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Christmas Sugar Cookie Bars Recipe

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 4 reviews
  • Author: Heather Mubarak
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 20 minutes
  • Total Time: 30 minutes
  • Yield: 16 squares 1x
  • Category: Cookies & Bars
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: Amercian

Description

The best ever Christmas sugar cookie bars! These super soft and perfectly buttery sugar cookie bars are the perfect last minute holiday dessert to feed a crowd. Topped with a generous layer of vanilla buttercream and festive sprinkles, these one pan wonders are as easy as they are delicious.


Ingredients

Units Scale

Sugar Cookie Bars

  • 1 cup (125 g) all-purpose flour
  • 3/4 cup (94 g) bread flour
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp kosher salt
  • 1/2 cup (113 g) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 3/4 cup (150 g) granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg, room temperature
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/4 tsp almond extract (optional)

Vanilla Cream Cheese Frosting

  • 6 TBSP unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
  • 2 TBSP cream cheese, softened to room temperature
  • 1 3/4 cups (228 g) confectioners sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • pinch of salt
  • 12 TBSP heavy whipping cream
  • 1/2 cup holiday sprinkles for topping

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F degrees and spray a 8 x 8 inch baking pan with non stick baking spray and line with parchment paper. Set aside.
  2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flours, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
  3. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
  4. Add the egg, vanilla and almond extracts. Mix until well combined.
  5. Add the dry ingredients to the butter and sugar mixture and mix until just barely combined. Do not over mix.
  6. Transfer the sugar cookie dough to the prepared pan and use your hands or a spatula to press the cookie dough into an even layer, pressing into the corners.
  7. Bake the sugar cookie dough for 20-25 minutes or until edges are slightly golden brown. The center of the bars should look slightly under baked. Do not over bake.
  8. Remove from the oven and cool completely before frosting with the vanilla cream cheese buttercream. To speed up the process, place the sugar cookie pan in the fridge for 30-45 minutes.

Vanilla Frosting

  1. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together the softened butter and cream cheese until light and fluffy. About 1 minute.
  2. Add the confectioners sugar and beat on low speed until incorporated. Increase the speed to medium high and beat for 1 minute.
  3. Add the vanilla and salt and beat for one minute more on medium high speed.
  4. Add the heavy cream and beat for an additional minute.
  5. If frosting is to thin, add more confectioner’s sugar. If too thick, add more heavy cream.
  6. Using an offset spatula, spread the frosting evenly over the top of the cooled cookie bars.
  7. Top with sprinkles.
  8. Chill before cutting into 16 squares. Serve chilled.

Notes

Recipe may be doubled and baked in a 13 x 9 inch pan.

Store tightly covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

Sugar cookie bars may be frozen before frosting. Defrost at room temperature before adding frosting and sprinkles.