Soft Buttery Sugar Cookie Bars (Printable Version)

Soft, buttery bars topped with creamy vanilla frosting—perfect for parties and sweet treats.

# What You Need:

→ For the Sugar Cookie Bars

01 - 1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter, softened
02 - 1 1/4 cups (250 g) granulated sugar
03 - 2 large eggs, room temperature
04 - 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
05 - 2 1/2 cups (310 g) all-purpose flour
06 - 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
07 - 1/2 teaspoon salt

→ For the Vanilla Frosting

08 - 1/2 cup (113 g) unsalted butter, softened
09 - 2 cups (240 g) powdered sugar, sifted
10 - 2 tablespoons milk
11 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
12 - Food coloring (optional)
13 - Sprinkles (optional, for decoration)

# How To Make:

01 - Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 9x13 inch (23x33 cm) baking pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang for easy removal.
02 - In a large bowl, cream together butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.
03 - Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in vanilla extract.
04 - In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.
05 - Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, mixing just until combined.
06 - Spread the dough evenly into the prepared pan. Use a spatula or your hands to smooth the top.
07 - Bake for 18-22 minutes, until the edges are lightly golden but the center is still soft. Do not overbake.
08 - Let cool completely in the pan on a wire rack.
09 - For the frosting, beat butter until creamy. Gradually add powdered sugar, then mix in milk and vanilla until smooth. Add food coloring if desired.
10 - Spread the frosting evenly over cooled bars. Top with sprinkles if using.
11 - Lift bars out using parchment overhang, cut into squares, and serve.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The soft, pillowy texture stays fresh for days unlike traditional cookies that can harden
  • You get that classic sugar cookie taste with half the effort and time
  • These bars travel beautifully and feed a crowd without the hassle of individual cookies
02 -
  • Overbaking is the enemy here, these bars continue cooking as they cool so pull them out when they still look slightly underdone
  • Room temperature ingredients aren't optional here, cold butter won't cream properly and cold eggs won't incorporate smoothly
  • Let the bars cool completely before frosting or you'll end up with a melty mess and sad streaks of color everywhere
03 -
  • Use an offset spatula for the frosting, it makes getting those perfectly smooth edges so much easier
  • Freeze unfrosted bars for up to three months, then thaw and frost whenever you need a quick dessert

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