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+ servings
bars with white frosting and colorful sprinkles on top.
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4.05 from 84 votes

The BEST Sugar Cookie Bars

These are the BEST EVER Sugar Cookie Bars recipe! They're soft and tender and chewy and covered with the best buttercream sugar cookie frosting EVER. This recipe is easy and fast and who doesn't love a sugar cookie bar??
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
Total Time45 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Servings: 24 bars
Calories: 154kcal
Author: Dorothy Kern

Ingredients

Cookies:

  • ¾ cup (170g) unsalted butter softened
  • ¾ cup (150g) granulated sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ½ teaspoon almond extract optional
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon cream of tartar
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 2 cups (248g) all purpose flour

Frosting:

  • ½ cup (113g) unsalted butter softened
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 2 cups (226g) powdered sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1-3 tablespoons (5-15ml) milk or heavy whipping cream
  • Sprinkles and/or food coloring if desired

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 9x13-inch pan with foil and spray with nonstick cooking spray.
  • Cream butter and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat in egg and both extracts. (Almond extract is optional, but adds amazing flavor!) Mix in baking soda, cream of tartar, and salt. Slowly mix in flour.
  • Press dough into prepared pan.
  • Bake for 14-19 minutes The sides will just be getting golden and the center will look a little under done. Cool completely before frosting.
  • Make the frosting: Beat butter until creamy with a hand or a stand mixer. Mix in salt. Slowly add in powdered sugar until mixture is crumbly. (It will be very crumbly if using a hand mixer, more smooth if using a stand mixer.) Add vanilla and 1 tablespoon milk or cream. Mix until the frosting comes together and becomes smooth, adding additional teaspoons of milk as needed for consistency. If you want your frosting to be a color, tint it now.

Video

Notes

  • Decorate these for any holiday with any color sprinkles.
  • These are done when they just lose their glossy sheen. That keeps them soft!
  • Bake these in a metal pan for best results.

Nutrition

Serving: 1bar | Calories: 154kcal | Carbohydrates: 15g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 35mg | Sodium: 1272mg | Sugar: 15g