Sugar Cookie Bar Cookies
If you love sugar cookies but don’t have time to cut out the dough and decorate with frosting in piping bags, these from-scratch Sugar Cookie Bar Cookies are just the recipe you need for birthdays, Christmas and all your celebrations!
Servings: 24 bar cookies
Calories: 1bar
Ingredients
Cookie Bars
- 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¾ cup salted butter softened
- 1 ¼ cups sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon clear vanilla extract or ¼ teaspoon almond extract
Frosting
- ⅓ cup salted butter, softened
- 4 tablespoons milk, divided
- 1 (16-ounce) package powdered sugar (3 ¾ cups)
- 1 teaspoon clear or regular vanilla extract (or ⅛ teaspoon almond extract)
- Food coloring (optional)
- Sprinkles or sanding sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a 9x13-inch baking pan (or quarter-size sheet pan with one-inch sides) with parchment paper.
- Combine the flour and baking powder in a medium bowl.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter until creamy. Add the sugar and beat until light in color and fluffy, about two minutes.
- Add the egg and vanilla, then beat until blended.
- Add the flour mixture and beat on low at first, increasing speed as the flour incorporates. Beat just until combined. Do not overmix.
- Spoon small amounts of dough into the prepared pan, pressing it in with your fingertips. This method is easier than placing all the dough in the center and spreading it out to the edges!
- Bake for 16 to 17 minutes, or just until the top no longer indents when lightly touched with a fingertip. Don't over bake. The bars will firm up as they cool.
- Let the cookie slab cool for 30 minutes, then chill for 15 minutes before frosting to frost them faster. Prepare the frosting as the bars chill.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter until creamy. Add two tablespoons of milk and half the powdered sugar, beating on low until blended. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
- Add the remaining two tablespoons of milk, the food coloring (if using), and the remaining powdered sugar.
- Beat until smooth and creamy. If the frosting is too firm, add additional milk one teaspoon at a time, until it reaches your desired consistency.
- Spread the frosting over the chilled cookie slab. Immediately top with sprinkles so they stick before the frosting sets. Chill until firm.Tip: The cookie bars cut easier when chilled.
- Using the parchment overhang, lift the cookie slab out of the pan and place it on a cutting board.
- Cut into 24 squares, and that’s it, you’re done! Enjoy your sugar cookie bar cookies.
Notes
Keep dough from sticking to your fingers – Wear a latex kitchen glove, cover your fingertips with plastic wrap, or slip them into a zip-top plastic bag to keep the dough from sticking when pressing it into the pan.
