Everyone loves sugar cookies, and these sugar cookie bars are a super easy and delicious option if you need a great dessert for a crowd! They take everything you love about the classic treat and make it even easier to enjoy. No rolling, cutting, or chilling required! These bars are super easy to make a lot of, and they taste great and have a perfect, moist texture.
For more cookie bar recipes, try our Luscious Lemon Bars or our Heavenly 7 Layer Bars.
Why Our Recipe
- Soft and chewy bars that melt in your mouth thanks to cream cheese.
- Best sugar cookie flavor with both almond and vanilla extract.
- Frost and decorate with any color and combination of sprinkles to fit any occasion or celebration.
If you’re looking for a great dessert for a crowd, this is absolutely the way to go. By making these bars, you won’t have to spend so much time making them into individual cookies. Decorating is where the fun really begins. Whether you keep it simple with classic frosting and sprinkles or go all out with themed colors and designs, these bars are perfect for any occasion, from holidays to birthdays to just-because baking.
Ingredient Notes
- Salted Butter: For both the cookie dough and the frosting, you’ll want your butter to be softened. If you only have unsalted butter on hand, just add an extra pinch of salt to both the frosting and the cookie dough.
- Cream Cheese: You’ll also want to make sure your cream cheese is softened to make mixing easier.
- Almond Extract: This gives the sugar cookies the most delicious flavor!
- Food Coloring: You can use whatever color you want for the frosting, or you can just leave it white depending on your preference.
- Sprinkles: These are also optional, but they add a nice crunch and make the bars look a little extra celebratory.
Frosting Fun
Like any good sugar cookie, these sugar cookie bars have frosting on top, and we also suggest adding sprinkles to make them look extra fun. Switch up the frosting flavors or add a twist to make them uniquely yours.
Chocolate Frosting: Replace the vanilla frosting with a rich chocolate version by adding 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder and a splash more milk.
Citrus Burst: Add a tablespoon of fresh lemon or orange juice to the frosting for a zesty touch.
Peppermint Delight: Perfect for the holidays! Stir in 1/2 teaspoon of peppermint extract and top with crushed candy canes for a festive crunch.
Colorful Swirls: Divide the frosting into bowls, tint each a different color, and swirl together for a tie-dye effect.
Sprinkle Fun: Mix sprinkles directly into the frosting for a funfetti-style bar or use themed sprinkles for specific holidays.
Holiday Decorating
Christmas: Use red and green food coloring for the frosting and top with festive sprinkles, mini candy canes, or edible glitter.
Valentine’s Day: Create a pink frosting base and decorate with heart-shaped sprinkles or edible gold leaf.
Easter: Choose pastel-colored frosting and sprinkle with mini chocolate eggs or bunny-shaped sprinkles.
Summer Fun: Brighten things up with tropical colors and top with shredded coconut or crushed pineapple.
Halloween: Go spooky with orange and black frosting, candy eyes, or edible spider toppers.
Make-Ahead Freezer Instructions
Sugar Cookie Bars are perfect for preparing ahead of time, making them a great option for parties, holidays, or just having treats on hand. We tested this recipe for make-ahead convenience, and here’s what we recommend:
Bake and Decorate First: Once baked and frosted, let the bars set completely before storing.
Freezing: Place the fully decorated bars in a single layer in an airtight container. For extra protection, separate layers with parchment paper or wax paper.
Thawing: When ready to serve, let the bars thaw at room temperature for about 30-60 minutes. They’ll be just as moist and flavorful as freshly baked!
Storage Instructions
Store bars in an airtight container to prevent them from getting crunchy or stale.