Preheat your oven for an updated take on a cookie classic with this quick and easy recipe for Frosted Soft Sugar Cookie Bars. They star a buttery sugar cookie base topped with an easy-to-make buttercream frosting and sprinkles. Forget the cookie cutters in favor of this foolproof recipe!
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If soft sugar cookies, fool-proof frosting and rainbow sprinkles are your thing, then allow me to introduce you to the latest and greatest sliceable sweet: Frosted Soft Sugar Cookie Bars.
There’s a time and a place for cutout sugar cookies. But when you need a quick dessert for a holiday party, or don’t have the patience for cutout cookies, these sugar cookie bars are the answer!
What’s to Love
- Soft sugar cookie base.
- The fluffiest buttercream frosting.
- Made with basic pantry ingredients.
- No special equipment needed.
- Can be made ahead.
- These bars travel well, making them perfect for parties and potlucks.
Kelly’s Note: I love making these bars year-round! I simply change the frosting color and sprinkles to match the holiday or occasion.
For the Cookie Bars
- Unsalted butter: Unlike chocolate chip cookies that often call for room temperature butter, the secret to perfect sugar cookie bars is using cold butter when mixing the dough. Cold butter doesn’t fully incorporate into the dough, creating melting pockets during baking, giving a light, delicate crumb. It also prevents excessive spreading, maintaining the bars’ desired shape.
- Sugar: Sweetens the cookie bars and also contributes to their soft texture.
- Eggs: Use eggs at room temperature for better emulsification and incorporation into the dough. To quickly bring cold eggs to room temperature, place them in a bowl of warm water for a few minutes.
- Vanilla extract: Choose high-quality vanilla extract (or homemade vanilla extract!) for a more pronounced and nuanced flavor in both the bars and the frosting.
- All-purpose flour: Flour is the main dry ingredient, providing structure to the bars. Measure the flour using the spoon-and-level method to avoid overpacking, ensuring a light and tender texture.
- Salt: A small amount of salt enhances the overall flavor of the bars.
For the Frosting
- Confectioners’ sugar: Confectioners’ sugar, or powdered sugar, is the base for the sweet and creamy frosting. Sift the confectioners’ sugar to prevent lumps and achieve a smoother consistency.
- Butter: Here you’ll need softened butter, which ensures a smooth and creamy consistency.
- Milk: Adds moisture and creaminess to the frosting. Adjust the amount as needed to achieve your desired consistency. Only add a little at a time as too much liquid can make the frosting runny.
- Vanilla extract: Adds depth and warmth to the frosting.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Just like chocolate chip cookie bars or monster cookie bars, this recipe is straightforward and hassle-free.
- Preheat your oven to 350°F and line a 9×13-inch baking pan with foil. Leave a 2-inch overhang on the two short sides of the pan. Grease the foil with cooking spray.
- Cream together the butter and sugar. Use a stand mixer or hand mixer to combine until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
- Add the eggs one at a time, beating between each addition, then add the vanilla extract and beat until combined.
- Add the flour and salt and beat just until the dough comes together. (It will be very sticky.)
- Transfer the dough to the prepared baking pan, pressing it into an even layer with your hands.
Pro Tip: If the dough sticks to your hands, lightly spray them with cooking spray for easier handling.
- Bake the cookie bars for about 25 minutes or until they’re golden brown around the edges. Remove the cookie bars from the oven and allow them to cool completely in the pan.
When it comes to frosting these sugar cookie bars, my philosophy is all about decadence, and that means slathering them with a thick layer of frosting. No skimping here! I’ve opted for a creamy American buttercream made with just four simple ingredients and that comes together in 5 minutes.
Although pink is the classic color for the buttercream frosting on sugar cookie bars, there are endless possibilities for creativity when it comes to choosing the color palette. Whether it’s the festive colors of red and green for Christmas or the bold shades of orange and black for Halloween, the frosting can be customized to suit any occasion.
And if you love chocolate more than vanilla, whip up my recipe for chocolate buttercream frosting!
Kelly’s Note: Gel food coloring works well for vibrant hues without altering the consistency of the frosting. Start with a small amount and add more as needed.
The only thing easier than making these cookie bars is polishing off an entire dozen with your BFF. And by “BFF,” I mean “a cold glass of milk,” because I guarantee you will not be in a sharing mood once these festive and fancily frosted treats emerge from the oven. But there are a few tricks to guaranteeing sweet cookie bar success:
- Don’t Touch: When it comes to spreading the dough in the pan, don’t overtouch it. Butter is a key ingredient here, so the less you handle the dough, the less it will melt. Spread the dough into the pan and then get those bad boys into the oven.
- Chill Out: To ensure your cookie bars are soft and chewy, rather than firm and crispy, remove them from the oven as soon as the edges turn golden brown then allow the cookies to cool completely (and I mean completely) in the pan.
- Expect the Unexpected: Tell yourself you’re “only going to eat one cookie bar” and then be prepared to take down two or three in one sitting. They’re simply irresistible (insert music note emoji here).
If you want to make these bars well ahead of time for a party, I recommend baking the bars and freezing them, unfrosted. Here’s exactly how I’d freeze them:
- Bake and completely cool the cookie bars.
- Remove the cookie from the pan in one piece. Wrap it tightly in two layers of plastic wrap and a layer of foil before freezing for up to 1 month.
- When ready to enjoy, allow the cookie to thaw at room temperature before frosting and decorating.
The frosting can also be prepped in advance and stored in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 1 month. Transfer it to the refrigerator the night before you plan to use it. Let it thaw in the refrigerator overnight, bring it to room temperature, and whip it with a mixer before use.
Store the frosted cookie bars in an airtight container for 3-4 days. If you’re stacking bars atop one another in a container, I recommend placing parchment paper between layers to prevent sticking.
You can also freeze any remaining frosted cookie bars. Simply store them in an airtight container with layers of parchment paper between them, and they’ll keep well in the freezer for up to 1 month. Thaw at room temperature before serving.
Common Questions
Absolutely! Just cover the dough tightly with plastic wrap or place it in an airtight container and store it in the refrigerator for up to 48 hours. When ready to bake, allow the dough to come to room temperature for easier handling.
The edges should be golden, and a toothpick inserted into the center should come out with a few moist crumbs. Avoid overbaking for a soft texture.
Place parchment paper between layers in a secure container to prevent sticking, and transport them in a sturdy container to maintain their shape.
Ready to make cookie bar magic? Read on for the recipe, plus don’t miss more of my favorite holiday cookie recipes, including:
- Soft and Chewy Ginger Cookies
- Christmas Monster Cookies
- Slice-and-Bake Butter Cookies
- Marshmallow Christmas Wreaths
- Cake Mix Grinch Cookies
Ingredients
For the cookie bars:
- 2 sticks unsalted butter, cold
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
For the frosting:
- 4 cups confectioners’ sugar
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 5 Tablespoons whole milk
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- Food coloring (optional)
- Sprinkles, for decorating
Instructions
Make the cookie bars:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a 9×13-inch baking pan with foil, leaving a 2-inch overhang on the two short sides of the pan. Grease the foil with cooking spray.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
- Add the eggs one at a time, beating between each addition, then add the vanilla extract and beat until combined.
- Add the flour and salt and beat just until the dough comes together. (It will be very sticky.) Transfer the dough to the prepared baking pan, pressing it into an even layer with your hands. (If your hands stick, spray them lightly with cooking spray.)
- Bake the cookie bars for about 25 minutes or until they’re golden brown around the edges. Remove the cookie bars from the oven and allow them to cool completely in the pan. While the bars cool, make the frosting.
Make the frosting:
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the confectioners’ sugar and butter until well combined. With the stand mixer slowly running, stream in the milk and vanilla extract and continue beating until the frosting stiffens, scraping down the sides as needed, about 5 minutes. If desired, add food coloring and continue beating until the color is uniform.
- Once the cookie bars have cooled completely, use the foil overhangs to lift them out of the pan and onto a serving platter. Spread the frosting on top of the cookie bars, top them with sprinkles, slice and serve.
Kelly’s Notes
- This frosting recipe makes enough for a very thick coating of frosting. If you prefer less frosting on your cookie bars, you can halve the recipe and still have enough for a thin coating on all of the bars.
- When it comes to spreading the dough in the pan, don’t overtouch it. Butter is a key ingredient here, so the less you handle the dough, the less it will melt. Spread the dough into the pan and then get those bad boys into the oven.
- To ensure your cookie bars are soft and chewy, rather than firm and crispy, remove them from the oven as soon as the edges turn golden brown then allow the cookies to cool completely (and I mean completely) in the pan.
- Store the frosted cookie bars in an airtight container for 3-4 days. If you’re stacking bars atop one another in a container, I recommend placing parchment paper between layers to prevent sticking.
- You can also freeze any remaining frosted cookie bars. Simply store them in an airtight container with layers of parchment paper between them, and they’ll keep well in the freezer for up to 1 month. Thaw at room temperature before serving.
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Cookie dough recipe adapted from Food Network.
Frosting recipe adapted from AllRecipes.com.
These are SO GOOD! My family and I couldn’t stop eating them
Would I be able to cut out shapes from the dough vs. slicing it?
That should work!
I love the store kind that are prepackaged . But those I don’t think are chewy . How can I make them and not have them chewy ? I’m still making these tho ..haha
These are so pretty! Loved your snapchat video about them. It always cracks me up when you have about 25 things cooking at the same time. :)
Haha! Yes, I had about 37 things cooking at the same time while making these :)
These look delicious and adorable! Are they similar to taste / texture as those round pre-packaged frosted sugar cookies you can find in grocery stores (aka my guilty pleasure)?
Hi Natalie! YES! I know the cookies you’re talking about and they’re very similar. These are very soft and chewy :)
Holy moly, I’m getting a sugar rush just looking at these!! =D
Hah!