Chewy Frosted Sugar Cookie Bars Recipe for Parties and Gifting

These sugar cookie bars are soft and tender with a thick layer of creamy frosting on top. The recipe is much simpler than making traditional sugar cookies and is baked in a 9×13 inch pan to yield a generous batch.

This post was updated March 4, 2025 with new photos and an adjusted recipe so the bars are made in a 9×13 inch pan.

If you love soft, melt-in-your-mouth sugar cookies topped with a generous layer of frosting, these easy sugar cookie bars are for you. They capture the flavor of Lofthouse-style cookies without the fuss of rolling and cutting dough, making them perfect for birthdays, holidays, or any gathering where you want something sweet and simple.

Unlike cut-out sugar cookies, these bars require no chilling or rolling. You won’t have flour scattered across your counters or spend hours decorating individual cookies. Instead, the dough is mixed, spread into a pan, baked, then finished with a creamy vanilla buttercream. The bars are tender, buttery, and easy to decorate with sprinkles if you like.

Making Sugar Cookie Bars

The dough for these bars is similar to sugar cookie dough but adjusted so the finished bars stay soft and tender rather than holding a cut-out shape. A small amount of cornstarch adds a delicate texture, and just enough baking powder prevents them from becoming dense.

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Lightly grease a 9×13 inch (23×33 cm) pan and line it with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the long sides. Greasing the pan before adding parchment helps the paper stay in place while you spread the dough.
2. In a medium bowl sift or whisk together the dry ingredients: all-purpose flour, cornstarch (cornflour in the UK), baking powder, and salt.
3. In a separate large bowl, beat the softened (but not melting) butter with the granulated sugar until light and creamy. If the butter is too warm the texture will be closer to a blondie rather than a tender cookie bar.
4. Beat in the eggs, an extra egg yolk (for added tenderness), vanilla extract, and a touch of almond extract to lift the flavor.
5. Carefully mix the dry ingredients into the butter mixture until combined. The dough should be slightly sticky; avoid overmixing to keep the bars tender.
6. Transfer the dough to the prepared pan and press or smooth it into an even layer.
7. Bake for about 25–30 minutes in the middle of the oven, until the top is set and the edges begin to pull away slightly from the pan. Bake toward the shorter time for chewier bars and longer for a cakier texture. Allow the bars to cool completely in the pan before frosting.

Once cooled, top the bars with a thick layer of vanilla buttercream. This frosting blends butter with a small amount of cream cheese to temper sweetness and add a hint of tang. Start with two cups of powdered sugar and add more until you reach your desired sweetness and thickness. A little almond extract in the frosting echoes the flavor in the bars and pulls everything together. Tint the frosting with a few drops of food coloring if you like, and finish with sprinkles for a festive touch.

After frosting, chill the pan in the refrigerator for about 20 minutes or longer. Chilling firms the frosting slightly and makes for cleaner slices. If you used parchment, lift the bars out using the overhang and place them on a cutting board for neater cuts; otherwise, cut them directly in the pan. Use a thin, sharp knife and wipe it between cuts to keep edges tidy.

These sugar cookie bars are beloved for their tender crumb, buttery vanilla flavor, and creamy frosting. They’re much easier and faster than making cut-out cookies and are ideal for holidays, parties, or whenever you want a big tray of soft, frosted cookies.

Below is the full recipe, equipment, ingredients, instructions, and notes for making frosted sugar cookie bars in a 9×13 inch pan.

5 from 2 votes

Frosted Sugar Cookie Bars

By: Fiona Dowling

These sugar cookie bars are soft and tender with a thick layer of creamy frosting on top. The recipe is simpler than traditional cut-out cookies and makes a large 9×13 inch pan of bars.

Prep: 30 mins

Cook: 25 mins

Total: 55 mins

Servings: 18 squares

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Equipment

• 9×13 inch (23 x 33 cm) baking pan

Ingredients

Sugar Cookie Bars

• 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour (344 g), spooned and leveled
• 3 tablespoons cornstarch (about 24 g)
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter, softened but not melting
• 1 1/2 cups (300 g) granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 large egg yolk (in addition to the 2 whole eggs)
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract

For the Frosting

• 3/4 cup (168 g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
• 2 oz (56 g) full-fat cream cheese, softened (or replace with an extra 1/4 cup butter)
• 3–4 cups powdered sugar (330–440 g), sifted
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
• 1–2 tablespoons whipping cream or milk, as needed
• 2–4 drops food coloring, optional
• Sprinkles, optional

Instructions

Sugar Cookie Bars

• Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Lightly grease a 9×13 inch pan and line it with parchment so there’s an overhang, or simply grease the pan.
• Whisk together the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside.
• In a large bowl, beat the butter and granulated sugar until light and creamy.
• Add the 2 eggs, the extra egg yolk, vanilla extract, and almond extract; beat until combined.
• Mix the dry ingredients into the butter mixture on low speed, increasing to medium until just combined. The dough should be a bit sticky—do not overmix.
• Spread the batter evenly into the prepared pan using an offset spatula or the back of a spoon.
• Bake in the center of the oven for 25–30 minutes, until the top is set and the edges begin to pull away from the pan. Allow the bars to cool completely before frosting.

Buttercream Frosting

• Beat the butter until smooth, then add the cream cheese (cut into cubes first for easier mixing) and beat again until combined.
• Add 2 cups of powdered sugar, the vanilla, almond extract, a pinch of salt, and optional food coloring. Beat on low to combine.
• Gradually add the remaining powdered sugar, 1/2–1 cup at a time, and add cream 1 tablespoon at a time until you reach the desired sweetness and spreadable consistency.

Decorating

• Frost the fully cooled bars with an offset spatula or knife and add sprinkles if desired.
• Chill for at least 20 minutes to let the frosting set for cleaner slices.
• If you used parchment, lift the bars out using the overhang and slice on a cutting board with a sharp knife. If you only greased the pan, cut the bars in the pan.

Notes

1. For a smaller batch: Make the bars in an 8×8 inch pan and halve the ingredients. Bake about 20–25 minutes.
2. Storage: Store in an airtight container at room temperature up to 3 days or in the fridge up to 5 days.
3. Nutrition: Nutrition values are estimates per bar (assuming 18 bars and all frosting used).

Nutrition

Calories: 404 kcal, Carbohydrates: 53 g, Protein: 3 g, Fat: 20 g

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