Delicious Sugar Cookie Bars Recipe

Soft, thick, and topped with the creamiest cream cheese frosting you’ve ever tasted, these sugar cookie bars are everything you love about classic sugar cookies, minus all the rolling and cutting. I first made a pan of these on a rainy Tuesday before Christmas, with zero plans and a fridge full of butter, and honestly, they were gone before dinner. They bake up with these beautiful crackled edges, a pillowy center, and that frosting is just ridiculous in the best way.

If you’re already a fan of bar-style desserts, you might love my Best Blackberry Pie Bars Recipe or these gorgeous Delicious Cranberry Cookies Recipe for the holiday season too. And if you’re in a soft, sweet baking mood, the Best Lime Blueberry Pound Cake Recipe is calling your name.

Why You’ll Love This Sugar Cookie Bars

These Sugar Cookie Bars hit every note. They’re chewy in the middle, slightly crisp at the edges, and the cream cheese frosting is smooth, not too sweet, and incredibly easy to spread. The whole thing comes together in about 30 minutes. There’s no chilling the dough, no cookie cutters, no fussing. You press it in a pan, bake it, frost it, and cut it. That’s it.

They’re also perfect for feeding a crowd since the 9×13 pan gives you a full dozen bars without any extra effort. Great for school parties, holiday trays, or just because it’s a Tuesday.

Sugar Cookie Bars Ingredients

Here’s everything you need to make these sugar cookie bars from scratch.

See Recipe Card Below This Post For Ingredient Quantities

For the Cookie Bars:

• Unsalted butter : Creamed butter gives the bars their soft, rich texture. Make sure it’s truly at room temperature so it creams properly.
• Granulated sugar : Sweetens the dough and helps create those slightly crisp edges.
• Powdered sugar : Adds a subtle tenderness to the crumb.
• Large egg : Binds the dough and adds a little moisture.
• Vanilla extract : Gives that warm, classic sugar cookie flavor.
• Almond extract : The secret weapon. It adds that bakery-style depth that makes people ask what’s in these.
• All-purpose flour : Forms the structure of the bars and keeps them soft and chewy.
• Baking powder : Gives a little lift.
• Baking soda : Helps the bars spread slightly and brown at the edges.
• Salt : Balances the sweetness.

For the Frosting:

• Unsalted butter : Whips up light and creamy as the frosting base.
• Cream cheese : Adds a slight tang that cuts through the sweetness beautifully.
• Pure vanilla extract : Keeps the frosting warm and fragrant.
• Pinch of salt: Enhances the flavor and keeps the frosting from tasting flat.
• Powdered sugar : Sweetens and thickens the frosting to a perfectly spreadable consistency.

How To Make Sugar Cookie Bars

Preheat oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 9×13-inch baking dish with parchment paper or spray it with non-stick spray and set it aside.

Cream the butter and sugars: In a large bowl, beat the softened butter and granulated sugar together until combined. Sift in the powdered sugar and continue beating until the mixture is light and fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes.

Add the wet ingredients: Add the egg, vanilla extract, and almond extract. Beat until smooth and well combined.

Mix the dry ingredients: In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Whisk until even.

Combine wet and dry: Gradually add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and stir until fully combined. If the dough feels crumbly, use your hands to press it together. It should hold when squeezed.

Press and bake: Press the dough evenly into the prepared baking dish. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the edges puff up and the top starts to crack slightly. The center may look barely set, and that’s exactly right.

Cool completely: Remove from the oven and let the bars cool fully before frosting. If you want to speed things up, pop the pan into the fridge for 20 to 30 minutes.

Make the frosting: Beat the softened butter and cream cheese together until light and fluffy. Add the vanilla extract and pinch of salt and mix to combine. Gradually sift in the powdered sugar one cup at a time, beating until smooth and creamy.

Frost and slice: Lift the cooled bars from the pan using the parchment. Spread the frosting evenly over the top. Cut into 12 pieces and serve.

Substitutions Your Sugar Cookie Bars

• No almond extract? Just double the vanilla. The flavor will be a little more classic and still delicious.
• No cream cheese? You can use all butter for the frosting. It’ll be a bit sweeter and less tangy, but it works.
• Salted butter? Skip the added salt in both the bars and the frosting.
• Add color: A few drops of food coloring in the frosting makes these incredibly fun for holidays. Pink for Valentine’s Day, green for Christmas, you get the idea.

Equipment For Sugar Cookie Bars

• 9×13-inch baking dish
• Parchment paper or non-stick spray
• Stand mixer or hand mixer
• Sifter or fine mesh strainer
• Whisk
• Knife for cutting

Storage Your Sugar Cookie Bars

Store the frosted bars in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. The cream cheese frosting needs to stay cold. Let them sit at room temperature for about 10 minutes before serving so the bars soften back up.

You can also freeze unfrosted bars wrapped tightly in plastic wrap for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge, then frost before serving.

Serving Suggestions

Pair with a scoop of vanilla ice cream for a simple but over-the-top dessert.

Serve them chilled straight from the fridge with a hot mug of coffee or cocoa.

Add festive sprinkles on top right after frosting for a holiday cookie tray.

Cut them into smaller squares for a party platter or dessert table.

The Story Behind These Sugar Cookie Bars

My neighbor Lily brought a pan of sugar cookie bars to our block get-together two summers ago. I watched her carry them across the yard, frosting piled high and dusted with festive sprinkles, and I made a beeline for the dessert table before anyone else could.

“What did you put in these?” I asked her, a little embarrassed by how fast I’d grabbed one.

She laughed. “Butter. A lot of butter.”

The first bite was soft and chewy with this rich almond-vanilla flavor that tasted like a bakery cookie but homemade. I went home that night and wrote down everything I remembered about the texture and the frosting and started testing until I landed on this version. Lily approved, by the way. She texted me a little thumbs up emoji after I dropped a plate on her porch, which from Lily is basically a standing ovation.

FAQ

Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:

Pairing

These are my favorite dishes to serve with Sugar Cookie Bars

Sugar Cookie Bars

These soft and sweet Sugar Cookie Bars are topped with creamy frosting, making them the perfect quick holiday treat.

Ingredients  

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For the Cookie Bars:

• ¾ cup 1.5 sticks unsalted butter, softened (adds richness)
• 1 ⅔ cups granulated sugar sweetens the dough
• ¼ cup powdered sugar gives a soft texture to the bars
• 1 large egg room temperature (binds the ingredients)
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract adds flavor
• ½ teaspoon almond extract enhances flavor with a nutty hint
• 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour main structure of the cookie bars
• ½ teaspoon baking powder helps with rise
• ¾ teaspoon baking soda ensures texture and spread
• ¼ teaspoon salt balances sweetness

For the Frosting:

• ½ cup 1 stick unsalted butter, softened (creates a smooth frosting texture)
• 4 oz cream cheese softened (adds a tangy flavor and smoothness)
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract for flavor
• A pinch of salt balances sweetness
• 3 cups powdered sugar sweetens and thickens frosting

Method 

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Prepare a 9×13 baking dish by lining it with parchment paper or spraying it with non-stick spray.

2. In a large mixing bowl, cream together the softened butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy.

3. Sift in the powdered sugar and beat the mixture until smooth and fluffy.

4. Add the egg, vanilla extract, and almond extract to the butter mixture. Beat until fully incorporated.

5. In a separate bowl, sift together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. whisk until well combined.

6. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and beat until just combined. Once mixed, use your hands to press the dough together until it holds.

7. Press the dough evenly into the prepared baking dish and bake for 15-20 minutes or until the edges are slightly puffed and the top begins to crack.

8. Remove the baking dish from the oven and let the cookie bars cool completely before frosting. If you’re in a hurry, place the pan in the fridge to speed up the process.

9. In a mixing bowl, beat the softened butter and cream cheese together until light and fluffy.

10. Add the vanilla extract and a pinch of salt, and beat again until well combined.

11. Gradually sift in the powdered sugar, one cup at a time, beating well after each addition until the frosting is smooth and fluffy.

12. Once the bars are completely cool, spread the frosting evenly over the surface. If using parchment paper, remove the bars from the pan and cut them into 12 equal pieces. If not using parchment paper, leave the bars in the pan and cut them in the dish.

Nutrition

Serving: 1ServingCalories: 548kcalCarbohydrates: 81gProtein: 4gFat: 24gSaturated Fat: 15gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 78mgSodium: 174mgPotassium: 55mgFiber: 1gSugar: 60gVitamin A: 766IUCalcium: 32mgIron: 1mg

Notes

These sugar cookie bars are the ultimate go-to dessert for busy holiday baking. Make them in advance, and they’ll stay fresh for up to a week in an airtight container in the fridge.