Sugar Cookie Bars Recipe

This simple and decadent sugar cookie bars recipe is easy to make, soft and chewy, and loaded with frosting – basically a crowd pleaser!

Whether you’re team cookie or team frosting, your sweet tooth is satisfied with this sugar cookie bars recipe. One bite and your mouth will be flooded with the richness and decadence of these sugar cookie bars.

What’s fun about this recipe is that you can choose the color of your frosting. Because Valentine’s Day is approaching, I’ve chosen to add red food dye to mine. (Sprinkles are completely optional as well – but who doesn’t love a little extra pizazz and fun?!)

• Valentine’s Day – red food dye; festive sprinkles.
• St. Patrick’s Day – yellow and a little blue food dye to make green; orange sprinkles.
• Easter – blue food dye; yellow sprinkles.
• Fourth of July – blue food dye; patriotic sprinkles.
• Halloween – yellow and a little red food dye to make orange; festive sprinkles.
• Christmas – green food dye; festive sprinkles.

Best of all, most of the ingredients are used both for the actual cookie bars and the frosting, so it doesn’t feel like anything is going to waste.

Tips for Making Sugar Cookie Bars:

• Soften both the butter and cream cheese. I like to take the butter out the day before and the cream cheese out about 45 minutes prior to making these.
• Slightly underbake the cookie bars so they are soft and chewy.
• If you want a thinner layer of frosting, halve the frosting recipe.
• Cool the cookie bars completely before spreading the frosting on top. If not cooled, the frosting will melt.
• Store cookie bars in both the refrigerator and freezer in air tight containers. Personally, I store mine in Pyrex Glass Storage Containers. Layer the cookie bars with parchment paper and to unthaw, simply take them out of the freezer a few hours before you’d like to have one.

Ingredients Used to Make Sugar Cookie Bars:

• Butter
• Cream cheese
• Sugar
• Egg
• Vanilla
• Salt
• All purpose flour
• Cornstarch
• Powdered sugar
• Food dye (optional)
• Sprinkles (optional). (These are the sprinkles I used, but this will depend on the holiday and theme of your sugar cookie bars!)

For measuring, you’ll need these sizes:

• 1 tsp
• 1 T
• 1/4 cup
• 1/2 cup
• 1 cup

How to Make Sugar Cookie Bars:

• Take both the butter and cream cheese out of the refrigerator at least 45 minutes before starting this recipe.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees once your butter and cream cheese are soft.
• Line a 9 x 13 inch glass baking dish or metal pan with parchment paper. If you are using tinfoil, spray it with a nonstick cooking spray.
• Beat the softened butter for a couple minutes in a medium bowl until fluffy.
• Add the cream cheese and beat until well combined.
• Next, add sugar to the bowl and beat.
• Add the egg and vanilla and beat well. Scrape down the sides of the bowl once everything is combined.
• Then, add the salt, flour, and cornstarch and continue beating until just combined.
• Transfer the dough to the pan once everything is combined.
• Wet your fingers slightly to press the dough down and spread evenly on parchment paper or tin foil. Make sure your fingers aren’t too wet or they will stick to the dough.
• Bake the dough for 25-30 minutes. Be careful to not overbake the cookies or they won’t be as soft. Once a toothpick comes out clean, remove from the oven.
• Hold the edges of parchment paper and carefully lift the bars out of the pan and onto a cooling rack. Cool completely before adding frosting. While the bars are cooling, start the frosting.

How to Make Frosting:

• Beat softened cream cheese and butter in a medium bowl until smooth.
• Add powdered sugar, vanilla, salt, and food dye (if using) and beat until creamy.
• Trim the edges so the sides are clean and even once the cookie bars are cooled.
• Gently spread the frosting over the bars and top with sprinkles, if using.
• Cut the cookie into 32 bars. Store in refrigerator or freezer and if storing bars directly on top of each other, add parchment paper between layers.