Sugar Cookie Bars

February 12, 20211 Comment 5

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Sugar Cookie Bars taste just like traditional sugar cookies! They’re so much simpler to make and can be baked in a single pan.

Topped with fluffy sugar cookie frosting and sprinkles, these soft sugar cookie bars are a festive addition to any occasion.

These soft sugar cookie bars are one of those pretty desserts that get eaten first, especially by little kids who love sprinkles.

Not only are they pretty, but they’re also super tasty, there’s nothing dry or crumbly about them. And best of all, they’re a FAST recipe. They won’t require an hour of time to frost as individual cookies do.

As much fun as it is to decorate sugar cookies, sometimes you just don’t have the time. When you want the familiar taste of a soft sugar cookie in record time, this Sugar Cookie Bars recipe is the answer!

Another reason to make these Sugar Cookie bars? They require no chilling time.

With traditional cut-out cookies, you need to chill the dough before cutting and baking. When you make bars, you get to skip this step entirely.

Instead, all the sugar cookie dough gets pressed into a pan. Bake, frost, sprinkle and slice!

Sugar Cookie Bars are so much easier than traditional cookies!

Use a flat rubber spatula or a butter knife to spread an even layer of frosting over the top of the bars. Cover the top with your sprinkles of choice.

For the bars in these photos, I added some pink food coloring to the frosting and used multicolored sprinkles. Feel free to change up the colors for different occasions.

This is a simple, straightforward recipe that’s easy to adapt for any holiday or event. Try red and green sprinkles for Christmas. Leave the frosting white and add green and orange sprinkles for St. Patrick’s Day.

The decorating options are endless!

In a large mixing bowl, beat together the butter and sugar until fluffy. Beat in the eggs, sour cream, and vanilla. Stir together the flour, baking powder and salt in a separate bowl. Add the dry ingredients to the wet and stir until combined.
Preheat the oven to 350 F. Spread the dough into a greased 9 x 13 inch baking pan. Bake for 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Do not over bake or you will end up with dry bars. Let cool completely.
Frost the bars when cool. To make the frosting, beat together the butter and powdered sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the vanilla and salt. Beat in enough cream or milk to make a smooth spreadable consistency. Tint with food coloring if desired.

Store cooled bars in an airtight container at room temperature. Keep them in a single layer to avoid messing up the appearance of the frosting.

Yes, sugar cookie bars freeze well! You can freeze the baked bars either before or after frosting. I recommend adding the sprinkles after thawing. Otherwise, they tend to “bleed” color into the icing.

You can also freeze this sugar cookie dough. Wrap in cling wrap and store in a freezer-safe container in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw and bake as directed.

When you want sugar cookies but are short on time, Soft Sugar Cookie Bars save the day!