Sugar Cookie Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting
Buttery sugar cookie bar with a silky cream cheese frosting spread on top and finished off with sprinkles!
These sugar cookie bars are everything I love about a classic frosted sugar cookie, but without the extra work of rolling and cutting. The bars bake up soft, thick, and buttery, and the cream cheese frosting adds the perfect tangy sweetness on top. They’re perfect for crowds and can be customized for birthdays and holidays!
Tips for baking these sugar cookie bars:
Don’t over-mix the dough – Once you add the dry ingredients, mix just until everything comes together. Overworking the dough can make the bars dense or tough instead of soft and tender.
Keep an eye on the bake time – These bars can go from soft to dry quickly. Start checking them at the 16-minute mark—look for edges that are just turning golden while the center still looks slightly soft. They’ll finish setting as they cool.
Cool completely before frosting – If the bars are even a little warm, the frosting will melt and slide around. Let the bars cool in the pan, then frost. For extra clean slices, pop the whole pan in the fridge for 20–30 minutes before cutting.
How to make these cookie bars step-by-step:
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 9×6.5-inch baking pan with parchment paper and lightly grease it so the bars won’t stick. In a large mixing bowl, beat the ½ cup softened butter and ¾ cup sugar together until light, creamy, and slightly fluffy—about 2 to 3 minutes.
Mix in the egg and 1 tsp vanilla extract until everything is well combined.
In another bowl, stir together the 1 ⅓ cup flour, ½ tsp baking powder, ¼ tsp baking soda, and ½ tsp salt.
Slowly add the dry ingredients to the butter mix, stirring until the dough comes together. Don’t overmix, as this can make the bars hard.
Press the dough evenly into the prepared pan, smoothing the top with a spatula or slightly damp fingers to level it. Bake for 16–20 minutes. Watch the edges—they should just start to turn golden. The middle should be set but still soft when you touch it. Allow the bars to cool completely in the pan before frosting.
Sugar Cookie Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients
Method
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 9×6.5-inch baking pan with parchment paper and lightly grease it so the bars won’t stick.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat the ½ cup softened butter and ¾ cup sugar together until light, creamy, and slightly fluffy—about 2 to 3 minutes.
- Mix in the egg and 1 tsp vanilla extract until everything is well combined.
- In another bowl, stir together the 1 ⅓ cup flour, ½ tsp baking powder, ¼ tsp baking soda, and ½ tsp salt.
- Slowly add the dry ingredients to the butter mix, stirring until the dough comes together. Don’t overmix, as this can make the bars hard.
- Press the dough evenly into the prepared pan, smoothing the top with a spatula or slightly damp fingers to level it.
- Bake for 16–20 minutes. Watch the edges—they should just start to turn golden. The middle should be set but still soft when you touch it.
- Allow the bars to cool completely in the pan before frosting.
- In a medium bowl, beat the ¼ cup butter and 4 oz cream cheese together until smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes.
- Add the vanilla extract and a pinch of salt, mixing until combined.
- Add the 1 ½ cups powdered sugar bit by bit, starting on low so you don’t get sugar dust, then go higher until the frosting is fluffy.
- If the frosting is too thick to spread, optionally add 1 tablespoon of cream or milk at a time until it reaches a spreadable consistency.
- Spread the frosting evenly over the cooled cookie bars using a spatula. Optionally, sprinkle with colored sugar or sprinkles for a festive touch.
- For cleaner slices, chill the frosted bars in the refrigerator for 20–30 minutes and run your knife under hot water before cutting. Slice into squares or rectangles, serve, and enjoy!
Tried this recipe?
Let us know how it was!