When you can’t decide if you want a cookie or cake for your birthday (or, honestly, any day of the week), I have the solution for you; this Sugar Cookie Bars recipe is the budget-friendly best of both worlds! You get the soft, buttery flavor of a sugar cookie with the ease of baking it all in one pan like a cake. Frosted, festive, and totally customizable, I think these bars are perfect for parties, potlucks, or anytime you want a low-effort treat that still feels a little special.
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Easy Recipe for Sugar Cookie Bars
Why are these called “sugar cookie bars” and not regular old funfetti cake? Because they are denser, a little crumbly, and firm in comparison—similar to a sugar cookie! However, you could totally bake this in a cake pan and serve it in slices if you wanted to! It’s not as light and fluffy as your typical vanilla cake, but it’s a fun and easy way to make a hybrid of two of my favorite sweet treats. Plus, the vanilla frosting and rainbow sprinkles on top make them look like a party, no matter the day!
Sugar Cookie Bars
Servings 15 slicesIngredients
Cookie Bars
- 1 Tbsp + 1 tsp rainbow sprinkles, divided ($0.86)
- 1 cup sugar ($0.34)
- 1 tsp baking powder ($0.04)
- 2 cups all-purpose flour ($0.33)
- 2 tsp vanilla extract ($0.48)
- 1 large egg ($0.41)
- 1 stick salted butter + more to grease the pan*, room temperature ($0.99)
- 1 cup whole milk ($0.27)
Frosting
- 1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature ($0.99)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract ($0.24)
- 2 cups powdered sugar ($1.10)
- 2 Tbsp whole milk** ($0.01)
Instructions
- Gather ingredients and preheat your oven to 350℉. Leave both sticks of butter out to reach room temperature. Grease a 9×13” baking dish with cooking spray or a little butter.
- Combine 1 Tbsp rainbow sprinkles, sugar, baking powder, and flour in one bowl. Combine 2 tsp vanilla and egg in another smaller bowl.
- Mix together dry ingredients in the first bowl and then add softened salted butter. Mix with a hand mixer until combined.
- Then, add egg and vanilla mixture.
- Once combined, pour in 1 cup milk and mix.
- Pour batter into prepared baking dish and smooth it out so it’s level with a spatula.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes until the edges are golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool completely before frosting.
- While your cookie bars are cooling, make frosting by combining softened unsalted butter, 1 tsp vanilla, powdered sugar, and 2 Tbsp whole milk with a hand mixer until smooth.
- Frost the cooled cookie bars. I used an offset spatula.
- Top with the remaining 1 tsp rainbow sprinkles. Slice and enjoy!
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Equipment
- 9×13'' Pan
- Hand Mixer
Notes
Nutrition
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Prepare ingredients: Gather all of your ingredients. Let your sticks of butter come to room temperature and preheat your oven to 350℉. Grease a 9×13” baking dish with some butter or cooking spray.
Make the batter: Add 1 Tbsp rainbow sprinkles, 1 cup sugar, 1 tsp baking powder, and 2 cups flour to a mixing bowl. In a smaller mixing bowl, combine 2 tsp vanilla and 1 large egg.
Mix the dry ingredients together and add 1 stick of softened salted butter. Use a hand mixer to mix until combined.
Pour in the egg and vanilla mixture. Now, mix until combined.
Pour 1 cup of whole milk into the bowl and mix just until a smooth batter forms. Be careful not to overmix!
Bake: Add your batter to the greased baking dish. I like to smooth out the top using a spatula to make sure it’s level.
Bake in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes. The edges should be golden brown, and a toothpick inserted into the center should come out clean (some crumbs are ok!) Now, let it completely cool in the baking dish before frosting.
Make the frosting: While you wait for the sugar cookie bar base to cool, add 1 stick softened unsalted butter, 1 tsp vanilla, 2 cups powdered sugar, and 2 Tbsp whole milk to a mixing bowl.
Use your hand mixer to mix the frosting ingredients together until smooth.
Frost the bars: Once the sugar cookie bars have cooled completely, pour the frosting on top and use a spatula to spread it out evenly from edge to edge. I like to use an offset spatula for this—it makes it super easy to get a smooth and even layer.
Finish and slice: Sprinkle the remaining 1 tsp rainbow sprinkles on top. Slice into 15 slices and enjoy!
Recipe Success Tips
- Use both salted and unsalted butter, as noted. I use salted butter in the batter for the bars because it enhances the flavor and balances the sweetness. But when it comes to frosting, unsalted butter is the way to go. It gives you more control over the flavor, so your frosting stays sweet and buttery without any unexpected saltiness. And don’t forget…both kinds of butter should be at room temperature so they mix in smooth and creamy!
- Grease your baking dish well. A little butter or cooking spray will do the trick. It keeps the bars from sticking and helps them lift out cleanly once cooled.
- Smooth the batter before baking. Once the batter’s in the pan, take a second to level it out with a spatula. This helps it bake evenly so you don’t end up with high peaks or sunken centers. It also creates a smooth surface for frosting!
- Let the bars cool completely before frosting. I let my sugar cookie bars cool in the baking dish before frosting. Be patient here! If the cake is still warm, the frosting will melt, and you won’t get clean slices when you cut into them.
- Avoid overmixing the batter. Mix until just combined. Overmixing can develop the gluten in the flour too much, which can make the bars a little tough instead of soft and tender.
Variations to Try!
I do love these bars as-is (Jennie, one of our new recipe developers, said these cookie bars gave her Dolly Parton vibes, which is genuinely a personal life goal of mine—to emulate Dolly whenever possible!) But if you want to switch things up, here are a few fun ideas:
- Swap the rainbow sprinkles for mini chocolate chips.
- Try reducing the vanilla extract in the batter to 1 ½ teaspoons and adding ½ teaspoon of almond or lemon extract.
- Make it seasonal by switching out the rainbow sprinkles for festive ones depending on the time of year. I love red and green for the holidays, pastels for spring, or black and orange for Halloween.
- Try a different frosting! The honey buttercream from my cornbread cake recipe would be so good on these bars. Or try a chocolate, strawberry, or tangy cream cheese frosting (like the one we use in our carrot cake recipe).
Storage Instructions
These homemade sugar cookie bars can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge, where they’ll stay fresh for about a week (although I’d enjoy them within 3-4 days for the best texture). Let them sit out for a few minutes before serving so the frosting softens up a bit.
You can also freeze these bars for up to 2-3 months. Slice them, chill in the fridge to firm up the frosting, then wrap them tightly in plastic wrap and place in a freezer-safe container. They’ll keep for up to 2-3 months. I like to freeze them unfrosted and add the frosting fresh when I’m ready to serve, but either way works!
