Sugar Cookie Bars with Vanilla Frosting (Printable)

Soft, buttery bars with creamy vanilla frosting. Perfect for parties and bake sales.

# What You'll Need:

→ Cookie Base

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

→ Vanilla Frosting

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

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 9x13 inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving 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 edges are lightly golden but center is still soft. Do not overbake.
08 - Let cool completely in the pan on a wire rack.
09 - Beat butter until creamy. Gradually add powdered sugar, then mix in milk and vanilla until smooth. Add food coloring if desired.
10 - Spread frosting evenly over cooled bars. Top with sprinkles if using.
11 - Lift bars out using parchment overhang, cut into squares, and serve.

# Expert Hints:

01 -
  • The texture is incredibly soft and pillowy, like a cross between a cake and a cookie that melts in your mouth
  • They come together in under an hour but taste like you spent all afternoon making them
  • The frosting to cookie ratio is absolutely perfect, something you cannot achieve with individual cookies
02 -
  • Overbaking is the enemy of soft bars, pull them from the oven when the edges are just barely golden and the center looks slightly underdone
  • Room temperature ingredients are non negotiable here, cold butter or eggs will give you a dense, tough result
  • Let the bars cool completely before frosting or the frosting will melt into a gloppy mess
03 -
  • Use an offset spatula for perfectly smooth frosting, it makes such a difference in the final presentation
  • Press the sprinkles gently into the frosting so they stick instead of sliding off when you cut the bars

Go back