Sugar Cookie Bars

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5 from 3 votes

These sugar cookie bars have the flavor of holiday sugar cookies, but without all the work! Almond extract in the bars and frosting provides the classic sugar cookie flavor, and it's all topped with festive sprinkles. Grab a slice to eat with a big mug of homemade eggnog!

Sugar cookie bars on a white plate decorated with white frosting and festive sprinkles

I think we all love sugar cookies, but don't always love the effort that goes into making them. Whisking, mixing, chilling, rolling, cutting, baking. Although I have to admit, I think that my no chill sugar cookie cutouts are probably as easy as it gets.

What if I told you that you could get that distinctive sugar cookie flavor, but with far fewer steps? Let's talk through them – but spoiler alert: it's pretty easy.

A sheet of sugar cookie bars decorated with festive sprinkles

Start with your dry ingredients. Whisk together the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, and salt, and set it aside so it's ready to go when you need it.

Cream the butter. Beat the butter in a separate large bowl until creamy, then add the sugar and beat again until light and fluffy. This gives the bars structure by beating air into the butter, and the sugar helps hold that air. 

Finish the wet ingredients. Add your egg and extracts, then beat again to combine. 

Four photo collage showing the process of making sugar cookie bars

Slowly add the flour mixture. Start on low speed, and increase the speed as the dough thickens. 

Don't overmix the dough. Beat until everything has just combined, then stop the mixer. You don't want the bars to end up tough and chewy (in a bad way).

The dough will be thick! Press it into your pan (lined with aluminum foil and sprayed with nonstick spray) with a spatula, and/or your hands if needed.

Side by side photos of sugar cookie bar dough before and after being baked

Making the buttercream frosting

Beat butter until creamy. Same as you did with the dough! You're a pro at this point.

Add the rest – powdered sugar, heavy cream, and extracts, and beat on low speed increasing the speed as the powdered sugar incorporates. You'll beat it until well combined and fluffy.

Now taste test. If it's too sweet, add a little salt. If the frosting is too thick, add a little more cream.

Frost and sprinkle! Use a spatula to evenly frost the bars, then add whatever sprinkles you'd like. I like to use these holly sprinkles for a simple, festive touch.

Four photo collage showing the process of making buttercream frosting and frosting sugar cookie bars

How many bars does this make?

I like to cut mine into four rows of four, for a total of 16 bars.

If you wanted to cut them smaller to serve more people, you certainly could.

The flavor and scent we typically associate with sugar cookies is brought to you by almond extract – so you'll notice we use it in the batter and the frosting for these bars.

Can we take a moment to appreciate the height on the frosting? 

It's not quite a 1:1 ratio of sugar cookie bar to frosting, but it's close.

Want less frosting?

If you're not a frosting fiend like I am, feel free to cut the recipe in half, or reduce it to use 75% of what I call for:

  • 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1 1/4 cups + 1 tablespoon powdered sugar
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons heavy cream
  • Just over 1/4 teaspoon pure almond extract
  • Just over 1/8 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • Salt, to taste
Sugar cookie bars stacked on a white plate with a bite taken out of one showing the soft and chewy inside

How to store sugar cookie bars

Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, or in the fridge for up to 1 week.

Another great thing about these bars is that the day after you make them, the flavors have really melded and the bars are even softer and chewier. I almost prefer them on day two!

… not that it stops me from inhaling a few on day one. 

A sugar cookie bar on a white plate decorated with white frosting and festive sprinkles

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Sugar Cookie Bars

5 from 3 votes
These sugar cookie bars have the flavor of holiday sugar cookies, but without all the work! Almond extract in the bars and frosting provide the classic sugar cookie flavor, and it's all topped with festive sprinkles.
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 26 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
Servings: 16 bars

Ingredients
 

Sugar Cookie Bars

Buttercream Frosting

Instructions

Sugar Cookie Bars

  • Preheat oven to 350°F and prep an 8×8″ pan with aluminum foil, making sure that it hangs over the sides a bit.
  • In a medium bowl, whisk to combine flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
    1 1/2 cups (187 ½ g) all purpose flour
    1 teaspoon cornstarch
    1 teaspoon baking powder
    1/2 teaspoon (½ teaspoon) baking soda
    Pinch salt
  • In a large bowl, using a hand mixer or in the bowl of a stand mixer (aff link), beat butter until smooth and creamy, about a minute.
    1/2 cup (113 ½ g) unsalted butter
  • Add sugar and beat again until fluffy and light in color, about another minute.
    1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar
  • Add egg, almond and vanilla extracts and beat again until combined.
    1 egg
    1 teaspoon pure almond extract
    1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • Slowly add the dry mixture to the wet mixture a little at a time, mixing on the lowest speed. Increase speed a little if needed as the dough gets thicker.
  • Press into prepared pan into an even layer – you may need to use your hands as it will be thick and sticky.
  • Bake for about 25 minutes, or until the top is just starting to turning lightly browned on the top. You want the bars to be soft, which means they'll be a tad underbaked. Place pan on wire rack to cool for about 10 minutes, then lift the bars out of the pan by the edges of the aluminum foil and place directly on wire rack to cool completely.

Buttercream Frosting

  • In a large bowl with a hand mixer or stand mixer (aff link), beat butter on medium speed until creamy.
    1/2 cup (113 ½ g) unsalted butter
  • Add powdered sugar, heavy cream, almond extract and vanilla extract and beat on low speed, increasing speed as powdered sugar incorporates. Beat until well combined and fluffy.
    1 3/4 cups (210 g) confectioners’ sugar (powdered sugar)
    2 tablespoons heavy cream
    1/2 teaspoon (½ teaspoon) pure almond extract
    1/4 teaspoon (¼ teaspoon) pure vanilla extract
  • Taste test and add salt to taste to cut the sweetness. If the frosting is too thick, add a little more cream and beat again to combine.
    Salt
  • Frost cooled bars with an icing spatula and top with sprinkles. Slice into 16 bars (4 rows of 4), serve and enjoy!
    Sprinkles

Notes

*Amount of egg: If you like a moist, but cakey texture, stick with 1 egg. If you prefer a chewier, richer bar, add 1 room temperature egg yolk as well.
Storage: Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, or in the fridge for up to 1 week.
Reducing frosting: If you're not a frosting fiend like I am, feel free to cut the recipe in half, or reduce it to use 75% of what I call for:
  • 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1 1/4 cup + 1 tablespoon powdered sugar
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons heavy cream
  • Just over 1/4 teaspoon pure almond extract
  • Just over 1/8 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • Salt, to taste

Nutrition Facts

Calories: 233kcal | Carbohydrates: 29g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 43mg | Sodium: 117mg | Potassium: 23mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 19g | Vitamin A: 397IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 23mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutrition Disclaimer

The provided nutrition information is generated by an automatic API and does not take variations across specific brands into account. This information is provided as a general guideline and should not be treated as official calculations. Learn more here.

Recipe created by Leslie Kiszka

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Recipe Rating




10 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    I rarely ever leave a comment but wanted to since there weren’t many who actually baked these cookies. I followed the recipe & added a lil more cream to the icing. These were legit! SO good and easy to make! Next time I will spread the dough in a 9×13 w/out the foil & not add the lil extra cream in the frosting so it stays stiff. I’ll let you know how it goes, when I make these again. Thank you!

    1. Thank you SO much for leaving a comment! So many people will tag me in photos on social media or shoot me an email about these, but no one can see those so this means a lot to me!

      Annnnnnd you’ve convinced me to make these again! lol

  2. Hi! Your recipe sounds so good; however, I am not a fan of almond extract. Would you recommend using 6 tsp of vanilla or just keep it at 3 tsp of vanilla and not replace the almond extract with anything? Thank you!

    1. You could swap the almond extract for more vanilla extract. Just know the flavor in the end product isn’t going to be as intended since that’s key to the sugar cookie flavor :)

  3. These look amazing! Definitely pinning to remind myself to give this recipe a try this weekend!