These soft batch sugar cookie bars melt away in your mouth with each bite. The simple buttercream frosting on top gives the cake-like sugar cookie a nice amount of sweetness without being overpowering. This cookie bar is already a family favorite and I know it will be for yours as well!
Here we go friends – another day in our annual Christmas Baking Frenzy! We all know the Lofthouse sugar cookies from the large box store (I won’t mention!) that the kids LOVE am I right?? Well our Sugar Cookie Bars are the same thing, but BETTER. This is of course according to my taste tester niece and nephews! One thing I find that makes our better, besides the fact they aren’t stuffed with additives and lord knows what else, is that we turned ours into a bar cookie … which makes a TON!
Be sure to PIN THIS RECIPE so you have it for later!
Frosted Sugar Cookies – YES PLEASE
FAQs for Sugar Cookies
Here are some of the questions you guys have asked about making sugar cookies over the years – if you have a question that isn’t here feel free to leave a comment or email us and we will respond as soon as we can!
How do you store frosted sugar cookies?
If you are making your cookies for a same day event than you can simply put them in a container and leave them on the counter until you go. If however you are not eating them immediately you have two options; the first one is to store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 7 days. The second option (if you are like us and make your cookies 2 months before needing them) I recommend you leave them unfrosted and store them in an airtight container in the freezer. Remove from the freezer and make your buttercream frosting when you are ready to eat/give them away. Just make sure you put parchment or wax paper between the layers if you are storing when they are already frosted to keep them from sticking together.
What are frosted sugar cookies made of?
The basic ingredients for a frosted sugar cookie are flour, sugar, butter, egg and vanilla. With our cookie bars we also added in Greek yogurt to help them stay fluffy and light. You will also need butter, powdered sugar, vanilla and milk for the frosting.
How do you ice cookies?
Thankfully sugar cookie bars are so much easier to ice than a single cookie! All you have to do is mix up your buttercream frosting and plop it in 3 even spots on top of your cooked bars. You will then need an offset spatula to evenly spread the icing over the entire pan of cookies. Top them with sprinkles and then cut into your desired size bar!
More GREAT Cookie Recipes
- Chocolate Chip Shortbread Bars with Tangelo
- Brownie Biscotti Recipe
- Soft Christmas Sprinkle Cookies
- Italian Amaretti Cookie – a classic!
- 26 Christmas Bar Recipes – A Taste of Home
You May Need …
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There is no way to make these festive Sugar Cookie Bars without some fun sprinkles!
Soft Sugar Cookie Bars with Frosting
If you made this recipe please be sure to leave us a comment below and let us know what you thought!!
Soft and Cakey Frosted Sugar Cookie Bars
Equipment
- Electric or Stand Mixer
Ingredients
Cookie
- 3 ½ cups Flour
- 1 tsp Baking Soda
- ½ tsp Baking Powder
- pinch Kosher Salt
- 1 cup Butter – softened
- ¾ cup Sugar
- 1 Egg
- ½ cup Plain Greek Yogurt
- 1 tbsp Vanilla
- Christmas Sprinkles
Frosting
- ½ cup Butter -softened
- 2 cups Powdered Sugar
- 2 tbsp Milk
- 2 tbsp Vanilla
Instructions
Cookie Base
- In a medium bowl whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt.
- In your stand mixer cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg until combined.
- Add vanilla and yogurt and mix well (it will look almost like cottage cheese – this is FINE and normal!)
- Add flour mixture a little bit at a time to the wet mixture on medium speed mix until well combined.
- Press dough into a disc shape and wrap tightly in plastic wrap – chill for 1 hour in the fridge (or longer if you want to make the dough the day before).
- Preheat oven to 350 °F – grease a rimmed baking sheet focusing on the sides and place a piece of parchment paper on it.
- Roll dough into 1/2" large rectangle and press gently into your baking sheet. You will likely have a couple of gaps to fill – simply trim some of the dough and press to fit (see photos in step-by-step)
- Bake in preheated oven for 12-14 minutes until the top is lightly golden. You do not want to over cook these bars or they will not be as soft and fluffy.
Frosting
- Beat butter on medium-high speed to make sure it is softened. Add powdered sugar and mix until it forms a thick paste. Add milk and vanilla and mix until it reaches a nice consistency for your buttercream icing. You do not want it to be thin as it needs to be spreadable.
- Once bars have cooled completely you will use an offset spatula to evenly spread the icing – top with sprinkles and cut into 48 bars.
Step-by-Step Making of Sugar Cookie Bars
Begin by whisking dry ingredients together in medium bowl.
Then in your stand mixer cream together sugar and butter until fluffy – add egg.
Add in yogurt and vanilla and mix until well combined.
Slowly add in flour and mix until fully combined.
Take dough and turn onto counter – press into disc and chill for 1 hr.
Once chilled, roll dough and press into prepared baking sheet. Cut pieces where needed and gently press into the rest of the dough to fill the pan.
Bake in 300 F oven for 12-14 mins until lightly golden. Cool completely, prepare frosting and frost.
And there you have it friends!!! Our second cookie for this years baking frenzy is a deliciously light and chewy sugar cookie bar with a creamy frosting to top it off. What do you think?! Be sure to come back frequently over the next 2 weeks to see what other goodies we have coming your way.
Nana
Wednesday 29th of November 2023
What size cookie sheet pan, please?
Oliv Blogger
Wednesday 29th of November 2023
Hi Nana,
I used my KitchenAid baking sheets which have a thicker rim around the edge and measure about 17"x11". Hope you enjoy the recipe!
Lisa
Monday 14th of February 2022
I pressed my cookie dough into my heart shaped pan and baked. It was beautiful for my husband's sweet tooth and Valentines Day gift. Thank u for a keeper.
Oliv Blogger
Thursday 17th of February 2022
Hi Lisa - what a beautiful idea!!! I am so happy it was the perfect gift for your hubby. Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts.