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Frosted sugar cookie bars are one of everyone’s favorite cookies in bar form! They’re ready in 30 minutes, and perfect for sharing.
Family-Favorite Sugar Cookie Bars
Is it possible NOT to love Sugar Cookies?! It’s probably our favorite cookie of all time. These sugar cookie bars take our favorite cookie and make it even easier!
They are simpler than rolling out, cutting, and frosting each cookie. There’s no need to chill and they’re ready to dive into in only 30 minutes!
They’re also great for feeding a crowd. We make them ALL of the time – for any function, holiday, or family gathering, and we always come home with an empty pan!
For more favorite bars, check out our: Famous Cookie Bars, 7 Layer Bars and M&M Chocolate Oat Bars.
WHY WE LOVE IT:
- No rolling, no chilling. You get the same sugar cookie taste with half of the work!
- Feeds a crowd. It makes a whole sheet pan and can be cut into large or small pieces.
- For any occasion. Customize with frosting and sprinkles for any holiday!
Ingredients
PREP TIME: 15 minutes
COOK TIME: 20 minutes
Bars
- 1¼ cups sugar
- ¾ cup unsalted butter softened – How to Soften Butter Quickly
- 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
- 1 egg – room temperature
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
- 1¾ cups all-purpose flour – How to Measure Flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
Frosting
- 3½ cups powdered sugar – sifted
- ½ cup unsalted butter softened
- 3-4 tablespoons milk
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon almond extract
- food coloring – optional
- sprinkles for topping, optional – rainbow jimmies, colored confetti, holiday-themed sprinkles, chopped nuts, chocolate chips, or mini M&M’s
How to Make Sugar Cookie Bars
- PREP. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a metal 9-x-13-inch baking dish and set aside, or Line the Pan with Parchment Paper.
- BATTER. Beat 1¼ cups sugar, ¾ cup butter, 8 ounces cream cheese, and 1 egg with a hand mixer in a medium bowl until well blended and a bit frothy, 2–3 minutes. Add 1 tablespoon vanilla and 1 teaspoon almond extracts and mix well.
- In a separate bowl, mix 1¾ cups flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, and 1 teaspoon baking powder. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and beat for a few minutes.
- BAKE. Pour into a 9×13 pan and bake for 18-20 minutes. Let cool.
- FROSTING. Beat 3½ cups powdered sugar, ½ cup butter, 3 tablespoons milk, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, and ½ teaspoon almond extract until well combined. If needed add 1 tablespoon more of milk to reach the desired texture. Add food coloring. Spread over cooled cake and top with sprinkles.
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Sugar Cookie Bars
Ingredients
Bars
- 1¼ cups sugar
- ¾ cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 (8-ounce package) cream cheese, softened
- 1 egg
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
- 1¾ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
Frosting
- 3½ cups powdered sugar
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
- 3-4 tablespoons milk
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon almond extract
- food coloring, optional
- sprinkles, for topping (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a metal 9-x-13-inch baking dish and set aside.
- To make the bars, beat sugar, butter, cream cheese, and egg with a hand mixer in a medium bowl until well blended and a bit frothy, 2–3 minutes.
- Add vanilla and almond extracts and mix well.
- In a separate bowl, mix flour, baking soda and baking powder.
- Add flour mixture to butter mixture and beat for a few minutes. Pour into a prepared pan and bake for 18–20 minutes. Let cool.
Frosting
- Beating powdered sugar, butter, milk, vanilla, and almond extracts until well combined. Start with 3 tablespoons of milk, adding more as needed to reach the desired texture. Add food coloring.
- Spread over cooled cake and top with sprinkles.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Recipe FAQ
Roll the dough into a log shape. Wrap tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 3 days or wrap again with foil and freeze for 3-4 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight and follow the recipe instructions to bake.
Store. Cover the pan with plastic or foil and store at room temperature for 3-5 days.
Freeze. Flash freeze to set the frosting then layer the bars in a freezer-safe container. Separate layers with wax or parchment paper, and freeze for 3-6 months.
I love taking this recipe to any gathering! It feeds so many, is soft, & always a hit!! I love how creamy & smooth the frosting is, too!
Am going to make these. Do they need to be refrigerated?
Thanks!
No, they don’t need to 🙂 Enjoy!
Yumm! These look devine
I just wanted to say thank you so much for this recipe. I have been making these for several years now, probably since you posted it, and we LOVE it! Thank you!
Thank you so much for stopping by to leave a comment. I’m so glad you like these bars. They’re definitely ones of our favorites too. 🙂
Hi! I was just wondering if you make these in a 10×15 pan or a bigger sized jelly roll pan than that? I just made them and they were really good but I was just curious as to if I used the right sized pan. I also added almond extract to the frosting and it was really good! Thanks!
I use the 10×15 size and it usually works great. 🙂 SO glad you liked them too!
What is it about pink frosting and sprinkles that just mesmerizes me? Sugar Cookie Bars are one of my all-time favorite cookies to make. They’re so much easier than making rolled cookies and the texture and the smooth creamy buttercream frosting just sends me to the moon. You just reminded me that I need to make these… Thank you!!
Just made these and they are DELICIOUS! Thanks for sharing the recipe!!
YAY! So glad you liked them! Have a great day, and thanks for stopping by. 🙂
YuM! These remind me of those lofthouse cookies! Would love for you to link up at my Pin It Thursday party http://www.sweetbellaroos.com/2012/07/19/pin-it-thursday3/