The Best Sugar Cookie Bars Recipe You’ll Ever Make
Indulge in these soft, sweet, and utterly delicious sugar cookie bars. Topped with a creamy frosting and vibrant sprinkles, they’re perfect for any occasion. This easy-to-follow recipe guarantees a perfect batch every time!
Author’s Notes
Everything I Wanted in Sugar Cookie Bars
I love a thick, soft, chewy sugar cookie. (These are my forever favorite.) But every time I tried sugar cookie bars, I ended up a little disappointed. Too dry, not enough flavor, or just kind of…blah.
So I set out to fix that. I used melted butter instead of softened for a better chew, swapped in brown sugar for extra softness and flavor, and added a few optional flavor boosts. Then I mixed in white chocolate chips. Not traditional, but they add the perfect pop of sweetness and a nice touch of texture.
Finish the bars with a thick layer of creamy frosting and they turn into exactly what I was hoping for. Soft, chewy, sweet, and completely irresistible. My dream sugar cookie bar! I hope you love them as much as I do.
Ingredients In My Sugar Cookie Bars Recipe
Let’s break down the key ingredients and why they’re important for creating the perfect sugar cookie bars.
| Ingredient | Let’s Chat About It |
|---|---|
| Butter & Brown Sugar | Use melted butter for a better chew. Let it cool slightly so it doesn’t melt the sugar. Use soft, fresh brown sugar; if it’s hard or clumpy, the bars won’t turn out as well. |
| Eggs & Vanilla Extract | Make sure eggs are at room temperature so everything mixes smoothly. |
| Flour, Baking Powder & Salt | Make sure the baking powder is fresh. Once the flour is added, mix just until combined so the bars stay soft. Over-mixing can make them dense. |
| Orange Zest & Optional Flavor Add-ins | Zest brightens the flavor; add cardamom, almond extract, or additional citrus zest for even more flavor! |
| Frosting Ingredients & Sprinkles | Beat frosting until light and fluffy for the best texture; add sprinkles right after frosting. |
How To Make This Sugar Cookie Bar Recipe
Follow these simple steps to bake up a batch of the most delicious sugar cookie bars you’ve ever tasted!
- Prep: Line pan and preheat oven.
- Mix Wet: Stir butter, sugar, eggs, and vanilla until smooth.
- Add Dry: Mix in dry ingredients just until combined.
- Bake: Press into pan and bake until set; cool completely.
- Frost: Beat frosting until light and fluffy.
- Finish: Frost, add sprinkles, and cut into bars.
Chelsea’s Notes
How to Know They’re Done
When making this Sugar Cookie Bars Recipe, it’s better to slightly under-bake. The edges should be lightly golden while the center stays soft but set.
Variations
The classic vanilla frosting is my favorite, but you can easily switch it up.
Different Frosting Ideas
- Keep it simple with vanilla and change the sprinkles (great for different holidays!)
- Cream cheese frosting for a slight tang
- Chocolate frosting for a richer option (swap white chocolate for milk chocolate chips)
- Strawberry frosting for a fruity sugar cookie bar
Storage
Room Temp: Store in an airtight container up to 3 days.
Freezer: Freeze unfrosted bars up to 3 months; thaw and frost before serving.
More Dessert Bars To Love
If you loved these sugar cookie bars, check out these other delicious dessert bar recipes!
Sugar Cookie Bars Recipe
Here’s the full recipe for these amazing sugar cookie bars. Get ready to impress your friends and family!
Equipment
- 9 x 13-inch baking pan plus parchment paper
Ingredients
Sugar Cookie Bars
- 16 tablespoons (1 cup) unsalted butter
- 2 cups light brown sugar, lightly packed
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 2 teaspoons orange zest (optional)
- 2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 cups white chocolate chips
Frosting
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 2-1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 3 tablespoons heavy cream
- Food coloring (optional)
- 2 to 3 tablespoons sprinkles (optional, to top bars)
Instructions
Sugar Cookie Bars
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Spray a 9×13-inch baking pan with cooking spray, then line with parchment paper, leaving an overhang for easy removal.
- Melt butter in a microwave-safe bowl. Let it cool to room temperature, then scrape all the melted butter into a large bowl.
- Add brown sugar and whisk vigorously until the mixture looks like wet sand. Add eggs, vanilla, salt, and orange zest if using. Whisk briskly until the mixture becomes creamy and well emulsified.
- Add flour and white chocolate chips. Switch to a spatula and fold until no dry streaks of flour remain. The batter will be thick.
- Spread batter evenly into the prepared pan and smooth the top with a spatula. Bake for 25 to 28 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden and the center is set.
Frosting
- Add room-temperature butter to a large bowl. Beat on medium speed for about 3 minutes, or until smooth and fluffy, scraping down the sides as needed.
- Add vanilla, heavy cream, and salt. Beat until combined.
- Add powdered sugar and mix on low speed until combined. Increase speed and beat for 3 to 4 minutes, or until the frosting is light, fluffy, and a brighter white color.
- Add a few drops of food coloring if desired and mix on low speed for 15 to 20 seconds, just until evenly colored.
Finish
- Use the parchment overhang to lift the bars out of the pan. Spread frosting evenly over the completely cooled bars with a table knife or spatula.
- Immediately add sprinkles if using. Slice into bars and enjoy.
Final step! Please let us know how it was by leaving a review.
Recipe Notes
- Note 1: Use very soft, fresh brown sugar for the best results. If the sugar feels hard or dry, it won’t mix as smoothly into the batter.
- Storage: Store in an airtight container at room temp for 1-2 days or in the fridge (tightly covered) for up to 5 days.
- Make Ahead & Freezing: Make bars and frosting 1 day ahead. Keep bars covered at room temp and frosting in the fridge. Frost just before serving. Freeze unfrosted bars up to 3 months. Thaw overnight, frost, cut, and serve.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
- Serving: 1 serving
- Calories: 345kcal
- Carbohydrates: 48g
- Protein: 2g
- Fat: 16g
- Saturated Fat: 10g
- Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.7g
- Monounsaturated Fat: 4g
- Trans Fat: 0.5g
- Cholesterol: 48mg
- Sodium: 95mg
- Potassium: 87mg
- Fiber: 0.4g
- Sugar: 37.8g
- Vitamin A: 387IU
- Vitamin C: 0.2mg
- Calcium: 56mg
- Iron: 0.8mg
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