SUGAR COOKIE BARS

Sugar Cookie Bars are thick, soft, and topped with a fluffy vanilla buttercream frosting, giving you everything you love about classic sugar cookies without the extra work. This easy sugar cookie bar recipe is baked in a pan, sliced into squares, and is perfect for serving a crowd or customizing for any holiday.

Recipe Highlights

• Beginner-friendly: Simple ingredients and straightforward steps make this a reliable go-to recipe.
• So much easier than cut-out cookies: No rolling, cutting, or baking multiple batches — everything goes straight into one pan.
• Soft and thick texture: These bars bake up tender and stay soft, even after frosting.
• Perfect for any occasion: Change the frosting color and sprinkles to match birthdays, holidays, or celebrations.
• Great for feeding a crowd: A 9×13 pan makes plenty to share with minimal effort.

Sugar Cookie Bars

• Butter: Softened butter creates a rich, tender cookie base; avoid melting it.
• Granulated sugar: Sweetens the bars and helps create a soft texture.
• Eggs: Bind the dough together and give it structure.
• Vanilla extract: Adds a classic sugar-cookie flavor.
• Almond extract: Optional but highly recommended for that bakery-style taste.
• All-purpose flour: Provides structure while keeping the bars soft.
• Salt: Balances sweetness and enhances flavor.
• Baking powder: Adds a touch of lift so the bars don’t bake up too dense.

Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

• Butter: Forms the base of the frosting and adds richness.
• Sour cream or plain yogurt: Adds creaminess and keeps the frosting soft and spreadable.
• Powdered sugar: Sweetens and thickens the frosting.
• Vanilla extract: Adds flavor and warmth.
• Milk: Adjusts frosting consistency as needed.
• Food coloring: Optional, for festive bars.

Tips for Perfect Sugar Cookie Bars

Full instructions for making the recipe can be found on the recipe card below, but here are a few helpful tips.

• Use softened butter, not melted: Melted butter will change the texture and make the bars greasy.
• Cream well: Taking a few extra minutes to cream the butter and sugar improves softness.
• Don’t overbake: Pull the bars as soon as the edges barely turn golden — soft centers are the goal.
• Line the pan: Parchment paper makes removal and slicing much easier.

How to Cut Perfect Cookie Bars

Parchment paper is the secret to clean, even slices. Lift the entire slab out of the pan once cooled, then slice on a cutting board. If you skip parchment, the bars will still taste great — the first row just may not look quite as pretty.

Storage Instructions

Store frosted sugar cookie bars in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, or refrigerate for up to 5 days. Bring to room temperature before serving for the best texture.

Sugar Cookie Bars Recipe

Sugar Cookie Bars are thick, soft and frosted with a delicious vanilla buttercream frosting. Simple sugar cookie recipe that is made in a pan and can be easily sliced and served.

5 from 2 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: sugar cookie bars

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes minutes

Servings: 24 servings

Calories: 251kcal

Author: Jessica & Nellie

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Ingredients 

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• ¾ cup butter softened to room temperature
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• ½ tsp vanilla extract
• ½ tsp almond extract
• 2 ½ cups flour
• ¾ tsp salt
• ¼ tsp baking powder

Frosting

• ½ cup butter softened
• 2 Tbsp sour cream/plain yogurt
• 4 cups powdered sugar
• 2 tsp vanilla
• food coloring if desired
• 1-2 Tbsp of milk to consistency

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350°. Line a 9X13 pan with parchment paper and lightly spray the parchment paper with nonstick spray.
• In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar for about 3-4 minutes. Add the eggs, vanilla extract and almond extract and beat together for another 2-3 minutes.
• In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, salt and baking powder.
• Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and mix just until combined. Press the cookie dough evenly into the prepared pan.
• Bake for 15-18 minutes or until the edges barely start to turn a light golden brown. Cool completely before frosting.
• To make the frosting, just mix the butter, sour cream (or yogurt), powdered sugar and vanilla together with an electric mixer until well combined. Add food coloring if desired and then add the milk, just a little bit at a time to get the consistency that you want.

Video

Nutrition

Calories: 251kcal | Carbohydrates: 38g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.4g | Cholesterol: 40mg | Sodium: 155mg | Potassium: 30mg | Fiber: 0.4g | Sugar: 28g | Vitamin A: 322IU | Vitamin C: 0.01mg | Calcium: 11mg | Iron: 1mg

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FAQs

Can I make these ahead of time?
Yes! You can bake the bars a day ahead and frost them before serving.

Can I skip the almond extract?
Absolutely. The bars will still be delicious with just vanilla.

Can I freeze sugar cookie bars?
Yes. Freeze unfrosted bars tightly wrapped for up to 2 months. Thaw, then frost before serving.

Like cookie bars? Here are some of our favorite cookie bar recipes!

• With a few simple tweaks to the classic yellow bag recipe, Nestle Toll House Cookie Bars deliver buttery chocolate chip flavor with perfect texture.
• Cheesecake Sugar Cookie Bars come together easily with sugar cookie dough, cream cheese, and pantry staples to create a soft crust, creamy filling, and festive sprinkles.
• Loaded with crushed cookies, Oreo Cookie Bars (also known as Cookies & Cream Bars) bake up soft, chewy, gooey, and absolutely irresistible.
• Snickerdoodle Cookie Bars are thick, soft, and full of warm cinnamon flavor, all baked in a sheet pan for easy slicing and serving.
• Made with a buttery shortbread base, Twix Cookie Bars are layered with homemade caramel and chocolate for an easy dessert that feeds a crowd.

Sugar Cookie Bars are a soft, thick, and easy dessert that delivers classic sugar cookie flavor in a simple, slice-and-serve format perfect for any occasion.