Looking for a simple, crowd-pleasing holiday treat? These Christmas Sugar Cookie Bars are an effortless shortcut that still delivers the soft, buttery flavor of classic sugar cookies in bar form.
December seems to arrive faster every year, and when the calendar fills up it helps to have a few easy, reliable recipes on hand. These sugar cookie bars are perfect for busy days when you don’t have time for rolling, cutting, and decorating dozens of individual cookies. One pan yields a tender, chewy center that tastes like the best part of a sugar cookie with far less fuss.
The base is a super-soft sugar cookie dough baked until it’s just barely golden at the edges, which keeps the interior extra tender and moist. After cooling, it’s topped with a classic vanilla buttercream that whips up in minutes and spreads smoothly over the bars. Slice into squares for cookie trays or cut shapes from a frosted sheet for a festive twist.
If you want to boost the flavor, use salted butter in the dough and add a half teaspoon of almond extract or a little fresh lemon or orange zest along with the vanilla. Those small additions brighten the flavor and make the bars taste more bakery-like. For the frosting, fold in a few ounces of cream cheese for a tangy richness, or stick with pure vanilla buttercream for a light, sweet finish. Decorate with sprinkles, chopped nuts, dried cranberries, mini candies, or crushed candy canes—whatever suits your holiday style.
These bars are an ideal make-ahead bake: slice them into smaller squares to share, pack them for gifting, or serve a whole sheet on a dessert table. They’re much quicker than cut-out cookies but still festive and delicious.
*slightly adapted from original recipe
Christmas Sugar Cookie Bars
1 hr 30 mins
16 mins
1 hr 46 mins
Ingredients
- 1 cup (2 sticks) salted butter, softened
- 1 cup granulated white sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 Tbsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp almond extract OR lemon/orange zest (optional)
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 Tbsp cornstarch
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
For the Vanilla Buttercream:
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream or milk
- 2 1/4 cups confectioners’ sugar
- Sprinkles for decoration (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 9×13 light metal baking pan with parchment or foil, letting the edges extend over the sides. Lightly spray and set aside.
- In a stand mixer bowl, cream together the butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy, about 1 minute. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each and scraping the bowl as needed. Mix in vanilla and the optional almond extract or citrus zest.
- Add the baking powder, cornstarch, and flour and mix on low speed until just combined. Do not overmix. Spread the batter evenly into the prepared pan.
- Bake 14–16 minutes, just until the edges become barely golden and the center still looks slightly underdone. The bars will finish setting as they cool. Cool completely in the pan, about 90 minutes.
- For the buttercream: In a clean mixer bowl, beat the unsalted butter and vanilla until combined, about 30 seconds. Gradually alternate adding confectioners’ sugar and cream, mixing until the frosting is light and fluffy.
- Spread the frosting evenly over the cooled bars and decorate with sprinkles or your choice of toppings. Slice into squares and serve.
Notes
Sprinkles are optional and can be swapped for dried cranberries, chopped nuts, mini candies, or crushed candy canes.
Soft, chewy, buttery, and tender—these sugar cookie bars are an easy holiday winner.
Wishing you a sweet holiday—enjoy!
xo, Hayley