If you love soft frosted sugar cookies but don’t love rolling, cutting, and decorating dozens of individual cookies, these sugar cookie bars are the answer. They’re buttery, extra soft, wonderfully chewy, and topped with a thick layer of creamy vanilla buttercream and colorful sprinkles. Best of all, there’s no cookie dough chilling required, making them a quick and easy dessert for birthdays, holidays, and celebrations year-round.
I originally published this recipe in 2014 and have since updated it with new photos, a video tutorial, and additional success tips.
If you’re a fan of super-soft frosted sugar cookies, and love the chewy texture of sprinkle-filled chewy drop sugar cookies, these frosted sugar cookie bars combine the best of both!
Why You’ll Love These Sugar Cookie Bars
- No dough chilling required
- Thick, soft, and chewy centers
- Rich, buttery sugar cookie flavor
- Thick, fluffy vanilla buttercream
- Easy to customize with your favorite flavor of frosting and color of sprinkles
- Perfect for holidays and celebrations year-round
- Freezes beautifully
One reader, S, commented: “After years of making cupcakes, pies, cookies etc. for my friends, this is unanimously the favorite recipe of anything Iโve made. Each bite transports me back to being a child and having those youthful first experiences of sweets and birthday parties. โ โ โ โ โ “
Sugar Cookie Bar Ingredients
You only need a handful of basic baking ingredients for the cookie bars: flour, baking powder + baking soda, cornstarch, salt, butter, sugar, eggs, and vanilla + almond extracts. Plus rainbow sprinkles, of course!
These aren’t simply sugar cookies baked in a pan. Each ingredient is carefully chosen to create an exceptionally soft, tender texture that stays fresh for days.
A few notes about some of the key ingredients:
- Cornstarch: Just a small amount of cornstarch helps create an exceptionally tender sugar cookie bar. It keeps the cookie bars soft without making them cakey. It has the same job in chewy chocolate chip cookies.
- Butter: Be sure to start with proper room-temperature butter, which is still cool to the touch. If you’re a baking beginner, this post + video tutorial on how to cream butter and sugar together is a great place to start!
- Extra Egg Yolk: 1 egg binds everything together and 1 additional egg yolk adds richness, moisture, and chewiness. It’s one of my favorite tricks whenever I want cookies to stay soft for several days. Same story with these chocolate chip cookie bars.
- Sprinkles: Use jimmies-style sprinkles (the strands) in the dough, because nonpareils (the tiny balls) tend to bleed their color. Nonpareils are great for decorating the frosted bars, as pictured here with confetti quins (the flat discs).
Let’s Make Sugar Cookie Bars
This is an easy, straightforward recipe that’s wonderful for beginner bakers. Simply whisk together the dry ingredients in one bowl, then use a second bowl and an electric mixer to cream together butter and sugar. Mix in the remaining wet ingredients, add in the dry, and combine.
Expect a very sticky, thick dough:
What’s great about this recipe is that you don’t have to chill the cookie dough. Just press the dough into a lined pan and bake right away.
Success Tip: Flour your hands to help press the sticky dough into the pan. I used an offset spatula here, but floured hands work like a charm!
The key to soft sugar cookie bars is not overbaking them. (Just like these butterscotch blondies.)
Bake until the edges are lightly golden and the center still looks a little underdone. This usually takes around 25 minutes. The bars will continue setting as they cool, giving you a soft, chewy texture instead of a dry one.
Vanilla Buttercream Frosting
We’re topping these bars with my favorite vanilla buttercream frosting recipe, only slightly scaled down. It’s sweet and fluffy, and I tinted it pink with a small drop of red gel food coloring. Tinting the frosting is completely optional.
As you can see, the frosting layer is just as thick as the cookie layer. In some spots, even thicker… and those were the best bites!! The frosting recipe as written makes a ton, so don’t be afraid to frost the bars with a heavy hand.
Top with rainbow sprinkles, or use different colored sprinkles to match a holiday theme.
Success Tips Summarized:
- Measure flour correctly by spooning and leveling or weighing with a kitchen scale.
- Use room-temperature ingredients. Room-temperature butter and egg incorporate more easily into the dough and create a more even texture.
- Line the baking pan with parchment paperโmakes cutting the bars much easier.
- Flour your hands to press the dough into the pan. It’s a sticky dough, and floured hands are the best tool for the job!
- Do not overbake. Pull the bars from the oven when the edges are lightly golden but the center still looks slightly underdone. They’ll continue setting as they cool, giving you perfectly soft bars instead of crumbly, fluffy ones. Think: the dense and chewy texture of brownies!
- The center of the bars will sink down a bit as they cool; that’s expected. If you’d like, you can gently press down the edges with the back of a spoon as soon as the bars come out of the oven, to make things a little more level.
- Wipe your knife clean between slices for neat squares.
Yes. Double all the ingredient amounts and bake in a lined 9ร13-inch pan.
No. The dough is designed to bake immediately, making these much faster than traditional cut-out sugar cookies.
Yes. It simply adds that classic bakery-style sugar cookie flavor, but the bars are still delicious without it.
The most common reasons are too much flour or baking a few minutes too long. Measure your flour carefully and remove the bars from the oven while the center still looks underbaked.
Absolutely. The unfrosted cookie bars stay soft for a full day at room temperature before frosting. You can also: refrigerate frosted bars for up to 5 days; freeze unfrosted bars for up to 3 months; freeze individual frosted bars for quick treats.
These easy sugar cookie bars are perfect for birthdays, baby showers, holidays, bake sales, classroom parties, or anytime you’re craving that nostalgic bakery-style sugar cookie taste.
They’re simply everything you love about sugar cookies with none of the fuss: no dough chilling, no rolling, no individual cookie cutters, no special decorating skills or tools needed. ๐
More Cookie Bar Flavors
- Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars
- Sโmores Cookie Bars
- Gingerbread Cookie Bars
- Magic Cookie Bars
- M&M Cookie Bars
- Chocolate Chip Cookie and Brownie Bars
Sugar Cookie Bar Tools
Sugar Cookie Bars
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour, 30 minutes
- Yield: 16 bars
- Category: Bars
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
These frosted sugar cookie bars are soft, chewy, buttery, and topped with a thick layer of creamy vanilla buttercream frosting and colorful sprinkles. No dough chilling, rolling pin, or cookie cutters required.
Ingredients
- 1 and 1/2 cups (188g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup (8 Tbsp; 113g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 3/4 cup (150g) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg + 1 egg yolk, at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon almond extract (optional)
- 6 Tablespoons (60g) rainbow sprinkles (not nonpareils)*
Vanilla Buttercream
- 3/4 cup (12 Tbsp; 170g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 2 and 1/4 cups (270g) confectioners’ sugar
- 3 Tablespoons (45ml) heavy cream or half-and-half*
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- pinch of salt, to taste
- optional: gel food coloring (I used 1 drop red) and extra sprinkles
Instructions
- Makeย the bars: Preheat oven to 350ยฐF (177ยฐC). Line aย 9-inch square pan or an 8-inch square pan with parchment paper, making sure to leave enough overhang on the sides. I use and prefer a 9-inch square pan. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cornstarch, and salt. Set aside.
- In a large bowl using a handheld mixer or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar together on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed. Beat in egg, egg yolk, vanilla, and almond extract (if using). Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.
- Add the dry ingredients to the bowl with the wet ingredients and beat on low speed until mostly incorporated, then increase to medium-high speed and beat until completely combined. The dough is thick and sticky. Finally, beat in the rainbow sprinkles.
- Press the cookie dough evenly into the prepared baking pan as best you can. Use a spatula or lightly floured hands to press evenly; it will seem like a thin layer of dough.
- Bake for 25โ26 minutes or until very lightly browned around the edges. The center will still look very soft, that’s OK; the bars will continue to set as they cool. Do not over-bake.
- Allow the bars to cool completely in the pan set on a cooling rack. The center will slightly sinkโthat’s expected.
- Makeย the frosting: With a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium speed until creamy, about 2 minutes. Add confectioners’ sugar, cream, and vanilla extract and beat on low speed for 30 seconds, then increase to medium-high speed and beat for 3 full minutes. Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Add more confectioners’ sugar if frosting is too thin or more cream if frosting is too thick. Taste; beat in a pinch of salt if the frosting is too sweet. Beat in food coloring, if using.
- Lift the cooled bars out of the pan by gripping the parchment paper overhang; transfer to a cutting board. Spread the frosting over the bars and decorate with extra sprinkles if desired. Cut into squares. Use a very sharp knife and wipe the knife between each cut for neat slices. Store bars in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Notes
- Make Ahead Instructions: You can make these bars and the frosting 1 day in advance. Store the bars, covered, at room temperature overnight and store the frosting, covered, in the refrigerator. Bring the frosting to room temperature and give it a quick mix before using.
- Freezing Instructions: You can also freeze the frosted or unfrosted bars for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, frost if needed, cut, and serve.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): 9-inch Square Pan (preferred) or 8-inch Square Pan | Electric Mixer (Handheld or Stand) | Glass Mixing Bowl | Whisk | Silicone Spatula | Cooling Rack
- Cornstarch: Just a small amount of cornstarch helps create an exceptionally tender sugar cookie bar. It keeps the cookie bars soft without making them cakey. If you don’t have any, you can simply leave it out.
- Extra Egg Yolk: 1 egg binds everything together and 1 additional egg yolk adds richness, moisture, and chewiness. Do not skip.
- Sprinkles: Use regular rainbow sprinkles (aka “jimmies”) in the cookie bar base. Nonpareils (the little balls) will bleed their color in the dough. Save those for the topping, if desired.
- Cream: Cream or half-and-half makes for the creamiest, fluffiest frosting, but whole milk also works.
- Larger Batch: You can double this recipe and bake in a 9×13-inch pan; the bake time is about 35โ40 minutes.
- Update in 2026: This recipe used to call for 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda but over the years, I have found that is simply too much. Use 1/4 teaspoon baking soda as instructed above, plus the 1 teaspoon baking powder. We also reduced the sprinkles from 1/2 cup (80g) to 6 Tablespoons (60g), and updated the bake time to help ensure the bars turn out soft and chewy, rather than dry.
Reader Comments and Reviews
What happens if I use salted butter for the butter ingredients instead of unsalted?
Hi Sheilyn, if you use salted butter here, you can omit the added salt.
As some others have found, there is something not quite right with this recipe. I folllowed it exactly, and took into consideration others comments about the bake time being too long, so I opted for 18 minutes and they have still come out way too over baked. They arenโt cakey but they also arenโt cookie either. That said, they are still tasty. I will try them again but maybe bake for only 14-16 minutes if that.
I am so excited to try these! I watched the video and was wishing I could have a taste. When the buttercream appeared, I was all in! I’m going to make these soon, but wanted to know if there is an alternate icing you’d suggest. I’m thinking of making them for Christmas baskets, so was hoping for a icing that would dry and not be messy. Would royal icing work?
Hi Karen, royal icing could work, or here’s our crusting buttercream recipe that might work well for you as well.
This sounds perfect. Thank you so much!
This type of cookie is usually not my thing! But OMG this recipe is so so good. I made them for my granddaughters which is their type of cookie. Now they’re my favorite. Perfection is the word for these sugar cookie bars. Not just the deliciousness, but the frosting, sprinkles and so pretty.
The texture isn’t exactly cookie, nor is it exactly cake. I found it really off-putting
Hi Orlando, Sorry to hear these didn’t turn out the way you expected. These should be soft with chewy centers. The key to soft sugar cookie bars is not overbaking them to give you a soft, chewy texture. If you decide to give them another try, be sure to measure your flour correctly by spooning and leveling or weighing with a kitchen scale. Pull the bars from the oven when the edges are lightly golden but the center still looks slightly underdone. We also recommend using an oven thermometer to ensure your oven is baking at the correct temperature. Many ovens run a little (or a lot!) off. We do not recommend reducing the baking soda. Thanks for giving this recipe a try!
Would these work as drop cookies, or would the rolled cookie work better? I’m looking for something very soft and buttery. ๐
Hi Addie, we recommend our drop sugar cookies recipe instead!
Canโt wait to try these!
Am I able to make the dough ahead of time and refrigerate for a day before baking?
Hi Jamie, sure! The bake time will be a little longer with cold dough.
Iโll probably try to bring it to room temp before baking.
Thank you!
I don’t know what happened to my first rating, but I guess I will just say that these are too good to resist. The one saving grace is that they are almost a tad too sweet, but they don’t cross the line. The frosting is soft and comforting. I do agree that cook time should be 20-22 minutes.
I always liked the bakery style sugar cookies and have been trying to get that at home. I think it’s the almond extract that is the secret. This is as close as I will ever get, and I’m happy with that! Thanks to Sally and company!!
Oh, and I took them out after 22 minutes, probably 20 would be fine also. Thanks again.
Come on!! These might be the death of me! They came together in very little time, don’t need to be rolled or stamped out, or chilled. They taste just like bakery sugar cookies without some of the labor. When I wake up in the middle of the night to pee, these will be shouting my name. I will trudge down the stairs in the freezing cold just to have a bite. You’re not nice, Sally. You’re wicked!! And thank you very much!
Hi Sally! You’re my baking idol! If i’m making this doubled in a 9×13 pan, do I need to adjust the temp/cooking times at all? Thanks!
Hi Shelby, the bake time is about 35โ40 minutes.
made this for the second time, they still came out cakey and dry. can I reduce the amount of baking soda? flavor is very good though
Hi Lila, Sorry to hear these didn’t turn out the way you expected. These should be soft with chewy centers, not dry or cakey. The key to soft sugar cookie bars is not overbaking them to give you a soft, chewy texture instead of a dry one. If you decide to give them another try, be sure to measure your flour correctly by spooning and leveling or weighing with a kitchen scale. Pull the bars from the oven when the edges are lightly golden but the center still looks slightly underdone. We also recommend using an oven thermometer to ensure your oven is baking at the correct temperature. Many ovens run a little (or a lot!) off. We do not recommend reducing the baking soda. Thanks for giving this recipe a try!
I wish I had never found this recipe…..I believe I will be gaining weight in my near future…..this recipe is phenomenal! Are you able to roll these? I love the flavor of the bar.
Thank you
super yummy but it came our cakey!
So yummy! Quick and easy to make. My kids LOVED them.
These are delicious bars! Well worth the trouble spreading the thick batter in the pan lol. I find that I have to bake my bars 16-17 minutes. If I baked them for 25 min they would be dry and burned.
I wish I’d read your comment sooner. I baked for 22 mins and it was way too much. Thanks for putting that. I will check them at 15 for the next batch.