Sugar Cookie Bars

Frosted Sugar Cookie Bars are the best recipe for soft, chewy sugar cookies for a party. Sweet cream cheese frosting and sprinkles make this a fun dessert!

Buttery, soft Sugar Cookies with Frosting are one of the most well-loved and easy Cookie Recipes. This cake-like twist on a classic cookie is sure to be a go-to party dessert!

SUGAR COOKIE BARS

Turning your favorite desserts into chewy cookie bars is the easiest way to get the sweet flavors you love with way less work. Baked like brownies, classics like Chocolate Chip Cookies, Pecan Pie, and Sugar Cookies become a fun new recipe perfect for parties, potlucks, and holidays.

Put away your cookie cutters and ice cream scoops, you won’t need them for these amazingly easy Sugar Cookie Bars. These bar cookies are an easy way to make a lot of cookies fast with only one cookie sheet or jelly roll pan. Plus there’s no waiting around for the cookie dough to chill before you can start baking.

If you’ve never had a cookie bar, you’re in for a real treat (pun intended). Sugar Cookie Bars are soft and chewy, just like store bought bakery cookies. The thick layer of buttery vanilla cream cheese frosting is just the right amount of sweet and is so creamy and smooth.

Made with all the same ingredients as a traditional sugar cookie, these Sugar Cookie Bars can be made whenever a craving hits or you need a last minute dessert. This double batch of cookie dough makes about 30-40 cookies so it’s a great recipe for a crowd.

Sugar Cookie Bars can be made ahead of time and are easy to transport since the frosting will harden as it sets. It stays soft and creamy when you bite into it, but the harder top means you can stack them to store or take them on the go.

These Sugar Cookies are a fun party treat at any time of year. You can easily swap out the food coloring and sprinkles to match whatever theme or holiday, like bakery cookies at the store. The best kind of sprinkles to use for sugar cookies are the softer, larger ones. They hold their shape and don’t melt into the frosting.

The frosting in this Sugar Cookie Bars recipe is a richer cream cheese frosting with extra butter. You could easily serve them without frosting and dust with granulated sugar or use a Buttercream Frosting instead. Scoop them out the pan before they cool and serve with Vanilla Ice Cream for a Sugar Cookie cobbler-style dessert.

Tips for Making Sugar Cookie Bars

• For extra chewy Sugar Cookie Bars, add an extra egg yolk to your cookie dough. You can also pop the hot pan into the fridge right after baking.
• Don’t over bake these cookie bars! They should only be slightly golden around the edge, slightly pulling from the sides of the baking pan.
• Soften the butter and cream cheese at room temperature before using. If you want to use salted butter in the frosting and cookie dough, skip the salt.

MORE DELICIOUS DESSERT BARS

S’mores Bars

Five Layer Bars

Cheesecake Bars

Easy Lemon Bars (Lemon Squares)

Create a free account to Save Recipes

Email addressSign Up Now

VARIATIONS ON SUGAR COOKIE BARS

• Mix-ins: Sugar cookies have thicker cookie dough so use creamy mix-ins like white chocolate chips, caramel chips, or butterscotch chips.
• Chocolate Chips: Turn these into Sugary Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars by folding in a 1/2 cup semisweet or dark chocolate chips. Top with Chocolate Frosting or Chocolate Ganache.
• Sour Cream: Make Lofthouse Sugar Cookie Bars by adding 1/2 cup sour cream to the cookie dough and reduce by 1 egg.
• Frosting: Use other flavor combinations, like lemon juice or cherry extract, instead the almond extract with the vanilla extract.

MORE DELICIOUS COOKIE RECIPES:

Molasses Cookies

Lofthouse Sugar Cookies

Cake Mix Cookies (4 Ingredients!)

Chocolate Cookies

HOW TO STORE SUGAR COOKIES BARS

• Serve: If you frost the Sugar Cookie Bars, they can be at room temperature for up to 2 hours. Unfrosted cookie bars will stay fresh for 3-4 days.
• Store: Refrigerate Frosted Sugar Cookie Bars up to 1 week in an airtight container and bring to room temperature to serve.
• Freeze: Freeze unfrosted Sugar Cookie Bars wrapped tightly in plastic wrap for up to 4 months. Thaw in the refrigerator before frosting and serving at room temperature.

5 from 7 votes

Print

Sugar Cookie Bars

Frosted Sugar Cookie Bars are the best recipe for soft, chewy sugar cookies for a party. Sweet cream cheese frosting and sprinkles make this a fun dessert!

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword Sugar Cookie Bars

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Total Time 30 minutes

Servings 30

Calories 339 kcal

Author Sabrina Snyder

Ingredients

Sugar Cookie Bars:

• 1 1/2 cups butter , softened
• 2 cups sugar
• 4 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon almond extract
• 5 cups flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

Cream Cheese Frosting:

• 8 ounces cream cheese , softened
• 1/2 cup butter , softened
• 5 cups confectioners' sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
• pinch salt
• 2-3 teaspoons milk
• Food coloring , optional
• Sprinkles , optional

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 17 x 12 inch baking sheet with non-stick or baking spray.

2. With a stand mixer on medium speed, cream butter and sugar in a large bowl. Add the eggs, vanilla, and almond extract, until well blended.
3. Sift together the flour, salt, and baking powder in a bowl. Add flour mixture to the wet ingredients and mix until well combined.

4. Press into prepared baking sheet. Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until lightly golden brown. Cool completely, then frost.

Cream Cheese Frosting

1. On low speed, combine cream cheese, butter, vanilla extract, almond extract, and salt in a large bowl until smooth.

2. Slowly add powdered sugar, beating until creamy, adding milk as needed. Stir in food coloring, if using, until fully incorporated.

3. Spread frosting over cooled cookie bars in a thick, even layer. Top with sprinkles, if desired.

Nutrition Facts

Sugar Cookie Bars

Amount Per Serving

Calories 339 Calories from Fat 126

% Daily Value*

Fat 14g22%

Saturated Fat 9g56%

Cholesterol 58mg19%

Sodium 269mg12%

Potassium 59mg2%

Carbohydrates 50g17%

Fiber 1g4%

Sugar 33g37%

Protein 4g8%

Vitamin A 452IU9%

Calcium 25mg3%

Iron 1mg6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.