Sugar Cookie Bars

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These Sugar Cookie Bars are soft, thick and so delicious. The flavor is exceptional and the frosting makes them top notch. No one will be able to resist these amazing treats!

The BEST Sugar Cookie Bars

What is it about a traditional sugar cookie with frosting that is so irresistible? My Sugar Cookie Bars take all the components of a traditional sugar cookie and turns it into these easy to make, amazing cookie bars! This recipe makes a whole pan so you can share with everyone around you.

SUGAR COOKIE BARS

These cookie bars will always remain in my top 5 favorite desserts. They are so soft, flavorful, and have a thick layer of sweet buttercream frosting. I have no self-control when I am left alone with them.

Not only are these delicious, but they are easier to make than the classic sugar cookie. Chilling the dough is not 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 frosting, and colorful sprinkles!

The BEST Sugar Cookie Bars

INGREDIENTS

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

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

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 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.

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 desired color of food dye into the frosting and beat until creamy and desired color. Frost bars with frosting and sprinkle with lots of sprinkles!

The BEST Sugar Cookie Bars

SERVINGS

This recipe yields 16 bars. You can cut each bar in half, creating 32 smaller bars that are perfect for serving at parties.

ENJOY THIS RECIPE? HERE ARE A FEW MORE FAVORITE DESSERT BARS!

No Bake Peanut Butter Bars – A creamy and irresistible dessert bar that you don’t have to bake! Peanut butter, chocolate, and Reese’s Pieces.

Apple Crumble Bars – This amazing treat is filled with a sweet apple filling with crumbly oats and a caramel drizzle.

Blackberry Bliss Bars – This may be one of my best bar recipes! Blackberry jam with milk, semi-sweet, and white chocolate chips, coconut, and bits of toffee.

Golden Grahams S’mores Bars – This breakfast cereal just got a whole lot better with mini-marshmallows and milk chocolate.

The BEST Sugar Cookie Bars
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5 from 1 vote

Sugar Cookie Bars

These Sugar Cookie Bars are soft, thick and so delicious. The flavor is exceptional and the frosting makes them top notch!
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 18 minutes
Servings 16

Ingredients

  • 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

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.

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!

Notes

Nutrition Info: 1 bar = 441 calories / 27 fat / 66 carbs / 4 protein
Recipe yields 16 bars total. 

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The BEST Sugar Cookie Bars

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Recipe Rating




16 thoughts on “Sugar Cookie Bars

  1. 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 🙂

  2. Just made these! Can’t wait to try them after dinner..does the frosting harden/set with time? Should the be refrigerated? Thanks!

  3. 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!

  4. 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.

  5. 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.

  6. 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!

  7. Made the bars last night and frosted them this morning. Absolutely delicious! Can’t get much easier than this!!!

  8. 5 stars
    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!!

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