. They're the perfect sweet snack or light dessert!
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Servings: 16
Calories: 192kcal
Ingredients
- ½ cup butter softened - 1 stick
- ½ cup granulated white sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
For Decorating
- 1 cup vanilla frosting or other flavor of choice
- ¼ cup candy sprinkles or other topping of choice
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350℉. Grease an 8x8 baking pan with butter and line it with a parchment paper sling.
- Add butter and sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment (or use an electric hand mixer and large mixing bowl). With the mixer on high speed, mix the ingredients together for 1-2 minutes, until light and fluffy.
- Add the egg and vanilla extract and mix on medium speed until egg is fully incorporated.With the mixer speed on medium-low, carefully add the flour, baking powder, and salt. Mix to combine, stopping when there are no visible streaks of flour in the cookie dough.
- Add dough to the prepared baking dish, then press down on it to flatten. Transfer to the center rack of preheated oven and bake for 20 to 22 minutes or until edges are light golden brown. **The top may look slightly glossy; this is okay. The cookies will continue cooking as they cool down.
- Remove from oven and transfer baking dish to a wire rack to cool for at least 30 minutes before frosting.
- Use an offset spatula or butter knife to spread the frosting evenly over the bars. Decorate with sprinkles, then slice and serve.
Helpful Notes and Tips From Liz
- Line the baking dish with a sling to make it easier to remove the cookie bars. Cut 2 strips of parchment paper, long enough to extend over the the sides of the pan. Lay them down so they cross one another in the middle.
Nutrition
Serving: 1bar | Calories: 192kcal | Carbohydrates: 27g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 25mg | Sodium: 102mg | Potassium: 23mg | Fiber: 0.3g | Sugar: 18g | Vitamin A: 192IU | Calcium: 20mg | Iron: 1mg
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