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Sugar Cookie Bars

Course: Dessert
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
Servings: 32 bars
Calories: 202.9kcal
These simple and decadent sugar cookie bars are easy to make, soft and chewy, and loaded with frosting - basically a crowd pleaser!
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Equipment

  • 9 x 13 inch glass baking dish or metal pan
  • Parchment paper or tin foil with nonstick spray
  • Medium mixing bowl x2
  • Beater
  • Rubber scraper
  • Cooling rack
  • Knife

Ingredients

Cookie Bars

  • 3/4 cup butter softened
  • 4 oz. cream cheese softened
  • 1 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tsp. vanilla
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 2 3/4 cup all purpose flour
  • 1 tbsp. cornstarch

Frosting

  • 8 oz. cream cheese softened
  • 1/2 cup butter softened
  • 2 cups powdered sugar
  • 1 tsp. vanilla
  • 1 pinch salt
  • Red food dye optional if you'd like to make the frosting pink
  • Sprinkles optional

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  • Line 9 x 13 inch glass or metal pan with parchment paper (or tin foil, but spray foil with nonstick cooking spray).
  • Beat softened butter in a medium bowl for a couple minutes until fluffy.
  • Add softened cream cheese and beat until well combined.
  • Add sugar and beat until well combined and fluffy.
  • Add egg and vanilla and beat. Scrape down sides once everything is combined.
  • Add salt, flour, and cornstarch and beat until just combined.
  • Transfer dough to the pan and spread evenly on parchment paper or tin foil. Use your hands (get them a little wet but make sure they’re not too wet) to evenly press dough into pan. (If hands are too wet they will stick to the dough).
  • Bake for 25-30 minutes. Be careful to not over bake them (will not be as soft). Remove from oven when a toothpick comes out clean.
  • Hold the edges of parchment paper and lift bars out of the pan and onto a cooling rack. Cool completely before adding frosting.
  • While bars are cooling, make the frosting.

Frosting:

  • Beat cream cheese and butter in a medium bowl until smooth. Add powdered sugar, vanilla, salt, and food dye, if using. Beat until creamy.
  • Once bars are completely cooled, trim the edges (about 1 inch on each side) so the sides are clean and even.
  • Evenly spread frosting over the bars and top with sprinkles.
  • Cut into 32 bars. Store in refrigerator or freezer. If storing bars directly on top of each other, add parchment paper between layers.

Notes

  • 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.

Nutrition

Calories: 202.9kcal | Carbohydrates: 25.2g | Protein: 2.1g | Fat: 11.15g