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These soft and chewy frosted sugar cookie bars are so simple to prep and require no chilling! The perfect sugar cookie flavor in an easy to make bar takes less time to whip up than a batch of cookies. Vanilla bean paste (if you have it!) makes the flavor of these cookie bars the very best. Topped with a vanilla bean buttercream and sprinkles makes for the perfect treat!
Frosted sugar cookies are my FAVORITE. So why not take my favorite cookie and turn it into a no-chill simple bar recipe??
Try these other favorite cookie recipes too: Lemon Sugar Cookies, Eggless Sugar Cookies, Key Lime Cookies, Brownie Mix Cookies or for another bar option, try these Gluten Free White Chocolate Chip Blondies.
Why We Love These Frosted Sugar Cookie Bars
These tender soft sugar cookie bars are one of our go-to treats. Kid friendly and very grown up friendly, ahem, my fave, and my little guy loves to help make them!
These Frosted Sugar Cookie Bars:
- are super simple to make
- have the perfect pop of flavor thanks to vanilla bean paste and almond extract–soooo good
- have a pretty birthday cake look that feels like a celebration
- require no chill time, no rolling dough, etc.
- are such and easy cookie recipe that’s not technically a cookie!
This recipe is what inspired my Christmas Tree Sugar Cookie Bars–so fun and delicious!
Ingredient Notes
- I have recently become OBSESSED with vanilla bean paste. It adds a vanilla flavor that is so much more than extract. You can use vanilla extract if you don’t have any, but if you do, I highly recommend using it!
- All-purpose flour is what was used in this recipe. Gluten free flour has not been tested yet.
- Use full fat cream cheese when making this cookie bars for the best flavor and texture.
Ways To Vary This Recipe
- add 2-3 tablespoons of sprinkles into the cookie bar dough
- swap the almond extract lemon extract or add some lemon zest
- add white chocolate chips to the sugar cookie dough
- vary the sprinkle colors and the frosting color for a specific holiday, team, etc.
- Use cookie cutters to cut into shapes (like hearts for Valentine’s Day!)
Step-By-Step Instructions
Step 1: Preheat oven to 350°F. Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt to a small bowl and whisk. Add the softened butter and sugar to a large bowl and use an electric mixer to beat until light and fluffy (3-5 minutes).
Step 2: Add the eggs, vanilla bean paste, almond extract and cream cheese. Beat to fully incorporate.
Step 3: Slowly add the dry ingredients and and beat in to incorporate—but only until no streaks of flour are seen.
Step 4: Don’t over-mix at this time.
Step 5: Line a 9×13 inch baking pan with parchment. Press the cookie dough evenly into the pan. The dough will be a bit sticky. I sprayed my hands lightly with oil to help with this. Laying a piece of parchment over it helps as well.
Step 6: Bake for about 17-22 minutes, or until the edges are lightly browned and the center is set and no longer wet. The edges tend to a bit less gooey than the center, like a brownie would be, and it’s ok if the center still seems a touch under done because as it cools, it sets up nice. Cool completely before frosting.
Step 7: To make the frosting, beat the softened butter until smooth and creamy. Add the vanilla, sea salt and almond extract and mix to incorporate. Slowly add 2 cups of the powdered sugar and beat until combined. Add the cream, one tablespoon at a time and beat until creamy and fluffy.
Step 8: Use an offset spatula to frost cooled cookie bars and add rainbow sprinkles–or whatever color you like really! Allow the frosting to set before slicing.
Recipe Tips
Room temperature butter and cream cheese is still a bit cool to touch–it’s not greasy or melted at all. Each will make a slight impression when touched but it won’t fully give. Internal temperature would be about 65°F-67°F–so a bit cooler than you may think.
Do not over bake these cookie bars! Bake only until the edges start to become a light golden brown. The center may still look a bit under done, but they cook more as they cool so it will be ok! These can very easily dry out if they are over baked by even a couple minutes.
Weigh your ingredients for best results. Measuring flour by scooping or spooning it can result in very different amounts which can cause cookie bars to be very dry or if not enough flour, super greasy.
You can add sprinkles to the cookie bars. Naturally dyed sprinkles will often bleed into the cookies a lot. Also, be careful the colors you choose. When I was testing, I used some silver and gold and the silver looked almost like mold in the cookies.
Storage
Store these sugar cookie bars at room temperature in an airtight container for about 3-4 days. They actually become a bit softer the second day I noticed. You can refrigerate them and they will last about 5-6 days but let them sit out for about 15 minutes before serving.
To freeze, it’s ideal to freeze them unfrosted, in a freezer safe container for about 3 months. They can be frozen after frosted, but freeze them in a single layer for about an hour before layering at all–use parchment paper between each layer.
Common Questions
Dry cookie bars are most likely from improper measurement of flour, overmixing after adding dry ingredients or over baking. The ideal way to measure the flour is by weight. If that is not an option, give your flour a stir and then spoon it into the measuring cup before leveling with a knife. It is still possible that doing this can cause you to over measure flour a bit, but it is less likely.
Over baking will cause the bars to be dry and crumbly as well. I pull the cookie bars out when the edges start to show the slightest amount of golden brown. My oven runs a bit hot so this can even be at the 19 minute mark sometimes.
As for over mixing, once you add the dry ingredients, only mix to incorporate but nothing more.
This likely means that your butter was too warm or soft in the beginning of the recipe or under-measurement of the flour.
This is likely due to over mixing after adding the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. It can also be from improper measurement of leavening agents.
Other Cookie Recipes
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Frosted Sugar Cookie Bars
Ingredients
Cookie Bars:
- 2½ cups flour, 312 g
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ¼ – ½ tsp salt
- 1 ⅓ cups sugar, 267 g
- 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature, 226 g
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 4 oz cream cheese, softened
- 1½ tsp vanilla bean paste, or vanilla extract
- ½ tsp almond extract
Frosting:
- ½ cup butter, softened,
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla bean paste, or vanilla extract
- ¼ tsp almond extract
- pinch of sea salt
- 1-2 Tbsp heavy cream, more as desired
- sprinkles for topping
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Make the Cookie Bars: Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt to a small bowl and whisk.
- Add the softened butter and sugar to a large bowl and use an electric mixer to beat on medium-high speed until light and fluffy (3-5 minutes).
- Add the eggs, vanilla bean paste, almond extract and cream cheese. Beat to fully incorporate. Slowly add the dry ingredients and and beat on low speed to incorporate—but only until no streaks of flour are seen. If you want sprinkles in your cookie bars, add the sprinkles with the last bit of dry ingredients. Don’t over mix at this time.
- Line a 9×13 inch baking pan with parchment. Press the cookie dough evenly into the pan. The dough will be a bit sticky. I sprayed my hands lightly with oil to help with this. Laying a piece of parchment over it helps as well.
- Bake for about 17-22 minutes, or until the edges are starting to turn a light golden brown. The edges tend to a bit less gooey than the center, like a brownie would be, and it’s ok if the center still seems a touch under done because as it cools, still cooks a bit more. Allow to cool completely.
- Make the Frosting: To make the frosting, beat the softened butter until smooth and creamy. Add the vanilla, sea salt and almond extract and mix to incorporate. Slowly add 2 cups of the powdered sugar and beat until combined. Add the cream and beat until creamy and fluffy.
- Frost the cookie bars and add extra sprinkles over top. Allow the buttercream to set before cutting.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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