Sugar Cookie Bars

I get asked to bring dessert often – and these sugar cookie bars are my go-to for satisfying the sweet tooth of the masses!

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Hi, Sugar Cookie Bars!

‘Tis the season of big group gatherings! Which, in my world, means it’s time to break out my best dessert recipes for feeding a crowd. Topping my list are these deliciously soft and flavorful sugar cookie bars. 

A breeze to make, these cookie bars are chewy and soft in all the best ways. Bake them up quickly, frost, cut and you’re on your way! Whether you’re heading to another family reunion, a neighborhood potluck, your nephew’s mission farewell or your cousin’s baby shower, this bar cookie recipe will not let you down. 

Sugar Cookie Bars Recipe 

Sugar Bar 

• Butter – I always, always use salted butter! But in a pinch, you can use unsalted and add just a pinch of salt to the dough. 
• Granulated sugar – We don’t use a ton of granulated sugar here because most of the sweetness in this cookie comes from the powdered sugar, which will be added with the dry ingredients.
• Egg + 1 egg yolk
• Vanilla extract
• Butter extract – Okay, butter extract, I LOVE the flavor it gives but hear me out: almond extract. It would be a great substitution and bonus, they’d taste just like Crumbl’s sugar cookies, just in bar form.
• All purpose flour
• Powdered sugar – the powdered sugar will give these bars a melt-in-your-mouth texture and keep them super soft and chewy.
• Cornstarch
• Baking powder
• Salt

Frosting

• Butter – Again, I use salted. 
• Powdered sugar
• Heavy whipping cream – you can sub milk for the heavy cream, but use significantly less because milk is a lot thinner. 
• Vanilla extract
• Butter extract – Can flavor with almond extract instead of the butter, if desired.
• Sprinkles

Steps for Making Sugar Cookie Bars

For the cookie bars: 

1. Preheat the oven to 350° F. Line a 9×13 pan with parchment paper (letting some hang over the sides of the pan so you can easily remove the bars for better cutting once cooled) and then set aside.
2. Cream together the butter and granulated sugar, mixing until completely combined.
3. Add the egg, egg yolk and extracts. Mix until well combined.
4. Lastly, add the flour, powdered sugar, corn starch, baking powder and salt. Mix until a soft dough forms.
5. Press the dough into the prepared 9×13 pan.
6. Bake at 350° F for 25-35 minutes. You’ll be able to tell the cookie bars are done when the entire pan rises slightly, and the top no longer looks wet. The top will be shiny and almost ‘flakey’ and the center of the bars should pass the toothpick test when they are ready to come out of the oven.
7. Allow the cookie bars to cool completely before frosting.

For the frosting: 

8. To make the frosting, use your stand mixer or electric hand mixer to cream the butter until smooth.
9. Alternate adding in 1/2 cup of powdered sugar and then just a tiny splash of heavy cream, mixing until the powdered sugar is completely mixed in with the butter.
10. Repeat this step until all of the powdered sugar has been added. Your frosting should stay thick throughout this process.
11. Mix in the vanilla extract and butter extract.
12. You can now slowly add more heavy cream to the mixture to thin the frosting to your desired consistency.
13. Use gel food coloring to dye the frosting your desired color if you’d like! 
14. Frost the cookie bars and immediately top with sprinkles.
15. Store in an airtight container for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

What size baking pan should I use for sugar cookie bars?

I typically use a 9×13! If you would like to half the recipe, use a 9×9 pan. If you would like to double the recipe,  use a cookie sheet.

Are there any tips for cutting sugar cookie bars into clean and neat squares?

First, leave a little parchment paper hanging over the edges of your pan before smoothing in the dough. When your cookie bars are done baking, allow them to cool in the pan. Then, chill in the fridge. Once sufficiently chilled, pull the cookie bars out of the pan on the parchment paper and cut on a cutting board!

Other Yummy Sugar Cookies

• Lofthouse Sugar Cookies
• Crumbl Sugar Cookies
• Easter Sugar Cookies

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