Frosted Sugar Cookie Bars
Thick, soft, and chewy sugar cookie bars topped with fluffy vanilla bean buttercream and sprinkles — no chilling or rolling required. The easiest way to get that classic frosted sugar cookie flavor in bar form!
Ingredients
Cookie Bars:
- 2 ¾ cups all-purpose flour spooned and leveled, or weighed
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp baking soda
- 1 cup unsalted butter
- 1 ¼ cups granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 2 tsp vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
- ½ tsp almond extract
- 4 oz full-fat cream cheese softened
Vanilla Bean Buttercream Frosting:
- ½ cup unsalted butter
- 2–2½ powdered sugar sifted
- 1 tsp vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
- ¼ tsp almond extract
- 1 pinch sea salt
- 2-3 tbsp heavy cream added one tablespoon at a time
- rainbow sprinkles for topping
Instructions
- 1. Preheat your oven to 350°F. Line a 9×13-inch baking pan with parchment paper and set aside.2. In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.3. In a large bowl, beat the softened butter and granulated sugar with an electric mixer on medium-high speed for 3–5 minutes, until light and fluffy.4. Add the eggs, vanilla bean paste, almond extract, and cream cheese. Beat until fully incorporated and smooth.5. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing on low speed just until no streaks of flour remain. Do not overmix.6. Transfer the dough to the prepared pan and press it into an even layer. The dough will be sticky — lightly grease your hands with cooking spray or lay a sheet of parchment over the dough and press through it.7. Bake for 17–22 minutes, until the edges are lightly golden and the center looks set. The center may appear slightly underdone — that's fine, it firms up as it cools.8. Remove from the oven and cool completely in the pan before frosting.9. To make the frosting, beat the softened butter with an electric mixer until smooth and creamy.10. Add the vanilla bean paste, almond extract, and sea salt. Mix to combine.11. Gradually add the powdered sugar, beating until incorporated.12. Add the heavy cream one tablespoon at a time, beating on medium-high speed until the frosting is light and fluffy.13. Spread the frosting evenly over the cooled bars using an offset spatula. Top with sprinkles immediately, before the frosting sets.14. Allow the frosting to firm up, then slice into bars and serve.
Notes
- Room temperature butter and cream cheese should feel slightly cool to the touch — not greasy or melted. Around 65–67°F is ideal.
- Do not overbake. Pull the bars when the edges are just golden. Even 2–3 extra minutes can dry them out significantly.
- For best results, weigh your flour rather than scooping it from the bag. Scooping packs in more flour than intended and can lead to dry, crumbly bars.
- If adding sprinkles to the dough, avoid naturally dyed sprinkles (they bleed) and dark metallic colors (silver can look off-putting after baking).
- Store at room temperature in an airtight container for 3–4 days, or refrigerate for up to 5–6 days. Freeze unfrosted bars for up to 3 months.