Easy Frosted Sugar Cookie Bars with Vanilla Buttercream: The Ultimate Crowd-Pleaser
Soft, chewy sugar cookie bars crowned with creamy, dreamy vanilla buttercream frosting are an absolute dream. This delightful dessert is not only a fantastic way to feed a crowd but also incredibly convenient for potlucks, parties, or any on-the-go treat. Forget the fuss of traditional sugar cookies – these bars are remarkably simpler to make, requiring no chilling, rolling, or tedious cutting. Yet, they deliver every bit of that beloved sugar cookie flavor and tender texture!
I distinctly remember when frosted sugar cookie bars first swept across the internet, back in the early days of food blogging, around 2009. Suddenly, they were everywhere, and I knew I had to jump on the bandwagon. The idea of sugar cookies that eliminate all the usual steps – no dough chilling, no rolling out, and certainly no intricate cookie cutters – was revolutionary! It promised all the joy of a frosted sugar cookie with a fraction of the effort, and it certainly delivered.
This recipe is my perfected version, honed over dozens of batches through the years. It has become my absolute favorite dessert to bring to large gatherings, family parties, and potlucks. Why? Because these bars are incredibly simple to prepare, they travel exceptionally well without losing their charm, and without fail, everyone absolutely adores them! They are consistently the star of any dessert spread, disappearing quickly with rave reviews.
More delightful sugar cookie recipes to explore: Easy No-Chill Sugar Cookies, Classic Frosted Sugar Cookie Cut Outs, and for a show-stopping dessert, try my Sugar Cookie Layer Cake.
Table of Contents
- Ingredients you’ll need
- How to make easy sugar cookie bars
- Get creative with variations!
- Make-ahead and storage tips
- Get this recipe
- More cookie bars
Ingredients You’ll Need for Perfect Sugar Cookie Bars
Crafting these delectable sugar cookie bars starts with a few basic pantry staples, ensuring that the process is as straightforward as the result is delicious. High-quality, room-temperature ingredients are key to achieving that soft, chewy bar and smooth, fluffy frosting. Gather these essentials, and you’ll be well on your way to baking perfection.
How to Make Easy Frosted Sugar Cookie Bars: Step-by-Step Guide
Making these sugar cookie bars is a straightforward process, designed for maximum flavor with minimal fuss. Follow these simple steps for a batch of perfectly soft, frosted treats that will impress everyone.
- Prepare the Cookie Dough: Begin by beating the softened butter and granulated sugar together until the mixture is light, pale, and incredibly fluffy. This step is crucial for incorporating air and creating a tender texture. Next, beat in the eggs one at a time, ensuring each is fully incorporated before adding the next, and then stir in the vanilla extract. In a separate bowl, whisk together your dry ingredients (flour, salt, baking soda). Gradually add the dry mixture to the wet ingredients in two additions. The dough will appear quite dry and crumbly at first, but don’t worry! Keep mixing until it fully comes together into a cohesive, soft dough. Patience here is key!
- Press into a Sheet Pan: Line a 13×18-inch baking sheet pan with parchment paper, leaving a slight overhang on the sides for easy lifting later. Instead of dumping a large lump of dough in the center and trying to spread it, scatter small handfuls of the sugar cookie dough evenly across the prepared pan. Then, use a clean butter wrapper (or your slightly moistened fingertips) to press the dough into an even, uniform layer. This technique makes spreading much easier and ensures consistent thickness for even baking.
- Bake to Golden Perfection: Transfer the pan to a preheated 375°F (190°C) oven. Bake the bars until the center looks dry to the touch and the edges have turned a beautiful, light golden brown. Overbaking can lead to dry bars, so keep a close eye on them. Once baked, remove the pan from the oven and let the cookie bars cool completely on a wire rack. It’s essential they are fully cooled before frosting to prevent the buttercream from melting.
- Frost with Buttery Bliss: While the bars cool, prepare your incredible vanilla buttercream frosting. In a large bowl, beat together powdered sugar, softened butter, vanilla extract, a splash of heavy cream, and a pinch of salt until the mixture is light, airy, and wonderfully fluffy. If you’re feeling festive, now is the time to mix in your favorite food coloring. Once the cookie bars are completely cool, spread the luscious buttercream evenly over the top. Finish with a generous shower of colorful sprinkles for that classic sugar cookie bar look!
- Slice and Serve: Using the parchment paper overhang as a sling, gently lift the entire baked and frosted slab out of the pan and onto a cutting board. Slice the bars into your desired size – I typically go for 2-inch squares, but for larger servings, 4-inch squares are perfect. Serve these delightful treats immediately, or store them in an airtight container for later enjoyment. Each bite promises a soft, sweet, and perfectly frosted experience!
baking tip:Line your pan with parchment paper overhang
For breads, let them cool for just a few minutes in the pan before using the parchment sling to transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely. For delicate desserts like these sugar cookie bars, ensure they are cooled entirely in the pan before lifting, so they are sturdy enough to handle without buckling or breaking. Once on a cutting board, you can slice them with ease, avoiding any messy attempts to dig out the first piece from the pan!
Get Creative with Variations! Customize Your Sugar Cookie Bars
One of the best aspects of this sugar cookie bar recipe is its incredible versatility. It serves as an excellent foundation for customization, allowing you to transform a simple treat into the perfect centerpiece for any celebration or simply to satisfy a specific craving. Let your creativity shine and make these bars truly your own!
- Add Vibrant Food Coloring: The vanilla buttercream is a blank canvas! Add food coloring to match any holiday, party theme, or personal preference. For truly vibrant and deep colors, I highly recommend using gel food coloring, as it provides intense hues without thinning out your frosting. Think pastel for spring, bright red and green for Christmas, or school colors for a graduation party!
- Sprinkle with Festive Toppings: Sprinkles are a sugar cookie bar’s best friend! Choose sprinkles specific to different holidays (e.g., Halloween, Valentine’s Day), birthdays, or other special occasions. From classic rainbow nonpareils to themed sugar shapes, sprinkles instantly elevate the visual appeal and add a fun crunch.
- Infuse Different Flavors and Mix-ins: This base recipe is incredibly adaptable. Easily turn these into delightful lemon sugar cookie bars by stirring in some fresh lemon zest into the dough and frosting. For a universally loved treat, add mini chocolate chips or rainbow sprinkles (funfetti style!) to the dough. No other adjustments to the recipe are necessary – just fold in your desired additions!
- Experiment with Alternative Frostings: While classic vanilla buttercream is fantastic, don’t hesitate to try other frosting variations. My rich and fudgy easy fudge buttercream offers a decadent chocolatey twist, while a tangy cream cheese buttercream adds a delightful contrast to the sweet cookie base. Each change opens up a world of new flavor experiences.
Make-Ahead and Storage Tips for Frosted Cookie Bars
Another compelling reason why these sugar cookie bars are a perennial favorite is their excellent keeping qualities. They’re perfect for preparing in advance, making your entertaining or busy week much easier.
Store at room temperature for several days: Whether frosted or unfrosted, these bars maintain their deliciousness at room temperature. Simply ensure they are covered tightly with plastic wrap or stored in an airtight container to keep them fresh and soft. They’ll stay delightful for up to 3-5 days.
How to freeze for longer storage: For extended freshness, sugar cookie bars freeze beautifully. I recommend freezing them unfrosted and unsliced for best results. Double wrap the entire slab tightly in plastic wrap, then an additional layer of aluminum foil, for protection against freezer burn. They will keep well in the freezer for at least 1 month. When ready to serve, thaw the wrapped bars at room temperature for several hours or overnight before frosting and slicing.
Pro Tip: If you’re planning to stack the frosted bars – whether on a beautiful serving platter or in a container for storage or transportation – allow the frosting to set for at least 30 minutes (or even an hour) after applying it. This crucial step gives the buttercream time to form a slight “crust” on its surface. This firm exterior will make it significantly easier to stack the bars without squishing the frosting or creating a mess, ensuring they look as good as they taste.
Get the Full Recipe for Sugar Cookie Bars
Ready to bake these irresistible sugar cookie bars? This recipe was originally published in March 2010 and has since been updated with fresh pictures, clearer instructions, and helpful tips to ensure your baking success. Below, you’ll find the complete, printable recipe card with all the precise measurements and detailed steps.
Sugar Cookie Bars
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Ingredients
For the bars:
- 1 cup (226 grams) unsalted butter , at room temperature
- 2 cups (400 grams) granulated sugar
- 4 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 5 cups (625 grams) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
For the buttercream frosting:
- 1 cup (226 grams) unsalted butter , at room temperature
- 4 cups (455 grams) confectioners sugar
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- ¼ cup (56 grams) heavy whipping cream
- Pinch of salt
- Gel food coloring and sprinkles , optional
Equipment
Instructions
To make the bars:
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Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Lightly grease a 13 x 18-inch baking sheet pan (also commonly known as a half sheet pan) and line it with parchment paper, allowing an overhang on the sides.
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Using an electric mixer, beat together the room-temperature butter and granulated sugar until the mixture is light, pale, and fluffy, which usually takes about 3 minutes on medium-high speed. Add the eggs one at a time, making sure to mix well and scrape down the sides of the bowl after each addition. Finally, stir in the vanilla extract until just combined.
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In a separate medium-sized bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, salt, and baking soda. Add this dry mixture to the wet ingredients in two separate additions, mixing on low speed until the dough is just combined. The dough will appear quite dry and crumbly initially, but continue mixing until it fully comes together into a cohesive dough.
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Evenly scatter chunks of the prepared dough over the parchment-lined sheet pan. Then, use a butter wrapper or slightly moistened fingertips to press the dough into an even, uniform layer across the entire pan. This method is much easier than piling the dough in the center and trying to spread it to the edges.
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Bake for 14-17 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden brown and the center of the bars appears set and dry. Remove from the oven and let the cookie bars cool completely on a wire rack before proceeding to the frosting step.
To make the frosting:
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In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, or in a large bowl using a hand-held mixer, combine all the frosting ingredients: softened butter, confectioners’ sugar, vanilla extract, heavy whipping cream, and a pinch of salt. Mix on low speed until the ingredients just start to come together. Increase the speed to high and beat for 4-5 minutes until the frosting becomes incredibly light, fluffy, and smooth, pausing once or twice to scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl.
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If you are using food coloring, add it now and mix on low speed until the color is uniform throughout the frosting.
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Once the sugar cookie bars are completely cooled, evenly spread the prepared buttercream frosting over the top. If desired, generously cover the frosted surface with your favorite sprinkles. Cut the bars into squares and serve immediately.
Video
Notes
- You can use either salted or unsalted butter for this recipe. However, I personally prefer the slight extra depth of flavor that salted butter brings, especially when incorporated into the frosting.
- Ensuring you measure flour correctly is critical for the success of these bars. Too much flour can result in a dry, dense, and cake-like texture rather than the desired soft and chewy bar.
- This recipe is designed to yield a generous batch of sugar cookie bars, perfect for feeding a large group! If you only need a smaller quantity, you can easily halve the recipe (use the ½ scale option above in the recipe card) and bake it in a standard 9×13-inch baking pan.
- Storage and make-ahead tips: Store these delightful bars, frosted or unfrosted, in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days to maintain their freshness. For longer storage, you can freeze the bars (preferably unfrosted and unsliced) for up to 1 month. Make sure to double wrap them tightly in plastic wrap to prevent freezer burn. Thaw the frozen bars at room temperature while still wrapped in plastic wrap, then unwrap, frost (if needed), slice, and serve.
More Delicious Cookie Bar Recipes You’ll Love
If you’ve fallen in love with the ease and deliciousness of these frosted sugar cookie bars, you’re in luck! There’s a whole world of delightful cookie bar recipes waiting to be discovered. These convenient treats offer all the flavor of traditional cookies but in a quick, fuss-free format, perfect for any occasion. Here are some more fantastic cookie bar recipes to add to your baking repertoire: