Soft Buttery Sugar Cookie Bars (Printable)
Soft, buttery bars with creamy frosting—ideal for parties and celebrations.
# What You Need:
→ Cookie Base
01 - 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
02 - 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
03 - 1 large egg
04 - 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
05 - 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
06 - 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
07 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
→ Creamy Frosting
08 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
09 - 2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
10 - 2-3 tablespoons milk
11 - 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
12 - Pinch of salt
13 - Food coloring (optional)
14 - Sprinkles (optional)
# How-To:
01 - Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a 9x13-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the sides for easy removal.
02 - In a large bowl, beat the softened butter and granulated sugar together with an electric mixer until light and fluffy, approximately 2-3 minutes.
03 - Add the egg and vanilla extract to the butter mixture. Beat until fully incorporated and smooth.
04 - In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt until evenly distributed.
05 - Gradually add the dry ingredient mixture to the wet ingredients, mixing on low speed just until combined. Avoid overmixing to prevent tough texture.
06 - Transfer the dough to the prepared pan. Press it evenly across the bottom using clean hands or the back of a spatula.
07 - Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden and the center appears set. Do not overbake. Cool completely in the pan before frosting.
08 - While the bars cool, beat the softened butter in a clean bowl until creamy and smooth.
09 - Gradually add the powdered sugar, alternating with 2 tablespoons of milk. Beat on medium-high speed until the frosting becomes smooth and fluffy. Add additional milk if needed to achieve spreadable consistency.
10 - Mix in the vanilla extract and pinch of salt until incorporated. Add food coloring at this stage if desired and mix until uniform color is achieved.
11 - Spread the frosting evenly over the completely cooled cookie bars using an offset spatula. Add sprinkles immediately while the frosting is still soft.
12 - Lift the entire sheet from the pan using the parchment paper overhang. Transfer to a cutting board and slice into 24 equal-sized bars.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The texture is somewhere between a cake and a cookie, which is basically the best of both worlds
- Frosting them takes ten minutes flat but looks like you spent all afternoon decorating
02 -
- Overmixing once the flour is added makes these bars tough and I learned this the hard way
- The frosting sets up quickly so if you want to add sprinkles do it immediately after spreading
03 -
- Chill the frosted bars for 15 minutes before slicing to get perfectly clean cuts
- Warm the knife under hot water and dry it between cuts for extra neat squares