These frosted sugar cookie bars would be perfect for Valentine’s Day, Easter, a birthday or just about anytime. They’re super soft, chewy, colorful and made with love! What more could you ask for in a cookie? This frosted sugar cookie bar recipe is extra fun because you can mix and match the colors of the frosting to whatever colors you desire making an ultra colorful and pretty dessert!
Frosted Sugar Cookie Bars Recipe
You know those Lofthouse frosted sugar cookies that you can buy at the grocery store? They are usually in the bakery section in a plastic container, two rows of cookies, about 10 or 12 altogether. Each season or holiday they come in different colors and are usually decorated with sprinkles. And they are so good.
These bars remind me of those cookies. They aren’t exactly the same, but they put the same smile on my face as those cookies do!
Ingredients you’ll need for Frosted Sugar Cookie Bars
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 1 cup butter, softened
- 8 oz cream cheese, softened
- 1 egg
- 1/2 t almond extract
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
For the frosting
- 1/2 cup butter softened
- 4 oz cream cheese, softened
- 3 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 3-5 tablespoons milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- food coloring or icing paste
Helpful Kitchen Tools
- Large jelly roll pan
- Stand Mixer or hand mixer
- Frosting spatula
- Mixing bowls
Kitchen Tips
- I used 5 different colors of paste food coloring. You can use whatever colors you want or just stick with white frosting.
- First I frosted each section and added sprinkles. After all the frosting was added I cut the sections of the frosted sugar cookie bars into squares, again using the dough cutter.
- We’ve cut ours into 20 large bars and the nutrition calculation reflects that. You can reduce the calories per serving by cutting the bars smaller.
How to make Frosted Sugar Cookie Bars
- In a large mixing bowl or stand mixer beat the butter, cream cheese, sugar, and egg until nice and frothy. About 4 minutes. Add the vanilla and almond extract and beat for 1 minute more.
- In a small bowl combine the flour, baking powder and baking soda. Mix them around so that all ingredients are well incorporated.
- Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and beat for about 2 minutes.
- Press the dough into a large jelly roll (cookie sheet) pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Let the pan cool completely.
- To make the frosting, in a medium-sized bowl (or your stand mixer) combine the butter and cream cheese. Beat for about 2 minutes.
- Add the powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla. Mix for 1-2 minutes or until smooth.
- Separate frosting into smaller bowls then add paste food coloring to each bowl.
- Frost your pan of cookies using each different color.
- Cut the frosted sugar cookie bars into squares and serve!
I hope you enjoy these bright and delicious frosted sugar cookie bars! I’ve added them to my favorite bar recipes along with these Fudge Frosted Espresso Brownies and these Peanut Butter Chocolate Chunk Bars. If it’s Easter fun you’re looking for, be sure to try my cracked colored eggs!
Frosted Sugar Cookie Bars
IMPORTANT - There are often Frequently Asked Questions within the blog post that you may find helpful. Simply scroll back up to read them!
Print It Rate ItIngredients
- 1 ½ cups sugar
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened
- 8 oz cream cheese softened
- 1 large egg
- ½ teaspoon almond extract
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 2 ½ cups all purpose flour
Frosting
- ½ cup unsalted butter softened
- 4 oz cream cheese softened
- 3 ½ cups powdered sugar
- 3-5 tablespoons milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- food coloring or icing paste
Things You'll Need
Before You Begin
- I used 5 different colors of paste food coloring. You can use whatever colors you want or just stick with white frosting.
- First I frosted each section and added sprinkles. After all the frosting was added I cut the sections of the frosted sugar cookie bars into squares, again using the dough cutter.
- We've cut ours into 20 large bars and the nutrition calculation reflects that. You can reduce the calories per serving by cutting the bars smaller.
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl or stand mixer beat the butter, cream cheese, sugar, and egg until nice and frothy. About 4 minutes. Add the vanilla and almond extract and beat for 1 minute more.
- In a small bowl combine the flour, baking powder and baking soda. Mix them around so that all ingredients are well incorporated.
- Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and beat for about 2 minutes.
- Press the dough into a large jelly roll (cookie sheet) pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Let the pan cool completely.
To Make the Frosting
- In a medium-sized bowl (or your stand mixer) combine the butter and cream cheese. Beat for about 2 minutes.
- Add the powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla. Mix for 1-2 minutes or until smooth.
- Separate frosting into smaller bowls then add paste food coloring to each bowl.
- Frost your pan of cookies using each different color.
- Cut the frosted sugar cookie bars into squares and serve!
Nutrition
This post was originally published on this blog on Jan 24, 2011.
Amanda Davis
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Wynter says
I printed this recipe off of your site I’m 2011 and have been making these ever since. Thank you! We love this! I do like to not put in the food coloring as I think it gives a bad after taste but I usually put the sprinkles to make it festive. I also changed the frosting by using 1 stick softened butter 4 cups powdered sugar 5 Tbsp of milk and 1 tsp vanilla.
ann kroll says
Made these for Easter — put a little sugar bunny on top — the kids ate them up. So fantastic and YUMMY!!! LOVE
emily mccracken says
i made these and the batter is so thick had a hardtime spreading
Amanda Formaro says
Did you use the scoop and sweep method of measuring flour? It sounds like you had too much flour in the batter.
Paula says
I will be making these for my grandchildren. I am not a big fan of almond extract and wondered if using only vanilla would be too much? Can you actually taste any of that almond? They wouldn’t care but I’m the one with issues!!
Amanda Formaro says
You can totally just use vanilla!
Peggy Sayre says
I so appreciate this. I’ve had some store-bought cookie dough and had no idea when I was going to use it, or what I was going to do with it. I know my cookies won’t be as scrumptious as yours, but at least they might look pretty with your frosting recipe.
Karly says
Somehow I can’t ever escape your page without a growling stomach. These look SO good and are just so darn cute, too! Pinning!
Sheena says
When you say butter in the sugar cookie, do you have to use real butter or can you use margarine?
Amanda Formaro says
Hi, Sheena. Stick margarine could be used as a substitute for butter, but I would recommend using real butter instead. If you happen to use margarine, let us know how it turns out.
Stephanie Moeller says
Great idea. Working full-time and to tired at night to make the cut-outs this is perfect. I can’t wait to try them
Laura says
I made the cookie bars and they are super good (haven’t iced them yet), but I guess I was expecting more of a cookie texture instead of a cake/bar texture. Did I do something wrong, or are they supposed to be cakey?
Amanda Formaro says
Hi Laura! They do come out a bit caked, but not super soft like a cake. Kind of in between. Once they are frosted and you bite into them, they should taste like a Lofthouse cookie :)
roseann says
hi again. i followed the links to your ‘sources’ (although i truly am curious where this recipe actually came from! i really wish others were more like you and gave proper sources…) and it seems that i need to use the larger pan. wow, thats a lot of cookie bars!
Amanda Formaro says
Thanks for saying so Roseann! I wish more people would give credit too :-/
roseann says
hi, what size is your jelly roll pan? i have two jelly roll pans. one is 10×15 and the other is 12×17… which size did you use? i dont want to end up w bars that are too thick or too thin. id like em to turn out like yours!
Amanda Formaro says
I believe mine is 10×15 :)
Joan says
Great idea and I love the colors!
Laurie says
I was goggling around looking for bar recipes. I had baked up a storm for a holiday part that I went to tonight. When I say this recipe at about 3:30pm…I couldn’t resist and since I had everything on hand (except some decorative sprinkles), I made a batch to bring to the party. They were easy to make and were a hit at the party. The only thing I might do is line the pan with parchment…longer than the pan so I can lift the cooked dough out and then frost and cut when it’s out of the pan. They did come out of the pan and looked fine, but I think that would help (me at least) neaten it up. Thank you so much for posting this. I rarely buy store bought cookies, but once a year, I buy those bakery ones that you cite in your write up….I will definitely make these again and think there’s a lot of fun to be had with decorating them for different seasons/holidays.
Laurie
Amanda Formaro says
So glad you enjoyed them Laurie! I actually made some again today and decorated them for Christmas :)
Michelle says
http://jamiecooksitup.blogspot.com/
This is where I found the recipe…I remember seeing the Utah Mom but Jamie has these on her website. Thought you’d wanna know.
I need to check out everything on your site. Great site! Found you on pinterest!
Best,
Michelle
Amanda Formaro says
Thanks! I’ll check out that blog, looks like some great recipes there! :)
Amanda says
Oh the almond extract is just a personal preference! You can easily substitute vanilla :)
Anonymous says
I really want to try this recipe but my husband is allergic to almonds. Should I just leave it out or do you think there is a good substitution?
-Kim
Amanda says
Thanks so much, so glad you enjoyed them! I need to make them again :)
Sadie says
MAKE THESE. I am not kidding, seriously one of the tastiest baked goods to ever come out of my kitchen! I'm so excited, they are sooo good. Didn't change the recipe at all and they turned out great.