This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
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.
More Like This
Cookie Bar Recipes
Sugar Cookie Recipes
Collections
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.
Love these. So yumny
These are so easy to make and everyone loves them!!
Love that these are so quick.
Have not made these yet. Have read and Re-read Top to bOttom. Nowhere do i find the size pan yoi used. Im assUming its a jelly roll pan; but would be nice to have that info listed in the Recipe. Also, in the Execution hints at the BegInning, you say to beat sugar and butter together for 3 minutes. But beliw, your recipe instructions say to beat sugar, butter, eggs, and cream cheese all at once. Which is it?
Yes, a jelly roll pan works best & follow the recipe card 🙂 Hope you like them!
These are SUPer YUMMY! My kids and their friends like to make them.
I love these sugar cookie bars. There so much easier than regular sugar cookies and the taste is the same!
Sugar Cookie Bars are my very favorite! This recipe is going to be added to my recipe book for sure!
Why did you change your sugar cookie bar recipe? The other version was PERfection!?!
Always changing recipes around here..these are great too 😉
Perfect for summer parties and potlucks!
I like sugar cookies, but never make them because they take so long. I was happy to find your sugar cookie bar Recipe. SaMe great taste without the effort of traditional sugar cookies.