Everyone’s favorite sugar cookie turned into a cookie bar topped with THE BEST buttercream frosting. These Sugar Cookie Bars are simple and easy to make, with just a handful of ingredients. Paired with your favorite sprinkles for an extra fun treat that is perfect for any occasion.
Spring is officially here and what better way to celebrate than by baking up these delicious sugar cookie bars. You will love how little time and effort goes into making these cookie bars. I know I do! It takes far less time to frost the whole pan of cookie bars than it does to frost individual cookies.
Don’t forget to top your cookie bars with sprinkles! I think we can all agree, sprinkles make everything so much prettier! Maybe that’s just the little girl in me, but I like decorating simple desserts with sprinkles!
This year I found these adorable spring inspired sprinkles, and I am loving them! The little butterflies are just perfect for a spring dessert.
Making these sugar cookie bars for any occasion is super easy. You can color the buttercream frosting, like I did here, and use different sprinkles. If you are an avid baker like I am, you probably buy all of the holiday sprinkles as soon as they hit the store shelves!
Looking for More Cookie Recipes?
I love making cookies and cookie bars. Here are a few of my favorite recipes!
Butter Pecan Shortbread Cookies
What Makes These Sugar Cookie Bars Special?
When making sugar cookies I always use a combination of pure vanilla extract, almond extract and lemon zest. This trio makes the best flavored sugar cookies, in this case sugar cookie bars.
Using pure vanilla extract will give your cookies such a beautiful vanilla flavor, that you just cannot get from using imitation vanilla extract. Pure vanilla extract is a must!
Almond extract certainly has its place in sugar cookies. Paired with the vanilla extract and lemon zest, a beautiful flavor is created. The amount used in this recipe is not a lot and does not overpower the cookie. If you are not a fan of almond extract, omitting it will still produce delicious sugar cookie bars.
Lemon zest may not be an ingredient that you see often in sugar cookies, but trust me, it belongs! There is just enough to add a little flavor, but not too much that the cookie bars become a lemon dessert.
If the flavor combination isn’t enough to win you over, the time surely will. These cookie bars come together super-fast and can be ready in 1 hour! That’s an easy dessert!
How to Make Sugar Cookie Bars
- Cream together the softened butter and sugar for 5-6 minutes. You are looking for the mixture to be lighter in color and fluffier.
- While the butter and sugar are creaming, combine all of the dry ingredients in a medium bowl. Whisk together until fully combined. Set aside.
- Add in the egg. Making sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl to make sure the egg is fully incorporated. Add in the vanilla extract, almond extract and lemon zest. Mix until fully combined.
- Slowly add in the dry ingredients and mix (scraping down the sides as needed) until fully combined. Be careful to not overmix the dough.
- Press evenly into the prepared pan and bake for 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Cool completely before frosting.
How to Make the Best Buttercream Frosting
In a mixing bowl fitted with the paddle attachment add the softened butter and begin mixing it until smooth, light and fluffy. Approximately 5 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
With the mixer on the lowest setting, slowly add in the powdered sugar, stopping to scrape the bowl as needed. Once all of the powdered has been added, turn the mixer speed up to next setting and mix for 1 minute.
Stop the mixer, scrape the bowl and add in the salt, vanilla extract and heavy cream. Mix well to combine.
Tips
Using softened butter for the cookie dough is very important. Softened butter will create a better texture for the finished cookie dough.
Use pure vanilla extract for the best flavor!
Decorating the Sugar Cookie Bars
Once the cookie bars have completely cooled spread the frosting in an even layer over the cookie bars. If using sprinkles, go ahead and add them now. Place the pan in the refrigerator for 15-20 minutes to help the frosting set a little. This helps make cutting and removing them from the pan much easier.
If you are not worried about appearance, skip refrigerating them and dive in. Enjoy!
Storing Sugar Cookie Bars
If by chance you have any of these delicious treats leftover, you can store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 7 days.
Before serving, I recommend letting them set out at room temperature for about 20 minutes. However, my kiddos say they are great straight from the refrigerator.
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Tried This Recipe?
Leave a review below, I would love to hear how it turned out! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Sugar Cookie Bars
Everyone's favorite sugar cookie turned into a cookie bars topped with THE BEST buttercream frosting. These Sugar Cookie Bars are simple and easy to make, with just a handful of ingredients. Paired with your favorite sprinkles for an extra fun treat that is perfect for any occasion.
Ingredients
Sugar Cookie Dough
Buttercream Frosting
Instructions
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Preheat an oven to 350° F. Line a 9x13 pan parchment paper and lightly grease the sides of the pan.
-
Cream together the softened butter and sugar for 5-6 minutes. You are looking for the mixture to be lighter in color and fluffier.
-
While the butter and sugar are creaming, combine all of the dry ingredients in a medium bowl. Whisk together until fully combined. Set aside.
-
Add in the egg. Making sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl to make sure the egg is fully incorporated. Add in the vanilla extract, almond extract and lemon zest. Mix until fully combined.
-
Slowly add in the dry ingredients and mix (scraping down the sides as needed) until fully combined. Be careful to not overmix the dough.
-
Press evenly into the prepared pan and bake for 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Cool completely before frosting.
Buttercream Frosting
-
In a mixing bowl fitted with the paddle attachment add the softened butter and begin mixing it until smooth, light and fluffy. Approximately 5 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
-
With the mixer on the lowest setting, slowly add in the powdered sugar, stopping to scrape the bowl as needed. Once all of the powdered has been added, turn the mixer speed up to next setting and mix for 1 minute.
-
Stop the mixer, scrape the bowl and add in the salt, vanilla extract and heavy cream. Mix well to combine.
Decorate the Sugar Cookie Bars
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Spread an even layer of buttercream all over the cooled cookie bars. Top with sprinkles. Enjoy!
Note
This recipe makes 12-24 bars, depending on how big you cut them.
To make cutting and removing the cookie bars from the pan easier, refrigerated the frosted bars for 15-20 first.
Love this recipe! Made them for my daughter’s birthday and everyone loved them!
That is wonderful to hear!
Great recipe! Thanks for sharing.
These look fabulous! I’ve never made sugar cookies as bars before – what a great idea 🙂
Thank you!
I made these bars for a party over the weekend and they were fantastic! Everyone loved them!
That’s fantastic to hear!
These are so fun and festive, I’m going to make these for Easter with my kids!
These are festive and fun! Loved decorating these with my daughter for St. Patrick’s Day coming up. Thank you for this awesome recipe!
Love this Sugar Cookie Bars recipe, never made them in bars, so will make them soon with the kiddos, look delicious!! thanks for sharing 🙂
These were SO tasty and looked cute too! Thank you for the recipe
My kids would goggle these sugar cookie bars down! I cannot wait to make this recipe with them! Thanks for sharing.
These are super cute. My kids has so much fun making them.