These sugar cookie bars are easy to make and just as soft and fluffy as a classic sugar cookie. Frosted with a simple buttercream frosting, they are perfect for any occasion.
If you love sugar cookies, Swig cookies or sugar cookie truffles, you’re going to love these cookie bars!
Frosted Sugar Cookie Bars
This sugar cookie bars recipe is one of the tried and true bars that I’ve been making over the years. Another favorite variation that uses a sugar cookie base is this fruit pizza with a sugar cookie crust.
These cookie bars that I’m sharing today turned out so good!
The nice thing about them is that they are half the work as a cut out Christmas sugar cookie or even no roll drop sugar cookies but taste just as good. Baked from scratch with creamy buttercream frosting, they are thick, chewy and delicious!
Sugar Cookie Bars Recipe Ingredients
I believe there are two ingredients that make a good sugar cookie: sour cream and powdered sugar. The sour cream keeps the dough moist and the powdered sugar makes the dough fluffy.
Find the full printable recipe with specific measurements below.
- Baking flour: Gives these cookies the base and adds texture and thickness to the sugar cookie dough.
- Salt: This is a flavor enhancer but also gives it the fluffy texture you need in all cookies.
- Baking powder: Increases volume in the cookie dough while being baked.
- Butter: Salted butter gives an extra boost of salt and flavor that helps build up the dough while being baked in the oven.
- Sugar: Adds the sweetness!
- Powdered sugar: This helps absorb moisture and gives cookies a lumpy appearance but also a soft and chewy texture.
- Vanilla extract: Blends the flavor together.
- Egg: Gives structure and combines the dough together.
- Egg white: Has a secret way of adding moisture and helps with the chewy texture.
- Sour cream: Chewy and flavorful cookies are the best! This sour cream does just that!
How to Make Sugar Cookie Bars
These easy sugar cookie bars are so easy to make and taste amazing!
- Dough. Combine the flour, salt, and baking powder in a medium bowl. Set aside.
- Beat. Use an electric mixer or stand mixer to mix together the butter, sugar, and powdered sugar for about 3 minutes, until fluffy. Next mix in the vanilla, eggs, and sour cream. Add the dry ingredients to the bowl with the wet ingredients and mix until combined.
- Assemble. Pour the dough mixture into a buttered 9×13″ glass baking dish. Press down on the dough to spread it out smoothly in the pan.
- Bake. Bake at 350°F for 20 minutes (until lightly browned) and then cool before frosting.
Frosting the Bars
Buttercream is my favorite frosting to spread on top just like I use for these Lofthouse cookies!
- Prepare frosting. Combine all frosting ingredients in a large bowl. Beat together with a mixer until fluffy, about 2 minutes.
- Frost the bars. Spread the frosting evenly over top of cooled cookie bars with a spatula.
Decorating Sugar Cookie Bars
The great thing about these sugar cookie bars is that they are perfect for literally any occasion. You can decorate them for a birthday, baby shower, holiday, or even just for fun!
- Coloring. Color the frosting with food coloring. Match the color to the special occasion or holiday. For Christmas sugar cookie bars, I like to leave the frosting white.
- Sprinkles. Add sprinkles on top! Rainbow, holiday, or colored ones for special events.
- Dough. Can also mix sprinkles in with the dough. Add the sprinkles to the dough before baking. You could even do 4 different mix-in’s like my sheet pan bar cookies!
- Toppings. Add M&M’s on top of the frosting or any other candy you love over top of the frosting.
Baking Tips
- Extra flavor. Can add almond extract or lemon extract to the dough for extra flavor.
- Sprinkles. Mix sprinkles in with the dough. Add the sprinkles to the dough before baking.
- Smooth. After pouring the dough into the pan, I use a piece of parchment paper to press it down to create a smooth and even surface.
- Baking. Remove from the oven when the edges are lightly golden. The center will continue cooking as it cools.
- Cutting. Use a sharp knife to cut the cookies into sections. In between each slice, wipe the frosting off the knife before slicing again. This will give clean slices each time.
- Frosting. Make sure bars have cooled completely before frosting. Instead of buttercream, try cream cheese frosting, sour cream frosting, or strawberry buttercream.
If you love cookies recipes as much as I do, try M and M cookies, cake mix cookies, funfetti cookies or this brown sugar cookie recipe, next!
More Cookie Bar Recipes
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Sugar Cookie Bars Recipe
Video
Ingredients
For the Bars:
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ cup salted butter (softened)
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 egg
- 1 egg white
- ¼ cup sour cream
For the Buttercream Frosting:
- ½ cup unsalted butter (softened)
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 3 Tablespoon half and half
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- Food coloring (optional)
Optional: Sprinkles for topping
Instructions
Bars:
- Prep. Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Dry ingredients. Combine 2 1/2 cups flour, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon baking powder in a medium-sized bowl. Set aside.
- Cream butter and sugar. With a mixer, combine 1/2 cup butter, 3/4 cup granulated sugar and 1/4 cup powdered sugar until fluffy (about 3 minutes). Pour in 1 teaspoon vanilla, 1 eggs, 1 egg white and 1/4 cup sour cream and mix until combined. Then pour dry ingredients into this bowl and mix until combined.
- Bake. Place mixture in a buttered 9×13" glass pan. Press down on dough with hands (or a piece of parchment paper) to smooth out the surface to avoid lumpiness. Bake for 20 minutes or until lightly browned. Do not over cook.
Frosting:
- Combine 1/2 cup butter, 3 cups powdered sugar, 3 Tablespoons half and half, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract and food coloring in a large bowl and beat with a mixer for 2 minutes, or until fluffy.
- Once the bars have cooled completely, pour frosting over top and spread evenly with a spatula.
- Optional: Top with sprinkles for a decorative touch!
Nutrition
Nutrition provided is an estimate. It will vary based on specific ingredients used.
Did you make this recipe? Don’t forget to give it a star rating below!
Recipe FAQs
These easy sugar cookie bars will bake up and turn a light golden yellow color with a soft-looking crust on top. Use a wooden pick to place in the middle of the baking pan. If the toothpick comes out clean, the cookies are done, if not bake for a few more minutes.
Simple! Let your baked sugar cookies cool to room temperature. Either cover the baking dish with plastic wrap or slice the cookies into squares or shapes and place them in an airtight container and place them in the fridge for four to five days or until they become hard.
Yes! These cookie bars are perfect to store and freeze. Let the cookies cool and place them on a cookie sheet with parchment paper to freeze. This takes about 30 minutes. Then place those cookie squares in a ziplock bag or airtight container and store them in the freezer for one month.
Categorized as: American, Bars, Birthdays, Cookies, Desserts, Freezer-Friendly, Frosted Cookies, Kid-Friendly, Nut-Free, Valentine's Day, Vegetarian
Jamielyn Nye is the founder and recipe creator at I Heart Naptime. She is the author of the I Heart Naptime Cookbook and shares easy family-friendly recipes and desserts for every occasion.
Okay I was thinking about baking these for a baby shower. What manufacturer makes baking flour? When I google baking flour only bread flour and all purpose flour is only mentioned.
Hi! I edited the post, use all purpose flour :)
These were such a hit with the kids. Thanks for the delicious recipe!
I also love sugar cookies but sometimes don’t have the time (or patience) to do all the work involved, so these bars are perfect! The cookie and frosting combo is fantastic. Will definitely make these again and again.
The pink frosting sealed the deal with this recipe! So yummy 😋