These soft, chewy Sugar Cookie Bars are pure heaven. Adapted from a beloved soft sugar cookie recipe, they include a little secret—cream cheese in the dough—for extra chewiness. A generous layer of buttercream frosting on top finishes them perfectly.
Today our neighbor’s little girl asked, “Did you fix the baby?” She thought my seven-week-old newborn was broken because of all the crying. Wouldn’t it be nice if babies were that simple to fix—slap in new batteries or tighten a screw? I’ll take the simplicity of baking over the unpredictability of newborn life any day.
Later our three-year-old, Valentine, proudly told Eric, “Sometimes my mom lets me breastfeed!” When asked how she feeds, she replied, “A bottle, of course!” Baby-feeding vocabulary can be tricky for little ones.
Valentine’s season is in full swing at our house. We named our daughter Valentine long before we had children, and another daughter’s birthday falls near Valentine’s Day—so we get double the festivities. Between classroom treats and a birthday party to plan, this time of year is busy, and sugar cookie bars are an easy, crowd-pleasing solution.
Sugar Cookie Bars forever
Sugar cookie bars are a favorite around Valentine’s Day. They deliver the soft, thick, chewy texture everyone loves in a sugar cookie, but in bar form so you skip rolling, cutting, and chilling. Bars are faster to make and easier to portion when you’re feeding a crowd.
I adore an individual, frosted sugar cookie, but when convenience matters these bars win every time. They still have a tender crumb and rich flavor, and the frosting makes them special without extra fuss.
How to Make Sugar Cookie Bars
These bars are adapted from a popular soft sugar cookie recipe. The key to the texture is cream cheese: it replaces some of the butter in the dough, keeping the bars moist and chewy. You’ll mix butter and cream cheese with sugar, then add an egg, vanilla, and a touch of almond extract for that classic sugar cookie flavor. Flour, salt, and cornstarch round out the dry ingredients to create a tender, soft crumb.
It took a few trials to convert this cookie into bars without making them cakey. The final ratio yields soft, thick, chewy, and slightly fudgy bars—exactly what you want. Press the dough into a prepared pan and bake at 350°F for about 25–30 minutes, until the edges are just golden and the center is no longer shiny. Cooling completely before frosting is important to prevent melting; I often pop the pan in the freezer for a bit if I’m impatient.
Top the cooled bars with a rich buttercream frosting made for sugar cookies. My favorite buttercream includes vanilla with a touch of almond and coconut extract—those flavor notes are subtle but perfect together. Finish with sprinkles if you like, or try a coarse coconut sugar for extra texture and sparkle.
During a photoshoot on the front porch, my neighbor Alex popped over. When I offered him a bar he initially declined—“Is it cake?”—but changed his mind the moment he heard “sugar cookie bars with frosting.” No one resists a frosted sugar cookie.
Enjoy these sugar cookie bars for Valentine’s Day, a birthday, a classroom party, or whenever you need a reliably delicious dessert. They’re great to make ahead and share—or to keep all to yourself.
More Cookie Bars you are going to love!
- The Softest Sugar Cookies of Your Life >> the original cookie that inspired these bars.
- The Best Buttercream Frosting for Sugar Cookies >> the frosting I use on these bars.
- Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars >> all the flavor of chocolate chip cookies without the scooping.
- Cranberry Shortbread Bars >> a holiday favorite that works with frozen cranberries.
- Almond Roca Bars >> a quick, beloved treat made in about 30 minutes.
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Soft and Chewy Sugar Cookie Bars
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup salted butter, softened (1 and 1/2 sticks)
- 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 3/4 teaspoons almond extract
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 batch Buttercream Frosting for Sugar Cookies
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 9×13-inch glass pan with parchment or foil for easy removal, or grease the pan with nonstick spray.
- In a large bowl or stand mixer, beat the butter on medium until soft and fluffy, 1–2 minutes. Scrape the bowl as needed.
- Add the softened cream cheese and beat for 1 minute until incorporated.
- Add the sugar and beat 1–2 minutes until fluffy. Scrape the sides.
- Add the egg, vanilla, and almond extract. Beat until combined and scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl.
- Add the salt, flour, and cornstarch. Beat until just combined; avoid overmixing to keep the dough tender.
- Transfer the dough to the prepared pan. Wet or grease your hands slightly and press the dough evenly into the pan.
- Bake at 350°F for about 25–30 minutes, until edges are lightly golden and the center is no longer shiny. A toothpick should come out clean. Watch closely to avoid overbaking.
- Let the bars cool completely on a wire rack before frosting. Do not frost while warm.
- Spread one batch of buttercream frosting over the cooled bars. For clean slices, trim about an inch from each edge, then slice into bars, wiping the knife between cuts.