Sugar Cookie Bars: The Ultimate Soft and Chewy Recipe

Get ready to fall in love with the easiest, most delicious Sugar Cookie Bars you’ve ever tasted. Forget the hassle of rolling and cutting individual cookies. With this simple recipe, you get that classic, soft-baked sugar cookie flavor you crave in a fraction of the time. They’re perfect for any occasion, from holiday parties to a simple weeknight treat, and are endlessly customizable with your favorite frosting and sprinkles.

These bars are designed to be incredibly soft, chewy, and packed with buttery vanilla flavor. They bake up perfectly in a single pan, making them a fantastic recipe for bakers of all skill levels. Whether you’re decorating for a party or looking for a quick dessert, this will be your new go-to recipe.

Why This Is the Best Sugar Cookie Bars Recipe

You’ll adore this recipe for its simplicity and incredible results. Here’s why it stands out from the rest:

• Incredibly Easy: The dough comes together in minutes without any chilling required. Just mix, press into a pan, and bake!
• Perfectly Soft & Chewy: We use specific ingredients and techniques to ensure these bars have a tender, melt-in-your-mouth texture that lasts for days.
• Crowd-Pleasing Flavor: The rich, buttery vanilla flavor is a classic that everyone loves. It’s the perfect canvas for a sweet buttercream frosting.
• Versatile & Fun: Easily adapt these bars for any holiday or celebration with different food coloring and sprinkles. Looking for more festive ideas? Check out our complete collection of Christmas recipes.

Essential Ingredients You’ll Need

The magic of these Sugar Cookie Bars comes from simple, high-quality ingredients. Here’s what you’ll need for the bars and the frosting.

For the Sugar Cookie Bars:

• All-Purpose Flour: Provides the structure. Make sure to measure it correctly by spooning it into your measuring cup and leveling it off.
• Baking Powder: Gives the bars a slight lift, contributing to their soft texture.
• Cornstarch: Our secret weapon for an incredibly tender crumb.
• Salt: Balances the sweetness and enhances the other flavors.
• Unsalted Butter: Must be softened to room temperature for proper creaming. This is crucial for the texture.
• Granulated Sugar: Provides sweetness and helps create that chewy texture.
• Egg: Binds the ingredients together. Use a large egg at room temperature.
• Vanilla Extract: Use pure vanilla extract for the best flavor.

For the Buttercream Frosting:

• Unsalted Butter: Softened to room temperature for a smooth, creamy frosting.
• Powdered Sugar: Sift it to avoid any lumps.
• Heavy Cream or Milk: To get the perfect spreading consistency.
• Vanilla Extract: Complements the flavor of the cookie bars.
• Sprinkles: Optional, but highly recommended for a fun, festive touch!

Step-by-Step Instructions

Follow these simple steps to create the most amazing frosted Sugar Cookie Bars.

Step 1: Prepare Your Pan and Dry Ingredients

First, preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Grease a 9×13 inch baking pan and line it with parchment paper, leaving some overhang on the sides to act as handles. This will make it easy to lift the bars out later. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, cornstarch, and salt. Set it aside.

Step 2: Cream the Butter and Sugar

In a large bowl, using a stand mixer or an electric hand mixer, beat the softened butter and granulated sugar together on medium-high speed for about 2-3 minutes until the mixture is light and fluffy. This step incorporates air, which is key to a soft texture.

Step 3: Add Wet Ingredients

Add the egg and vanilla extract to the creamed butter and sugar mixture. Beat on medium speed until just combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed to ensure everything is well mixed.

Step 4: Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients

With the mixer on low speed, gradually add the dry ingredient mixture to the wet ingredients. Mix until just combined. Be careful not to overmix, as this can lead to tough bars.

Step 5: Press and Bake

The dough will be thick. Press it evenly into the bottom of your prepared baking pan. Use your hands or the back of a spatula to spread it out. Bake for 18-22 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let the bars cool completely in the pan before frosting.

Step 6: Make the Frosting

While the bars are cooling, prepare the buttercream. In a large bowl, beat the softened butter with a mixer until creamy. Gradually add the powdered sugar, mixing on low speed until combined, then increase to medium-high and beat for 2-3 minutes until smooth. Add the vanilla extract and 2 tablespoons of heavy cream or milk, and mix until you reach a smooth, spreadable consistency. Add more cream, one teaspoon at a time, if needed.

Step 7: Frost and Decorate

Once the bars are completely cool, spread the frosting evenly over the top. Add your favorite sprinkles immediately. Let the frosting set for about 30 minutes before cutting into squares and serving.

Tips for Perfect Sugar Cookie Bars Every Time

• Room Temperature Ingredients: Using room temperature butter and eggs is non-negotiable for a smooth, well-emulsified dough. It makes a huge difference in the final texture.
• Do Not Overbake: The key to soft and chewy bars is to pull them from the oven when they are just barely golden at the edges. They will continue to bake in the hot pan.
• Cool Completely: You must wait until the bars are 100% cool before frosting them. Warm bars will melt the frosting into a greasy mess.
• Easy Removal: Don’t skip the parchment paper sling! It makes lifting the entire block of bars out of the pan for easy cutting a breeze.

Variations and Customizations

These bars are a wonderful blank canvas. Here are a few ideas to get creative:

• Different Extracts: Swap the vanilla for almond, lemon, or peppermint extract for a different flavor profile.
• Add-Ins: Mix in white chocolate chips, M&Ms, or sprinkles directly into the dough. For a festive twist, try our M&M Christmas Cookie Bars.
• Holiday Themes: Tint the frosting with food coloring to match any holiday—pink for Valentine’s, green for Christmas, or pastel colors for Easter.

If you enjoy easy bar recipes, you might also love exploring other no-fuss desserts like this incredible No-Bake Peppermint Oreo Icebox Cake.

How to Store Sugar Cookie Bars

Proper storage is key to keeping your bars soft and delicious.

• Room Temperature: Store the bars in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4-5 days. Placing a slice of bread in the container can help keep them extra soft.
• Freezing: These bars freeze beautifully! You can freeze them frosted or unfrosted. Place them in a single layer in a freezer-safe container, separated by sheets of wax paper. They will keep for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature before serving.

a

How do you keep sugar cookie bars from getting hard?

The key is to not overbake them. Pull them from the oven when the edges are just lightly golden. The center may look slightly underdone, but they will set as they cool. Storing them in an airtight container also keeps them soft.

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What’s the difference between a sugar cookie and a sugar cookie bar?

The ingredients are very similar, but the main difference is the preparation. Sugar cookie bars are made by pressing the dough into a pan and baking it all at once, while traditional sugar cookies require chilling, rolling, and cutting the dough into individual shapes.

a

Can I use salted butter in this recipe?

Yes, you can use salted butter in a pinch. If you do, we recommend reducing the added salt in the recipe by half to avoid the bars being too salty.

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How do I know when sugar cookie bars are done baking?

The bars are done when the edges are lightly browned and a toothpick inserted into the very center of the pan comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs attached.

a

Can you freeze sugar cookie bars?

Absolutely! They freeze wonderfully. You can freeze them frosted or unfrosted in an airtight, freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Just thaw them at room temperature before serving.

More Recipes to Try

We hope you love these Easy Sugar Cookie Bars! They are truly a staple for any dessert lover. If you make them, please leave a comment below and let us know how they turned out. We love hearing from you! For more delicious inspiration, be sure to follow us on Pinterest.

FL Recipes

Sugar Cookie Bars: The Ultimate Soft and Chewy Recipe

The easiest, most delicious soft and chewy Sugar Cookie Bars you'll ever make. This simple, no-chill recipe creates a buttery vanilla cookie base topped with a creamy buttercream frosting, perfect for any occasion.

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Total Time 35 minutes mins

Servings: 24 bars

Course: Dessert, Snack

Cuisine: American

Calories: 250

Ingredients Equipment Method Nutrition Notes

Ingredients

  

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For the Sugar Cookie Bars

• 2.5 cups all-purpose flour spooned and leveled
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp cornstarch
• 0.5 tsp salt
• 1 cup unsalted butter softened to room temperature
• 1.5 cups granulated sugar
• 1 large egg room temperature
• 2 tsp pure vanilla extract

For the Buttercream Frosting

• 0.5 cup unsalted butter softened to room temperature
• 2 cups powdered sugar sifted
• 2-3 tbsp heavy cream or milk
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• Sprinkles for decorating

Equipment

• 1 9x13 inch Baking Pan
• 1 Electric mixer (stand or hand)
• 2 Mixing Bowls

Method

 

1. Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Grease and line a 9x13 inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the sides. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, cornstarch, and salt. Set aside.
2. In a large bowl with an electric mixer, beat the softened butter and granulated sugar on medium-high speed for 2-3 minutes until light and fluffy.
3. Add the egg and vanilla extract and beat until just combined.
4. With the mixer on low, gradually add the dry ingredient mixture and mix until just combined. Do not overmix.
5. Press the thick dough evenly into the prepared pan. Bake for 18-22 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let the bars cool completely in the pan.
6. To make the frosting, beat the softened butter in a large bowl until creamy. Gradually add the powdered sugar and mix on low speed. Increase to medium-high and beat for 2-3 minutes until smooth. Mix in the vanilla and 2 tablespoons of cream. Add more cream as needed to reach a spreadable consistency.
7. Spread the frosting over the completely cooled bars. Top with sprinkles. Allow the frosting to set for about 30 minutes before cutting and serving.

Nutrition

Calories: 250kcalProtein: 2gFat: 12gFiber: 1g

Notes

Room Temperature Ingredients are Key: For the softest texture, ensure your butter and egg are at room temperature before you begin.
Do Not Overbake: The bars will look slightly underdone in the center, which is perfect for a chewy final product.
Cool Completely: Don't rush to frost! Warm bars will cause the frosting to melt.

Keyword easy dessert,frosted sugar cookies,sugar cookie bars

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