The Best Sugar Cookie Bars

The best ever sugar cookie bars! These super soft and perfectly buttery sugar cookie bars are the perfect last minute dessert to feed a crowd. Topped with a generous layer of vanilla buttercream and festive sprinkles, these one pan wonders are as easy as they are delicious!

A couple of weeks ago over on Instagram I posed the question “what recipes do you want to see next on the blog?”.  Your quick and kind responses ranged from things like red velvet layer cake {noted!}, easy frozen treats {working on it}, classic cinnamon rolls {I see you Fall!} and my personal favorite….cookie bars. It just so happens that I made these easy as can be sugar cookie bars for my kids last weekend in lieu of making an extra trip to the store for a dozen of their favorite store-bought cookies. You know the ones….those deliciously sugary sweet cake-like cookies that are almost always topped with a thick layer of brightly colored buttercream and a heap of sprinkles? Those cookies are the epitome of nostalgic childhood treats and if you love a good sugar cookie as much as I do, you’re in for a treat.

If you are looking for something that is quick and easy to make with minimal baking time and maximum flavor, these sugar cookie bars have your name all over them. The best part about these one pan wonders is that there is no need for rolling out cookie dough or waiting for the dough to chill. And we’ve all got too much going on to be scooping cookie dough all day which makes these easy sugar cookie bars my go-to for a speedy sweet tooth fix. Just bake the dough in a single 8 x 8 pan, cover generously with a layer of smooth and creamy cream cheese buttercream, and top with a heavy dose of rainbow sprinkles. They deliver all that rich, buttery, dense and chewy goodness we all love from a regular sugar cookie but in half the time. It’s a lazy baker’s dream come true!

INGREDIENTS YOU NEED FOR SUGAR COOKIE BARS

If you need dessert in a hurry, these sugar cookie bars are the answer. You can whip up a batch to feed a crowd in mere minutes with just a few simple ingredients that I bet you already have in your pantry. Just add sprinkles!
Flour. This recipe calls for all purpose flour as well as bread flour. Bread flour gives cookie bars the little extra sumthin-sumthin I like to call the “chew factor” that I simply cannot resist. If you don’t have bread flour on hand, feel free to substitute with more all purpose flour.
Sugar. These bars will tempt your sweet tooth thanks to the granulated sugar in the cookie bars and the confectioner’s sugar in the vanilla frosting. For best results, sift the confectioner’s sugar for a smooth, silky buttercream.
Butter. Just one half cup of unsalted butter is all you need for a buttery, soft sugar cookie that will deliver the most delicious melt-in-your-mouth flavor. Be sure to use softened butter for both the cookie bars and the frosting.
Egg. This recipe calls for just one large egg to bind everything together. Like the butter, your egg should be at room temperature. In a hurry. No problem. Just set your egg in a bowl of warm water for 10 minutes to bring it to room temperature.
Vanilla and almond extract. I LOVE the flavor of sugar cookies with a dash of almond extract added to the mix. Reminds me of the sugar cookies my mom used to make when I was kid. The almond extract is entirely optional so if you aren’t a fan or don’t have any on hand, feel free to omit it altogether and only use the vanilla extract. The choice is yours!
Baking powder. Just a pinch is all you need to give these sugar cookie bars the very best texture.

TIPS FOR THE BEST SUGAR COOKIE BARS

Use room temperature ingredients. Room temperature butter is key for that smooth, soft and tender, ultra buttery, cookie dough texture. Set your butter and egg out about an hour before baking.
Do not overmix. The way to these ultra soft and tender cookie bars is to only mix the dough until the dry ingredients are barely combined. Don’t be tempted to over mix the dough as your bars will turn out dense and super chewy.
Do not over bake. These cookie bars taste best when ever so slightly under baked. Bake until the edges are golden brown and the center is still soft and barely set. Over baked bars will be hard and crispy. Let’s face it, no one likes a crunchy sugar cookie so keep your eye on the oven.
Chill before serving. For a clean cut, chill the cookie bars for at least two hours or overnight once frosted.
Have fun with the sprinkles. Now is your chance to go wild with the fun and festive sprinkles. The more the merrier! For these bars I mixed and matched the random sprinkles I had left over in my pantry. Sprinkles make these bars extra happy but if you don’t have sprinkles on hand, mini chocolate chips would be delicious too!

CAN I DOUBLE THE RECIPE?

Absolutely! These cookie bars are so easy to make and they are a real crowd pleaser. Perfect for when you need dessert in a hurry! If you are baking treats to share with your fam and friends, double the recipe and bake the bars in a 9 x 13 inch pan. Baking times should remain about the same but watch your oven for those golden brown edges and be careful not to over bake.

Happy baking!
If you love these Sugar Cookie Bars, you’ll also love:
Easy Funfetti Sugar Cookies
The Best Cookies To Bake With Kids
Chewy Maple Snickerdoodles