Sugar Cookie Bars

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Sugar Cookie Bars are thick, soft, chewy, and perfectly sweet. They have all the same flavors of a sugar cookie, just in a bar form! Topped with frosting and sprinkles, making the best dessert for any occasion. 

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If you love everything about a homemade Sugar Cookie, and Soft Cut-Out Sugar Cookies,  you will love these Frosted Sugar Cookie Bars that actually require less work than cookies. These bars are super easy and quick to make. 

This Sugar Cookie Bar recipe is made with the same ingredients as regular sugar cookies, except I add cream cheese which makes these bars a bit dense but still soft and chewy. 

If you’re looking for a Valentine’s Day dessert idea, these cookie bars are perfect and can be customized to your preference. You can make this recipe for any holiday or occasion, just simply switch out the frosting color and sprinkles. 

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INGREDIENTS

Flour: all-purpose flour works great, but you can also use whole wheat flour. Just note the flavor will be slightly different than the traditional sugar cookie bars. 

Sugar: the key ingredient.

Butter: salted or unsalted can be used. Make sure the butter is softened or at room temperature. 

Vanilla and almond extract: enhances the flavors and gives these bars the ultimate “sugar cookie flavor”.

Egg: one whole egg, at room temperature. 

Cream cheese: full-fat is best but low-fat cream cheese will work too. Make sure the cream cheese is softened. 

Baking powder: for leavening. 

Sprinkles: for fun and optional. You can use any of your favorites, all sprinkles work for these bars. 

Powdered sugar: the main ingredient for the frosting. 

Milk: used to make the frosting smooth. 

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HOW TO MAKE SUGAR COOKIE BARS

BEAT WET INGREDIENTS TOGETHER. In a large bowl with a hand or stand mixer, beat together the softened butter and sugar until fluffy, then add the egg, vanilla extract, almond extract, and cream cheese until combined. Be sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl.

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You’ll be hooked on this dessert after you sink your teeth into these thick frosted cookie bars. 

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RECIPE VARIATIONS 

Make Lemon Sugar Cookie Bars by adding 2 teaspoons of fresh lemon zest and 1 tablespoon of fresh lemon juice to the dough. For the frosting, add 1/2 teaspoon to the frosting and use lemon juice instead of vanilla extract. Be sure to check out these Lemon Sugar Cookies!

Add chocolate. You can add mini, milk, semi-sweet, white chocolate chips to the cookie dough. Use a chocolate frosting instead and top with more chocolate chips or chocolate sprinkles. Try my Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars if you love chocolate chip cookies. 

Can be made for any holiday. You can literally make these cookie bars for any holiday or occasion. I love making these for birthdays by using white frosting and rainbow sprinkles or Christmas by using red and green sprinkles. You will want any reason to make these, trust me!

Use your favorite frosting. You can use the classic buttercream frosting I made for this recipe, a cream cheese frosting, lemon frosting, chocolate frosting, strawberry, or any other flavor that you love. They will also work!

Skip the frosting. If you prefer to leave out the frosting you totally can. If you still want to add sprinkles, you can add 1/3 cup to the cookie dough. You can also top the dough in the baking pan with sprinkles before placing them in the oven. 

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WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS

This Sugar Cookie Bar recipe is simple, easy enough for anyone to make, and can be customized. I love making these bars when I have a sugar cookie craving but don’t feel like making cookies. You can skip a step since you don’t have to roll any cookies out or scoop cookie dough. 

Everyone will love these! Who doesn’t love sugar cookie bars!?

You can make them for birthday celebrations, Christmas, Halloween, Valentine’s Day, Easter, baby showers, you name it…this sweet treat is perfect for all occasions. 

You don’t have to chill or rough out any dough. That’s always a plus when baking, am I right?

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TIPS

• Use a sharp knife when cutting the cookie bars. 
• Refrigerate the frosted cookie bars for a few minutes before cutting the bars to get perfect cut bars. 
• Be sure not to overmix the dough, this will prevent the bars from being soft and tender. 
• Do not overbake these bars. You want the edges to be slightly browned, but not too much. 
• The butter, cream cheese, and egg should all be at room temperature so the ingredients will incorporate properly. 
• You can cut the frosted bars into 16 smaller squares or 9 large squares. You can also cut them into rectangular bars or triangles. 

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LEFTOVERS & STORAGE

Frosted sugar cookie bars are always best when they are fresh but you can store any leftovers in the same baking pan or transfer to an airtight container. They will keep fresh for 3 days or you can store them in the refrigerator for up to a week.

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These cookie bars are great to feed large crowds and if you don’t want to spend a ton of time in the kitchen! I always suggest baking two batches because they will go fast.

You don’t have to worry about the hassle of rolling, scooping any dough, or icing any cookies. If you’re in a hurry, you just need less than 10 minutes of prep time in the kitchen. SO easy!

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It’s time to start planning our Valentine and Galentine events, you’ll need some lovely recipes to serve! Check out these delightful Valentine Sweets and Cocktails, all part of the #ValentineSweets blogging event hosted by Michaela from An Affair from the Heart:

• An Affair from the Heart – Valentine Oreo Bark
• Fresh April Flours – Red Velvet Bundt Cake
• Hostess At Heart – Easy Valentine’s Day Fudge Recipe
• Lemon Blossoms – Pink Champagne Cake
• Family Around the Table – Chocolate Peanut Butter Bundt Cake with Peanut Butter Glaze
• A Day in the Life on the Farm – Chocolate Cheesecake
• Daily Dish Recipes – Chocolate Covered Strawberry Cupcakes
• The Fresh Cooky – Red Velvet Donuts
• Devour Dinner – Dessert Charcuterie Board
• Jolene’s Recipe Journal – Copycat Flaky Puffs
• Art of Natural Living – Bailey’s Chocolate Martini
• Jen around the world – Strawberry Mojito Mocktail
• Kathryn’s Kitchen Blog – Sugar Cookie Bars
• Soulfully Made – Easy Red Velvet Brownies
• The Redhead Baker – Chocolate-Covered Strawberry Layer Cake
• Magical Ingredients – Soft White Chocolate Strawberry Fudge
• Take Two Tapas – Valentine’s Pretzel Hugs
• SueBee Homemaker – Chocolate Cake for Two
• Palatable  Pastime – Strawberry White Hot Chocolate
• The Spiffy Cookie – Red Velvet Molten Lava Cakes
• Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks – Pomegranate Moscow Mule
• Books n’ Cooks – French Martini
• Faith, Hope, Love, & Luck Survive Despite a Whiskered Accomplice – Nutty M&M Peanut Butter Cup Valentine Cookies

LOOKING FOR OTHER TREATS TO MAKE FOR VALENTINE’S DAY? TRY THESE!

• Valentine’s Cake Mix Cookie 
• Strawberry Nice Cream
• Brownie Mix Cookies
• Baked Donuts
• Sweetheart Brownies

CAN’T GET ENOUGH?

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Sugar Cookie Bars

Sugar Cookie Bars are thick, soft, chewy, and perfectly sweet. They have all the same flavors of a sugar cookie, just in a bar form! Topped with frosting and sprinkles, making the best dessert!

3.79 from 186 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: cookie bars, sugar cookie bars, sugar cookies, valentine’s day dessert

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes minutes

Servings: 12 regular sized cookie bars

Author: Kathryn Donangelo

Equipment

• 9 x 9 inch baking pan

Ingredients

Sugar cookie bars

• ▢ 1/2 cup butter
• ▢ 3/4 cup sugar
• ▢ 1 whole egg
• ▢ 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• ▢ 1/2 tsp. almond extract
• ▢ 3 Tbsp. cream cheese; softened
• ▢ 1 tsp. baking powder
• ▢ 2 cups all-purpose flour

Sugar cookie frosting

• ▢ 1/4 cup butter; softened
• ▢ 2 cups powdered sugar
• ▢ 2 Tbsp. milk
• ▢ 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
• ▢ pink food coloring gel optional
• ▢ sprinkles optional

Instructions

• Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 9 x 9-inch baking pan with parchment paper and set aside.
• In a large bowl with a hand or stand mixer, beat together the softened butter and sugar until fluffy, then add the egg, vanilla extract, almond extract, and cream cheese until combined. Be sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl.
• Slowly add in the flour and baking powder until a thick cookie dough batter has formed. Be sure not to overmix.
• Spread the cookie dough into the prepared baking pan and evenly spread with a spatula. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until set and the top is a light golden brown. Let cool for a few minutes.
• In the meantime, you can make the frosting. In a medium bowl, beat together the butter, powdered sugar, milk, vanilla extract, and pink food coloring gel. Add more milk if the frosting is too thick and you can add more powdered sugar if the frosting isn't thick enough.
• Once cooled, spread the frosting generously on top of the cookie bars. Top with sprinkles, and cut into 16 square bars. Enjoy!

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Notes

Notes: 

• Store any leftovers in the same baking pan or transfer to an airtight container. They will keep fresh for 3 days or you can store them in the refrigerator for up to a week.
• You can cut the frosted bars into 16 smaller squares or 9 large squares. You can also cut them into rectangular bars or triangles.
• Refrigerate the frosted cookie bars for a few minutes before cutting the bars to get perfect cut bars. 
• Switch out the frosting and sprinkles for different holidays. You can make these for just about any occassion!