Easy Frosted Sugar Cookie Bars

close up of stack of sugar cookie bars with colorful sprinkles

No ratings yet

Easy frosted sugar cookie bars are made from scratch and as delicious as traditional cut-out sugar cookies, but without all the work! These handheld bars are tasty, easy to serve, and simple to customize with colorful sprinkles.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword frosted sugar cookie bars, sugar cookie bars

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Total Time 30 minutes

Servings bars

Calories 213kcal

Author Melissa Williams | Persnickety Plates

Ingredients

For the Sugar Cookie Bars

¾ cup unsalted butter softened to room temperature
1 cup granulated white sugar
2 large eggs at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 ½ cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder

For the Frosting

½ cup butter softened
2 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
pinch salt
2-3 Tablespoons milk

Instructions

To make the Sugar Cookie Bars

Preheat your oven to 350˚and line a 9 x 13 baking pan with parchment paper & lightly spray with non-stick spray. Set aside.
To a large mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.
One at a time, beat the eggs scraping the bowl between additions.
Add in the vanilla extract and mix until combined.
To a small mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, and baking powder.
Pour the flour mixture into the wet mixture and fold with a spatula until just combined. Try to avoid overmixing.
Press the dough evenly into the prepared pan.
Bake at 350˚ for 20 minutes or until the edges are golden. You don't want it to brown.
Remove from the oven and cool completely in the pan on a wire rack.

To make the frosting

While the bars are cooling, add the softened butter to a large mixing bowl and mix until smooth and creamy.
Add in the powdered sugar and mix. It will look crumbly.
Add the vanilla, a pinch of salt, and one tablespoon of the milk. Mix. If it still looks dry, drizzle in another tablespoon of milk. Once it is soft & spreadable, you are done.
Frost the cooled bars with an offset spatula and slice into bars.

Notes

If you'd like to switch up the flavors, substitute the vanilla extract for 1/2 teaspoon of lemon or almond extract.

Easily switch up the theme of the bars by adding food coloring to the frosting or switching the sprinkles for whichever holiday you're after.

Store bars covered at room temperature for up to 4 days.

Bars will freeze well frosted. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap then store in a freezer bag for up to a month. When ready to use, thaw on the counter at room temperature.

Nutrition