Sugar Cookie Bars
Bake easy, soft, and chewy Sugar Cookie Bars with frosting and sprinkles from scratch in under an hour. No chilling or rolling required!
If you love soft sugar cookies, you’re going to be obsessed with these easy Sugar Cookie Bars. Inspired by The Best Sugar Cookies you’ll find around Southern Utah (yes, similar to those iconic Swig sugar cookies), this recipe transforms a classic favorite into a thick, frosted dessert bar that’s easy to make at home. I find myself reaching for this recipe all year long, whether it’s for Valentine’s Day, birthdays, summer gatherings, or potlucks.
SUGAR COOKIE BARS
Not only are these delicious, but they are easier to make than the classic sugar cookie. There’s no rolling pin, no cookie cutters, no chilling required, and you don’t have to scoop individual portions of dough. Instead, the dough is spread throughout a baking pan. After they’re done baking and cooled, they are topped with a generous amount of homemade frosting and colorful sprinkles! It’s one of the fastest and best sugar cookie bar recipes for beginners and busy bakers. The hint of birthday cake extract (or vanilla) gives it that nostalgic flavor everyone knows and loves. These cookie bars will always remain in my top 5 favorite desserts. They are so soft, chewy, and festive!
Find my expert tips on how to make homemade sugar cookie bars from scratch below! Don’t forget to tag me in all of your creations @lifeinthelofthouse on Instagram and Facebook. Let’s stay connected. ❤️
Why You’ll Love This Easy Sugar Cookie Bars Recipe:
- Perfect For Sharing: Cut into squares, these bars are ideal for sharing. No fuss, no mess, just grab and enjoy!
- Thick & Chewy: Much like the traditional sugar cookie, these bars bake up perfectly soft with a tender, melt-in-your-mouth crumb. Thanks to the sour cream and butter, every bite is rich and ultra-moist, just like your favorite bakery.
- Quick & Simple: Skip the rolling pins and cookie cutters. This dough comes together quickly and presses right into the pan, saving you time while still delivering amazing results.
- Festive & Customizable: Whether it’s birthdays, holidays, potlucks, or just a weekday treat, these colorful, sprinkle-topped bars fit every celebration. Customize the frosting color and sprinkles to match any theme.
Ingredients
Sugar Cookie Bars
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup butter, softened
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 1 heaping Tablespoon sour cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla or birthday cake extract (I prefer this Birthday Cake Extract)
Frosting
- 3/4 cup butter, softened
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 1/4 cup milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla or birthday cake extract
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- Food coloring (optional)
- Sprinkles
Instructions
For The Sugar Cookie Bars
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 9×13-inch baking pan with parchment paper. Set aside.
Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside.
In a large bowl or stand mixer, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the eggs and combine well. Add the sour cream and vanilla; mix until combined. Slowly add the flour mixture just until combined.
Press the mixture evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan. You can spray a little cooking spray on your hands, so the batter doesn’t stick to them. Bake for 17 to 20 minutes only! Or just until edges become slightly golden. Remove from the oven and let cool completely before frosting.
For The Frosting
In a medium bowl, beat together the butter, 2 cups of powdered sugar, and milk until combined. Slowly add in the remaining two cups of powdered sugar until combined. Then add the vanilla and salt.
Optional: Drop several drops of the desired color of food dye into the frosting and beat until creamy and the desired color.
Frost with frosting and sprinkle with lots of sprinkles. Cut into bars and serve!
Servings
Yields: 16 sugar cookie bars. You can cut each bar in half, creating 32 smaller bars if serving a large crowd.
Storage
Store your frosted sugar cookie bars in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2-3 days, placing parchment paper between layers if stacking to prevent sticking. For longer freshness, refrigerate them for up to 5 days and let them sit at room temperature for 20-30 minutes before serving so the frosting softens. You can also freeze the bars (frosted or unfrosted) by wrapping them tightly and storing in a freezer-safe container for up to 2 months; thaw overnight in the refrigerator or at room temperature before enjoying.
Holly’s Tips for The Best Sugar Cookie Bars with Frosting:
- Soften The Butter First: Your butter should be soft to the touch but not melted. This helps create a smooth, creamy dough and ensures the bars bake up light and tender; not greasy or dense.
- Avoid Overmixing: Once you add the dry ingredients, mix just until combined. Overmixing can lead to tough, dense bars instead of soft and chewy ones.
- Press Dough Evenly Into Pan: Take a minute to spread the dough into an even layer. Lightly greasing your hands or using parchment paper helps prevent sticking and gives you a smooth surface for even baking.
- Keep An Eye On Baking Time: The key is to not overbake! Bake just until the edges are set and the center looks slightly underdone. Overbaking will make the bars dry instead of soft and chewy.
- Allow Bars To Cool Completely Before Frosting: Let the bars cool fully before adding frosting. If they’re even slightly warm, the frosting will melt and lose that thick, fluffy texture.
- Before Serving: For neat, bakery-style squares, use a sharp knife and wipe it clean between cuts. You can even chill the bars briefly before slicing for extra clean edges.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Yes! These bars are perfect for making ahead. You can bake and frost them 1–2 days in advance. Just store them in an airtight container at room temperature or in the refrigerator for longer freshness.
They don’t have to be, but you can refrigerate them if you prefer. At room temperature, they’ll stay fresh for about 2-3 days. In the fridge, they’ll last up to 5 days. Just let them come to room temperature before serving for the best texture.
Dry bars are usually the result of overbaking or adding too much flour. Be sure to measure your flour correctly and remove the bars from the oven when the center is just set.
Yes, you can substitute unsalted butter. Just add an extra pinch of salt to both the bars and the frosting to balance the sweetness.
To make Sugar Cookie Bars vegan, you’ll need a few simple swaps while keeping the same easy method. Replace the butter in both the bars and frosting with a plant-based vegan butter (stick-style works best for structure). Swap the eggs for a vegan egg substitute, such as flax eggs, and use a dairy-free sour cream or plain vegan yogurt. For the frosting, use plant-based butter and your choice of dairy-free milk (like almond, oat, or soy). Make sure your sugar and sprinkles are certified vegan. Mix, bake, and frost as directed.
To make Sugar Cookie Bars gluten-free, simply substitute the all-purpose flour with a 1:1 gluten-free baking flour blend that contains xanthan gum for the best texture. Keep all other ingredients the same, including the butter, sugar, eggs, sour cream, and extracts. Mix the dough just until combined, press it into the pan as directed, and bake as usual, just keep an eye on them since gluten-free flours can sometimes bake a little faster or slightly differently. Let them cool completely before frosting for the best results.
Similar Recipes
Craving something similar? Make The Best Sugar Cookies.
Wanting something different? Bake my Lemon Sugar Cookies with Lemon Frosting next.
Looking for more sugar cookie recipes? Try these highly-rated recipes next: Sugar Cookie Truffles, Easter Sugar Cookies, and Candy Cane Kiss Sugar Cookie Bars.
Have you made this Sugar Cookie Bars recipe? 🩷
Leave a review, and don’t forget to tag me in your creations on Instagram and Facebook! @lifeinthelofthouse! #SugarCookieBars #LifeInTheLofthouse
Sugar Cookie Bars
Ingredients
Sugar Cookie Bars
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup salted butter softened
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 1 heaping Tablespoon sour cream
- 1 teaspoon birthday cake extract (or vanilla) (I prefer this birthday cake extract)
Frosting
- 3/4 cup salted butter softened
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 1/4 cup milk
- 1 teaspoon birthday cake extract (or vanilla)
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- Food coloring (optional)
- Sprinkles
Instructions
For The Sugar Cookie Bars
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 9×13 inch baking pan with parchment paper. Set aside.
- Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt together in a medium bowl. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, or stand mixer, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy; about 2 minutes. Add the eggs and combine well. Add the sour cream and birthday cake (or vanilla) extract; beat until combined. Gradually blend in the flour mixture just until combined.
- Press dough evenly into the bottom of the greased pan with your hands. You can spray a little cooking spray on your hands so the batter doesn’t stick to them. Bake for 18 to 19 minutes only. Remove from oven and let cool completely before frosting.
For The Frosting
- In a medium bowl, beat together the butter, 2 cups powdered sugar, and milk until combined. Slowly add in the remaining two cups of powdered sugar until combined. Add the birthday cake extract and salt.
- *If you want color, add drops of desired color of food dye into the frosting and mix until fully blended and has reached desired color.
- Frost with frosting and sprinkle with lots of sprinkles! Cut into bars and serve!
Nutrition
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My sugar-cookie lovin’ family would flip for these, Holly! I love how simple they are to whip up and of course, how adorable they look! So much easier than baking up a ton of cookies 🙂
I totally believe I could eat the whole pan! YUM
Everyone drop what your doing and make these NOW! I made 2 batches for my daughters birthday yesterday! Talk about delicious and easy. I have never made something from scratch that tasted this good!!!!! THANK so much 🙂
Just made these! Can’t wait to try them after dinner..does the frosting harden/set with time? Should the be refrigerated? Thanks!
Carissa, yes the frosting will set but not harden. I kept mine wrapped tightly and left on the kitchen counter 🙂
These bars are just gorgeous Holly! I need to make these ASAP! Pinned 🙂
These will also be made on my day off from my temple work!! So glad I found your blog — you are awesome!
Wow, people, you have got the make these sugar cookie bars. Holly, they are amazing. We have a friend who makes some pretty good sugar cookies and I asked for the recipe. Those I served these too said to not bother getting her recipe. Yours is a keeper and I won’t be using anyone else’s!
I am trying these today! Hope they are as delicious as they look!
I just made these for my family and they were so so so good!!! I did change one thing. I did
1/2 tsp vanilla and a 1/2 tsp almond extract. The whole family loved them. 🙂 thanks for the recipe.
Yay! Glad you loved them. I love almond extract, I’ll have to try that next time! 🙂
These are very good bar cookies. Instead of frosting them I melted some chocolate chips in a sandwich bag and cut a tiny hole in the corner of the bag and zig zagged melted chocolate over the bars. Thanks for the recipe.
I made these cookies, and they tasted like the Lofthouse cookies. I enjoyed them even more the next day because they became even softer. Will be making these again. Thanks!
Made the bars last night and frosted them this morning. Absolutely delicious! Can’t get much easier than this!!!
Look fantastic! I’m gonna try to make one !!
I made these for my daughter’s 12th birthday. They were the best sugar cookie bars! I wish I would have doubled the batch. 🙂 very good!!