How to Make Sugar Cookie Bars

Having go-to dessert recipes that are simple to whip up in a pinch is a rite of passage when you become an adult, am I right? These Sugar Cookie Bars will be a favorite wherever you serve them. Be sure to save this recipe for a simple and delicious festive treat that you are sure to make again and again.

Desserts that are made from scratch have so much flavor. If you have never tried it, you need to try this recipe! These Sugar Cookie Bars need only a few ingredients to make! Using the right ingredients can help you make the most delicious cookie bars you’ll ever taste. Pre-made cookie doughs are nice, but homemade bars can really change your whole baking mindset. In case you missed my other Soft Cream Cheese Sugar Cookies

How to Make Sugar Cookie Bars

Making these cookie bars from scratch is pretty awesome! A lot of recipes these days show you how to make shortcuts and how to do things from pre-made mixes, but I want to show you how to make these from scratch.

The only ingredients you need to be sure to have ready to go for the bars are flour, butter, eggs, and vanilla. If you do any amount of baking and cooking, you keep the other items stocked, especially during the holidays!

For the frosting, you’ll just need sprinkles, cream cheese, a little more butter, vanilla, and powdered sugar and you’ll have a delicious frosting to make your sugar cookie bars festive and fancy! To tailor your sugar cookie bars to different holidays, use specifically colored or shaped sprinkles!

Not only are these sugar cookie bars a quick and simple way to make a large dessert, it’s possible to make them for just about any occasion! You’ll be whipping them up all the time.

Step One

Gather the ingredients so you are ready to make these. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Get a 9-inch square pan and grease or line it with parchment paper.

Step Two

Add the sugar and butter to a mixing bowl, beat until fluffy and smooth.

Step Three

Add the egg and vanilla or almond extract and beat until smooth.

Step Four

Add the flour and the baking powder. Mix until smooth.

Step Five

Gently fold in the sprinkles you desire, I used about 2 tablespoons in the mixture. The cookie dough is actually pretty crumbly, but just pat it with your hands into the pan until smooth and evenly spread out.

Step Six

Bake for 20-25 minutes or until lightly brown. Do not over bake. Let cool.

Step Seven

Carefully lift the sugar cookie bars out of the baking dish. I prefer Cream Cheese Frosting.

Step Eight

You can frost the sugar cookie bars when they cool, and then sprinkle them with a few more sprinkles on top of the frosting. I used a dough scraper to cut the cookie bars to the desired size.

How to Store Sugar Cookie Bars

The best way to store these bars is to leave them in the pan, cover it, and leave it at room temperature for up to a week. If you have already cut and removed them from your pan, wait for the frosting to dry, then you can stack them with wax paper between the layers in an airtight container.

Can you freeze Sugar Cookie Bars?

Of course, you can freeze these Sugar Cookie Bars!  You will want to wait to put the frosting on the bars until after you are done freezing and unthawing them. You can also freeze the dough for later so that you can enjoy these sugar cookie bars for any occasion. Freezing these bars makes enjoying a dessert super easy and not something you will regret! P.S. I even freeze my cream frosting so I always have some ready to go. You just thaw it in the refrigerator.

How do you make Sugar Cookie Bars soft and chewy?

The key to making these bars super soft and chewy is to make sure you don’t overcook them. You will also want to make sure you are making these bars using the proper fresh ingredients. The ingredients and directions can be found in the recipe card. 

5 from 4 votes

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Sugar Cookie Bars (Soft & Chewy)

Prep Time

20 mins

Cook Time

25 mins

Total Time

45 mins

 

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Servings: 9 people

Ingredients

Sugar Cookie Bars Ingredients

• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (I use almond extract sometimes)
• 2 cups white flour (I use bread flour)
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• Sprinkles (color of choice)

Cream Cheese Frosting Ingredients

• 1/2 cup butter softened
• 8 ounces cream cheese softened
• 3 to 3-1/2 cups powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

Sugar Cookie Bars Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Get a 9-inch square pan and grease or line with parchment paper. Add the sugar and butter to a mixing bowl, beat until fluffy and smooth. Add the egg and vanilla or almond extract and beat until smooth. Add the flour and the baking powder. Mix until smooth. Gently fold in the sprinkles you desire, I use about 2 tablespoons in the mixture. Scoop the mixture into the prepared baking dish and pat until smooth. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until lightly brown. Do not over bake. Let cool and carefully lift the sugar cookie bars out of the baking dish. I prefer Cream Cheese Frosting, so frost when cool and sprinkle with a few more sprinkles. Enjoy.

Cream Cheese Frosting Instructions

1. Cream the butter with cream cheese and slowly add the powdered sugar to the thickness you desire. Add the vanilla until blended. You can freeze this frosting, just thaw in the refrigerator.

How to Make Sugar Cookie Bars

Final Word

Now that you know how delicious and easy Sugar Cookie Bars are to make, you can make them on your own. I actually prefer to make these rather than regular sugar cookies, from time to time. Plus, it’s always so nice to have a variety of desserts that you can make around the holidays. I hope you are getting excited about the upcoming holidays because I am. May God Bless this world, Linda.