The best sugar cookie bars—soft, chewy, and loaded with sprinkles—topped with a generous layer of buttercream. Easy to make and perfect for celebrations.
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Sugar cookie bars are one of those treats that always deliver: thick, tender, and perfectly chewy with a sweet buttercream finish. This version uses cream cheese for extra tenderness and a touch of almond extract for depth, plus sprinkles for a festive touch. They come together quickly and make a large panful—ideal for gatherings or holiday platters.
This post was originally published in September 2018 and updated with new photos and text. The recipe remains the same.
Why you will love this recipe
- Quick and easy—no rolling or chilling required.
- Makes a large batch that’s great for parties.
- Cream cheese keeps the bars soft and adds a slight tang to balance the sweetness.
- Almond extract adds a subtle, special note; you can use all vanilla if preferred.
- Filled with sprinkles for a fun look; swap colors for any holiday or event.
Ingredients needed for these cookie bars
This recipe is adapted from a Lofthouse-style copycat and updated to remove shortening. Cream cheese replaces shortening to maintain a soft, chewy texture while using familiar kitchen ingredients.
Tips for making soft and chewy sugar cookie bars
- Don’t overbake—pull the bars when the edges are just set and the center still looks slightly underdone. This yields a chewy texture rather than a cake-like crumb.
- Cool the bars completely before frosting to prevent the buttercream from melting.
- Line the pan with parchment paper or foil with an overhang for easy removal and neat slicing.
- For clean slices, chill briefly and wipe your knife between cuts.
Let’s bake these bars
Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a 9×13-inch pan with parchment paper or foil, leaving an overhang on the long sides. Whisk the dry ingredients—flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt—and set aside.
Cream the room-temperature butter and cream cheese until smooth. Add the granulated sugar and confectioners’ sugar and beat until pale and fluffy, about 4–5 minutes. Mix in the egg, vanilla, and almond extract until combined. With the mixer on low, add the flour mixture and blend until just combined. Fold in sprinkles (use jimmies to avoid color bleeding).
Drop the sticky dough into the prepared pan and press into an even layer with a spatula or slightly moistened fingers. Bake until the edges are barely browned and the center no longer looks wet—typically 12–16 minutes depending on your oven. For a softer, chewier bar aim for the lower end; for a cakier texture bake a few minutes longer.
Frosting or no frosting?
Adding buttercream is optional but highly recommended if you love a sweet, classic finish. The cream cheese in the bars and a pinch of kosher salt in the buttercream help balance the overall sweetness. If you prefer less sugar, the bars are delicious unfrosted as well.
How to store sugar cookie bars
Store unfrosted or frosted bars in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. For longer storage, chill the bars, then freeze in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Thawed or room-temperature bars both taste great—serve as you prefer.
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Sugar Cookie Bars (with Cream Cheese)
Soft, chewy sugar cookie bars with cream cheese, topped with buttercream and sprinkles. Simple to make and easy to customize for any occasion.
20 minutes
16 minutes
36 minutes
Ingredients
Sugar cookie bars
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour (315g)
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter, room temperature (113g)
- 4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature (114g)
- ½ cup granulated sugar (100g)
- ¾ cup confectioners’ sugar (90g)
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon almond extract (optional)
- ¼ cup sprinkles (jimmies), optional (40g)
Buttercream frosting
- ½ cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- 2 ½ cups confectioners’ sugar (300g)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon almond extract (optional)
- 1 tablespoon heavy cream or half-and-half (15 mL)
Instructions
- For the sugar cookie bars: Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 9×13 pan with parchment paper or foil, leaving an overhang.
- Whisk flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl; set aside.
- Cream butter and cream cheese until smooth. Add both sugars and beat until pale and fluffy, about 4–5 minutes. Mix in the egg, vanilla, and almond extract until combined.
- On low speed, add the flour mixture and mix until just combined. Fold in sprinkles if using (use jimmies to avoid color bleeding).
- Drop dough into the prepared pan and press into an even layer. The dough will be thick and slightly sticky.
- Bake 12–16 minutes, until edges are barely browned and the center no longer looks wet. For chewier bars, aim for the shorter time.
- Cool completely in the pan on a wire rack before frosting.
- For the buttercream: Beat the butter until smooth. Add confectioners’ sugar, extracts, and cream on low until combined, then increase speed and whip until light and fluffy, about 2–3 minutes. Add a pinch of salt if needed.
- Remove cooled bars from the pan, frost, and sprinkle more jimmies if desired. Use a sharp knife and wipe between cuts for clean slices; chilling helps.
Notes
Store bars in an airtight container at room temperature up to 5 days. Freeze up to 3 months—chill first, then stack in an airtight container. Thaw or enjoy from frozen.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
24
Serving Size:
1
Amount Per Serving:
Calories: 270
Total Fat: 13g
Saturated Fat: 7g
Cholesterol: 41mg
Sodium: 147mg
Carbohydrates: 37g
Sugar: 24g
Protein: 2g
The nutrition information is an estimate and may not be entirely accurate.
Recipe shared with Meal Plan Monday and Full Plate Thursday.