Sugar Cookie Bars Recipe

Pink frosted sugar cookie bars on a kitchen counter.

4.90 from 28 votes

Sugar Cookie Bars Recipe

Sugar Cookie Bars are soft, thick, frosted cookie bars with vanilla almond flavor, easy to bake in a 9x13 pan and perfect for parties and holidays.

Prep Time15

Cook Time20

Total Time35

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Servings:

Author: Kristyn Merkley

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 9x13 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

Recipe Tips.

Don’t Overbake: Pull them out when the center is just set for soft bars.
Use Room Temp Ingredients: Helps everything mix smoothly and evenly.
Cool Before Frosting: This prevents the frosting from melting and getting messy.
Spread Evenly: Use a spatula for a smooth frosting layer.

Store the dough. 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 baked bars. Cover the pan with plastic or foil and store at room temperature for 3-5 days or freeze for 3-6 months. Separate layers with wax or parchment paper.

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.

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