These homemade Christmas Sugar Cookie Bars are not only festive but are delicious! A sugar cookie base topped with a creamy, fluffy frosting!
COOKIE BARS TOPPED WITH FROSTING
This sugar cookie bar recipe that I am sharing today is literally half sugar cookie and half frosting. They are decadent and delicious. Now, obviously I am using some Christmas-colored sprinkles. But, of course, you can switch these up with whatever colored sprinkles you love.
TIPS FOR MAKING THESE HOLIDAY-INSPIRED BARS:
These are not difficult to make but here are a few things to keep in mind.
- Make sure you are using real butter (not margarine) and that the butter is softened to room temperature (not melted.) Generally, I just leave the butter out on the counter the night before I am going to make these.
- Same with the cream cheese, make sure it is softened to room temperature or else the frosting will come out lumpy and it won't incorporate into the frosting properly.
- Check the expiration date on your baking powder. 9 times out of 10 if baked goods don't turn out right, it's because the ingredients weren't fresh.
INGREDIENTS NEEDED: (FULL RECIPE AT THE BOTTOM OF THE POST)
- salted butter
- sugar
- egg
- vanilla extract
- all-purpose flour
- baking powder
- festive sprinkles
- powdered sugar
- cream cheese
- milk
HOW TO MAKE CHRISTMAS SUGAR COOKIE BARS:
Preheat oven to 350f degrees. Line a 9x9 baking pan with parchment paper. Beat together butter and sugar until fluffy, then beat in egg and vanilla. Finally, beat in flour and baking powder, a little at a time, until you have a thick batter. Gently stir in the sprinkles.
Spread batter into prepared baking pan. Bake at 350f degrees for 20 minutes or until golden brown. When finished baking, take cookie bar out of the oven and allow it to cool fully. Once cooled, gently lift sides of parchment paper to remove the entire bar from baking pan.
To make the frosting, blend powdered sugar, butter, cream cheese, vanilla and milk with an electric mixer. Spread frosting generously onto cooled cookie bar, and top with additional sprinkles.
Cut into squares and serve immediately or let frosting set for a firmer feel.
CRAVING MORE? GIVE THESE RECIPES A TRY!
Christmas Sugar Cookie Bars (+Video)
Ingredients
For the sugar cookie bars:
- 1 stick (½ cup) salted butter softened to room temperature
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ cup festive sprinkles
For the frosting:
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 stick (½ cup) salted butter softened to room temperature
- 3 tablespoons cream cheese softened
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 tablespoons milk
- additional sprinkles
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350f degrees. Line a 9"x 9" baking pan with parchment paper.
- Beat together butter and sugar until fluffy, then beat in egg and vanilla. Finally, beat in flour and baking powder, a little at a time, until you have a thick batter. Gently stir in the sprinkles.
- Spread batter into it prepared baking pan. This will take a few minutes because it is thick. Bake at 350f degrees for 20 minutes or until golden brown.
- Once it's finished baking, take cookie bar out of the oven and allow to cool fully. Once it is cooled, carefully lift the sides of the parchment paper to pull the whole cookie bar out of the baking pan.
- To make the frosting, blend together powdered sugar, butter, cream cheese, vanilla and milk with an electric mixer. Spread frosting generously on cookie bar, and top with additional sprinkles.
- Cut into squares and serve immediately or let frosting set for a firmer feel.
Ella postoak
This website been amazing it helped me learn to cook when I was five!
Nina M
This is a fast and easy recipe! Kids will love to help on this one. Note: when making the bar, the consistency is more like cookie dough (not batter-as mentioned in the recipe). I worried I may have mixed it wrong, but they came out perfect! Holiday favorite!
Priscilla
Same for me! I added milk and it made it into batter
Colleen M
So yummy! They turned out soft and chewy! I halved the frosting per another comment and thought that was perfect!
chantal vouriot
Hi this is a great recipe. Can i freeze these?
Brandie @ The Country Cook
Yes, you should be able to freeze them. 🙂
Heather
Good but very rich. Would suggest cutting them into bites.
Christy
They are amazing. The cookie and icing are both soft and it’s not over-the-top sweet. Love it!
Kelly Lewis
Delicious
Donna Roller
Hi Brandie,
I'm going to make these delicious looking bars. My question is, have you ever made these then frozen them? If so, frozen with the icing or without?
Thank you for your help!
Lisa
These look so yummy! Has anyone had success with a 9x13 pan? if so, could you share your method? Thanks!
Leslie Sorensen
Brandie, these are AMAZING!! My new favorite holiday treat! They're so easy to make and I had all the ingredients on hand. The sugar cookie part is so soft and chewy and everything a sugar cookie should be, except thicker!! And they're so versatile. For Valentine's, I plan to make a batch using red/heart sprinkles 🙂 Thank you for sharing!!
Brandie @ The Country Cook
This makes me so happy Leslie!! Thank you so much for taking the time to come back and leave a comment!
Meccah Boynton-Brown
Do you think I could make these ahead a couple days before a family gathering? How long do you think they will be “good” after making them? Will they continue to be soft? I’m excited to try these! Thanks for posting the recipe!
Lindsay
I have a dairy allergy and use margarine or crisco for everything I bake. It always turned out fine without the butter. Can I just do the same for this recipe?
Cathy
These are delicious!!!!! They taste like a Christmas cookie without all the hassle of making Christmas cookies.
Karen
How do you store these cookie bars?
Brandie @ The Country Cook
Hi Karen - please refrigerate any leftovers. 🙂
Vicki Boles
Can this be doubled and placed in a 9 x 13 pan? If so, how long would the baking time be? Thanks so much!
Cindy DeHart
I am interested in make these cookie bars. Can the recipe be doubled? Please let me know Thanks,Cindy
Brandie @ The Country Cook
You could certainly double it. I haven't tested it out yet so you'll have to play with the time a little to adjust for the increased batter. 🙂 Hope you love them!
Karla
Wondering the same thing too
Dolores
These look delicious! Thank you! Thank you! for answering a question I have always wondered about...salted versus unsalted butter. My husband does the grocery shopping and he always forgets to get unsalted butter. We have the same old discussion about why do I need unsalted butter. and why can't I just use regular butter . I thought it was absolutely necessary to follow the directions to a T. You have restored peace in my home/ I am making these bars tonight. Merry Christmas to you and your family.
Jackie
How did you like the holiday sugar cookie bar from country cook? Thanks, Jackie