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When you want a festive patriotic dessert, make 4th of July Sugar Cookie Bars! This easy bar cookie recipe has a homemade frosting and is full of red and blue sprinkles. The perfect dessert for the 4th of July or Memorial Day!
Patriotic Sugar Cookie Bars
These cookie bars are our favorite for the 4th of July and Memorial Day! You will love these cookies because:
- They’re so EASY to make
- Completely homemade
- Thicker than my normal sugar cookie bars so they are perfect to feed a crowd
- FULL of sprinkles!
Everyone loves sugar cookie bars and when they are full of red, white, and blue sprinkles they’re even more fun.
Ingredients for Fireworks Cookie Bars
- Cream of Tartar: This keeps the bars nice and soft like sugar cookies should be. Cream of tartar is my secret ingredient!
- Unsalted Butter: Be sure to soften your butter before making the cookies. If you need to substitute salted butter, omit the salt in the recipe.
- Sugar: Sugar cookies typically use granulated sugar. You’ll also need powdered sugar for the frosting.
- Sprinkles: You can use nonpareils or jimmies. I prefer jimmies, but either one works. Find red and blue sprinkles on amazon!
- Milk: This is for the frosting. You can use regular milk or heavy cream.
How to make Sugar Cookie Bars for the 4th of July
- Cream the butter and sugar together until nice and fluffy.
- Add the egg, then mix in vanilla extract, the mix in the all purpose flour, baking soda, cream of tartar, and salt.
- Mix in the sprinkles.
- Bake until a toothpick comes out clean, then cool.
- Make your vanilla buttercream frosting by creaming your butter and your powdered sugar then mixing in vanilla and milk as needed for consistency.
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FAQ
These need the toothpick test. I also look to see if they have just lost their glossy sheen.
Store these in an airtight container on the counter for up to 2 days or in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Yes you can! Freeze them with or without frosting.
Yes, you can make them up to a day ahead and store in the refrigerator.
Fireworks Sugar Cookie Bars Recipe
Ingredients
Bars:
- ¾ cup (170g) unsalted butter , softened
- ¾ cup (150g) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon cream of tartar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cup (248g) all-purpose flour
- ½ cup patriotic sprinkles
Frosting:
- ½ cup (113g) unsalted butter , softened
- 2 cups (226g) powdered sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2-3 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
- Patriotic sprinkles for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line a 9×13 baking dish with parchment paper or foil and spray with cooking spray, set it aside.
- In the body of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment cream the butter with the sugar until light and fluffy, 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides. Add the egg and vanilla and mix it in until combined. Add the baking soda, cream of tartar, salt and flour and mix until smooth. Add the sprinkles and stir them in.
- Press the cookie dough into the prepared baking dish until even. Bake for 20-28 minutes until lightly golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Place on a wire rack to cool completely.
- While the bars cool, make the frosting by placing the butter into a large bowl with an electric hand mixture and whipping until smooth. Add in the powdered sugar a little at a time until fully mixed. Add the salt, vanilla, and 1 tablespoon cream, mix it in until combined then place the mixer on medium-high speed and whip for 3 minutes until light and fluffy, adding more milk as needed for consistency.
- Once the cookie is cool, take it out of the baking dish and frost the top. Add more sprinkles if desired. Cut into bars and serve.
- Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 2 months.
Recipe Notes
- Add your favorite extract flavors to mix up the flavor of the bars. You can also dye the frosting whatever color you like.
- I use jimmie style sprinkles because they tend not to bleed.
Recipe Nutrition
PERFECT Patriotic Sugar Cookie Bars! These easy cookie bars have a homemade frosting and lots of red, white and blue sprinkles for the 4th of July or Memorial Day!
Cookie bars had very little flavor. Was hoping they would be more flavorful and moist.
By moist – they should be a bit “fudgy” in the center in terms of texture – possibly they were over baked.
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