Sugar Cookie Bars (Printable Version)
Soft, buttery bars topped with creamy vanilla frosting—perfect for parties and holidays.
# What You'll Need:
→ Cookie Bars
01 - 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
02 - 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
03 - 1 large egg
04 - 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
05 - 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
06 - 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
07 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
→ Frosting
08 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
09 - 2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
10 - 2 tablespoons whole milk, plus more as needed
11 - 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
12 - Pinch of salt
13 - Food coloring, optional
14 - Sprinkles, optional
# How to Make It:
01 - Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a 9x13-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang for easy removal.
02 - In a large bowl, beat the softened butter and granulated sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.
03 - Add the egg and vanilla extract. Beat until fully incorporated.
04 - In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt until evenly distributed.
05 - Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, mixing until just combined. Avoid overmixing to prevent tough texture.
06 - Press the dough evenly into the prepared pan using clean hands or a spatula, ensuring uniform thickness.
07 - Bake for 18-22 minutes, until edges are lightly golden and the center is set. Be careful not to overbake.
08 - Let the bars cool completely in the pan on a wire rack before frosting.
09 - Beat the butter until creamy. Gradually incorporate powdered sugar, then add milk, vanilla, and salt. Beat until smooth and fluffy, adding more milk if needed for spreadable consistency. Stir in food coloring if desired.
10 - Spread the frosting evenly over the cooled bars. Top with sprinkles if using.
11 - Lift the bars out of the pan using the parchment overhang. Cut into 24 equal squares.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The texture is impossibly soft and pillowy like a cross between a cookie and a cake
- One pan means less cleanup and they feed a crowd without spending hours rolling individual cookies
- The frosting stays perfectly creamy and the bars stay moist for days
02 -
- Overbaking is the enemy of soft bars so check them at 18 minutes even if they look slightly underdone in the center
- Room temperature ingredients blend together seamlessly while cold ingredients create lumps and uneven textures
- The frosting should be spreadable not runny and adding milk too quickly will leave you with a drippy mess
03 -
- For extra fluffy frosting beat the butter alone for 3 minutes before adding any other ingredients
- A slight underbake is always better than overbaking since the residual heat finishes the job