Christmas Sugar Cookie Bars
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These Christmas Sugar Cookie Bars are soft, buttery, and topped with frosting and colorful sprinkles for the perfect holiday treat. They taste just like classic sugar cookies, but instead of rolling and cutting each one, you press the dough into a pan and bake it all at once.
It’s the easiest way to make sugar cookies for a crowd without the extra steps.
If you’ve ever wished you could make sugar cookie cookie bars that keep that soft-baked texture, this is the homemade recipe for you. The bars bake up tender in the middle with just a little crisp edge.
Ingredients
Remember that baking is a science, not an art, so try to measure exact for the best consistency.
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup butter, softened
- 1 2/3 cups granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup powdered sugar
- 1 egg
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 tub (16 oz) prepared frosting
- Sprinkles (Wilton Christmas Nonpareils for the holiday version)
How to make Sugar Cookie Bars for the Holidays
Preheat and prep: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a 10x15x1-inch baking sheet with parchment paper, then grease the parchment with nonstick spray.
Mix the dry ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
Cream the butter and sugars: In a large bowl, beat together the softened butter, granulated sugar, and powdered sugar until light and fluffy which takes about 5 minutes. Scrape the bowl halfway through to make sure everything blends evenly.
Add the wet ingredients: Beat in the egg and vanilla until smooth.
Combine: Gently beat in the dry ingredients just until combined. Do not overmix! The dough may look a little crumbly but that’s normal.
Press and bake: Press the batter evenly into the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes, or until the dough looks puffy and the surface begins to crack. Don’t overbake or the bars will turn crispy instead of soft.
Not all ovens heat at the exact level so it’s important to always watch when it comes to baked goods.
Cool and frost: Let the pan cool completely before frosting or the frosting will MELT. Spread evenly with prepared frosting and add sprinkles. For Christmas, use Wilton Christmas Nonpareils or your favorite holiday mix.
Cut into bars:
- For everyday bars: Cut the rectangle into six long strips, then into thirds (for 36 triangle pieces).
- For Christmas mini bars: Cut the triangles in half again for smaller, bite-sized pieces (about 72 total). This works great for potlucks/parties or to add to charcuterie boards for some sweets. (Serve with tongs)
- Trim off the edges if you want a cleaner photo finish but you can absolutely keep them on for snacking.
Tips for the Best Frosted Sugar Cookie Bars
- Don’t overbake: The bars should be just set in the center. Overbaking will make them crispy instead of soft and chewy.
- Mix-ins: Change the sprinkles for any holiday, red and pink for Valentine’s Day, pastels for Easter, or rainbow for birthdays. We really love the Betty Crocker Unicorn Love Sprinkles for everyday sugar cookies.
- Shortcut option: You can also make sugar cookie mix bars by using a boxed sugar cookie mix. Just follow the package directions for the dough, then press and bake as shown here.
- Frosting flavor: Any prepared frosting works, but vanilla buttercream or cream cheese frosting gives the best flavor balance.
Storing Sugar Cookie Bars
Store these frosted sugar cookie bars in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, or refrigerate for up to a week. You can also freeze the unfrosted cookie bars for up to 2 months- just thaw, frost, and decorate when ready to serve.
Holiday Pairing Ideas
These Christmas Sugar Cookie Bars fit right in on a festive dessert tray and pair perfectly with other holiday favorites. Try serving them alongside easy chocolate fudge for a rich contrast or add a few Christmas cornflake wreaths for a colorful, no-bake option.
If you love that mix of sweet and salty, pair these bars with Saltine Toffee Candy or caramel popcorn snack mix for a crowd-pleasing snack spread. And for a bright very fall seasoned touch, sugared cranberries make a pretty edible garnish.
These treats all travel well, making them ideal for cookie exchanges, dessert tables, or last-minute holiday gatherings.
Christmas Sugar Cookie Bars
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup butter room temp softened (not melted)
- 1 2/3 cups granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup powdered sugar
- 1 egg
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 16 oz. tub of prepared frosting
- Sprinkles such as Wilton Christmas Nonpareils
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 10x15x1-inch baking sheet with parchment paper, then lightly grease the parchment with nonstick cooking spray. Lining the pan helps the bars lift easily after cooling and keeps edges from overbrowning.
- In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat together softened butter, granulated sugar, and powdered sugar on medium-high speed for about 5 minutes, scraping the sides halfway through. The mixture should become pale and fluffy, which helps the bars bake soft instead of dense.
- Beat in the egg and vanilla extract until fully combined. The dough will look creamy and thick at this stage.
- Gradually add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and GENTLY beat just until combined. Do not overmix at this point. The batter may look slightly crumbly, which is normal. It will press together when added to the pan.
- Transfer sugar cookie dough into the prepared baking sheet and press evenly into the pan using your hands or the back of a spoon. Make sure the surface is level for even baking. Bake for 15 minutes, or until the cookie bars are lightly puffed and the top begins to crack slightly. Avoid overbaking; they’ll continue to set as they cool.
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely in the pan before frosting. This prevents the frosting from melting into the cookie layer.
- Spread prepared frosting evenly over the cooled bars using an offset spatula. Top generously with Christmas sprinkles or nonpareils.
- Lift the parchment from the pan and place the cookie slab on a cutting board. Cut into bars or triangles. For standard bars, cut into 6×3 rectangles. For smaller holiday triangles, cut each rectangle diagonally into halves or quarters. The edges can be trimmed for cleaner presentation, but they’re perfectly tasty as is.
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer: The nutritional data provided here is auto-calculated and intended for your convenience only. As it’s generated via automation, its accuracy may be compromised. For precise nutritional insight, please compute the values utilizing the actual ingredients in your recipe through your chosen nutrition calculator or application.
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