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Soft Sugar Cookie Bars

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Soft and chewy Sugar Cookie Bars topped with vanilla buttercream frosting. The easiest, tastiest sugar cookies ever!

VIDEO below!

Stack of sugar cookies bars topped with frosting and sprinkles.

Is there anything better than a sugar cookie? Yes, there is. It’s a SUGAR COOKIE BAR topped with buttercream frosting and lots of sprinkles.

These bars are delicious and easy; approximately one billion times easier than rolling out cookie dough and making a big ol’ mess on your countertop.

Vanilla frosting being spread onto sugar cookie bars.

If you’ve been around here for a while, you know that I love, love, love cookie bars.

Peanut Butter Cookie Bars – Chai Spice Cookie Bars – Coconut Cookie Bars – Nutella Cookie Bars

I just can’t get enough!

Here’s how simple this recipe is:

Sugar Cookie Bars

  • Make a quick homemade sugar cookie dough
  • Press it into a pan and bake
  • Top with frosting and sprinkles (any colors)

Stack of sugar cookie bars with rainbow sprinkles.

This recipe is so simple, it’s practically foolproof. My number one tip for this recipe (and all my cookie recipes, for that matter) is: Do NOT overbake these. Underbake them just slightly so that they’re nice and soft.

I flavor the cookies and the frosting with a combination of both vanilla extract and almond extract. I think this gives the bars the absolute best flavor. That hint of almond really takes them from good to great.

Sugar cookie bars topped with sprinkles.

Have fun and get creative with the decorations for these Sugar Cookie Bars. Make them for special occasions: Valentine’s Day! Christmas! 4th of July! Birthdays!

Switch up the frosting and sprinkles to make this a festive treat for any occasion.

Valentine's and Christmas sugar cookie bars.

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Stack of sugar cookies bars topped with frosting and sprinkles.
4.89 from 9 votes
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Soft Sugar Cookie Bars

Soft and chewy Sugar Cookie Bars topped with vanilla buttercream frosting. The easiest, tastiest sugar cookies ever!

Course Dessert
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings 15
Calories 239 kcal
Author Allison - Celebrating Sweets

Ingredients

For the bars:

  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter softened
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 2 tablespoons sour cream
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
  • 2 1/3 cups all purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

For the frosting:

  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter softened
  • 2 heaping cups powdered sugar
  • 2 tablespoons milk, half and half or cream
  • 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1/8 teaspoon almond extract
  • a few drops of food coloring optional
  • sprinkles, M&M's or chocolate chips optional

Instructions

For the bars:

  1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Line a 9x13 baking pan with foil and grease it.

  2. Beat butter and sugar for several minutes, until light and fluffy. Add egg, sour cream and extracts and beat until thoroughly combined. The mixture might look slightly curdled.

  3. In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt. With your mixer on low, add flour to the butter mixture, mixing until just combined.

  4. Dump the dough into the prepared pan and use your fingers to evenly press it into the pan. Bake for about 15 minutes, until the top appears dry and the edges are just starting to turn light brown. I rotate the pan halfway through the baking time. Make sure not to over bake these, as they will continue to cook a little after you remove them from the oven. Cool the bars completely before frosting them.

For the frosting:

  1. Beat butter and powdered sugar for several minutes until light and fluffy. Add milk, extracts and food coloring (if using) and beat for several more minutes. Use an offset spatula or butter knife to spread the frosting over the cooled bars. Top with sprinkles and slice into squares.

Recipe Notes

 

Nutrition Facts
Soft Sugar Cookie Bars
Amount Per Serving
Calories 239 Calories from Fat 117
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 13g 20%
Saturated Fat 8g 40%
Cholesterol 44mg 15%
Sodium 86mg 4%
Potassium 40mg 1%
Total Carbohydrates 28g 9%
Sugars 13g
Protein 2g 4%
Vitamin A 8.1%
Calcium 1.8%
Iron 5.1%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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Comments

  19. These look delicious! I prefer cookie bars to cookies because there’s just less mess and it doesn’t take so long to prep, so I’ll have to try these out!

    Reply

  24. I would like to try these but have friends with nut allergies. How would you suggest I modify the recipe so as not to use almond extract but still be tasty? Thanks!

    Reply

    • Hi, Debbie. You can absolutely leave out the almond extract. If you’d like you can increase the vanilla by a 1/4 teaspoon or so. Enjoy!

      Reply

  25. I love these bars! They are so addicting! I’m curious if anyone has tried freezing them. We have a big event coming up & I would like to make them ahead of time. Also, would it be best to freeze them frosted or unfrosted?

    Reply

    • I’m glad you like them! I would recommend freezing them unfrosted, then frosting them once they have thawed.

      Reply

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