Christmas Sugar Cookie Bars

Christmas baking doesn’t always have to mean rolling out dough, cutting dozens of little shapes, and decorating every cookie individually. These Christmas Sugar Cookie Bars have all the buttery, vanilla-sweet flavor of classic sugar cookies, but they’re baked in one pan and topped with a cheerful layer of frosting and sprinkles.

The bars are soft and tender in the middle with lightly golden edges, and the frosting adds just enough sweetness without making them feel heavy. They’re especially nice when you want something festive that can be made ahead and sliced into neat little squares.

I like making these for cookie trays, holiday parties, school gatherings, or an easy Christmas dessert when the oven is already busy with everything else. They also travel well once the frosting has set.

Why It Works

The dough comes together much like a traditional sugar cookie, but you don’t need to chill it or portion individual cookies. Pressing it into a baking pan keeps the bars thick and soft while giving you plenty of surface area for frosting.

The key is not overbaking them. Sugar cookie bars should look set around the edges while the center still appears slightly soft. They’ll continue cooking from the residual heat as they cool, leaving you with that tender, chewy texture rather than a dry cookie.

A simple vanilla buttercream is all they need on top. Add red and green sprinkles for a classic Christmas look, or use whatever colors match your holiday table.

Ingredients You’ll Need

Unsalted Butter

Use softened butter so it creams smoothly with the sugar. It should be soft enough to press with a finger but not melted or greasy.

Granulated Sugar

Regular white sugar gives these bars their familiar sugar-cookie sweetness and helps create those lightly crisp edges.

Eggs And Vanilla

Eggs provide structure and richness, while vanilla gives the cookie base its classic flavor. Pure vanilla extract is lovely here, but regular vanilla extract works perfectly well.

All-Purpose Flour

Measure the flour carefully, preferably by spooning it into your measuring cup and leveling it off. Too much flour can make the bars dense and dry.

Frosting And Sprinkles

A simple buttercream made with butter, powdered sugar, vanilla, and a little milk spreads easily over the cooled bars. Holiday sprinkles add the finishing touch.

How To Make Christmas Sugar Cookie Bars

Cream The Butter And Sugar

Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a 9×13-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving some overhang for easy lifting.

Beat 1 cup softened unsalted butter with 1 cup granulated sugar until light and creamy, about 2–3 minutes. Scrape down the bowl, then beat in 2 large eggs and 2 teaspoons vanilla extract.

Add The Dry Ingredients

In a separate bowl, whisk together 2½ cups all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, and ½ teaspoon salt.

Gradually add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture, mixing just until no dry streaks remain. Don’t keep beating once the dough comes together.

Press And Bake

Transfer the dough to the prepared pan and press it into an even layer. A lightly greased spatula or your fingertips can make this easier.

Bake for 18–22 minutes, watching closely toward the end. The edges should be lightly golden and the center should look set but still soft.

Let the bars cool completely in the pan before frosting. If they’re even slightly warm, the buttercream can melt and become difficult to spread.

Frost And Decorate

For the frosting, beat ½ cup softened butter until smooth. Gradually mix in 2 cups powdered sugar, followed by 1 teaspoon vanilla and 2–3 tablespoons milk, adding enough milk to reach a soft, spreadable consistency.

Spread the frosting over the cooled cookie bars and immediately add Christmas sprinkles. Let the frosting firm up before cutting into squares.

FAQs

Can I Use A Different Size Pan?

Yes, but the baking time will change. A smaller pan will produce thicker bars and may need extra baking time, while a larger pan will make thinner bars that bake more quickly.

How Do I Know When Sugar Cookie Bars Are Done?

Look for lightly golden edges and a center that has lost its wet appearance but still looks soft. Don’t wait for the entire surface to become deeply golden.

Can I Make These Ahead?

Absolutely. The baked and frosted bars can be prepared a day or two ahead and kept covered at room temperature.

Why Are My Bars Dry?

The most common causes are too much flour or overbaking. Measure the flour carefully and remove the pan when the center is just set.

Can I Freeze Christmas Sugar Cookie Bars?

Yes. Freeze the unfrosted bars tightly wrapped for up to 2–3 months. Thaw completely, then frost and decorate.

Can I Use Store-Bought Frosting?

You can, especially when you’re short on time. Choose a vanilla frosting that’s thick enough to spread without sliding off the bars.

Recipe Variations

Peppermint Sugar Cookie Bars

Add ¼–½ teaspoon peppermint extract to the frosting and finish with crushed peppermint candies instead of sprinkles.

Chocolate Frosting

Swap the vanilla buttercream for chocolate frosting for a simple chocolate-and-sugar-cookie combination.

Almond Sugar Cookie Bars

Replace part of the vanilla extract with almond extract. Even ½ teaspoon adds a lovely bakery-style flavor.

Holiday M&M Bars

Fold a handful of red and green mini chocolate candies into the dough before pressing it into the pan.

Sprinkle-Stuffed Bars

For extra color, gently fold a few tablespoons of Christmas sprinkles into the cookie dough before baking. Use jimmies rather than nonpareils, which are less likely to bleed their color.

Storage

Store frosted bars in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days. Place parchment between layers if stacking them.

For longer storage, freeze the unfrosted slab well wrapped for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature, then frost and decorate before serving.

What To Serve With Christmas Sugar Cookie Bars

These are right at home on a Christmas dessert platter alongside gingerbread cookies, chocolate crinkle cookies, peppermint bark, or a batch of homemade fudge. Serve them with coffee or hot chocolate for an afternoon treat, or arrange them on a holiday cookie tray with fresh berries and a few chocolate-covered treats for a simple dessert spread.

For the cleanest slices, use a sharp knife and wipe it between cuts. Letting the frosting set for a little while first also helps keep the edges neat.

And don’t worry if the center looks slightly soft when you pull the pan from the oven—that’s exactly what you want. The bars will firm up as they cool while staying wonderfully tender.

This Christmas Sugar Cookie Bars are soft, buttery, and topped with festive sprinkles for the perfect holiday treat. They’re easy to make, slice beautifully, and are always a hit at Christmas parties, cookie exchanges, and family gatherings.

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Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 22 minutes

Total Time: 37 minutes

Servings: 16 bars

Ingredients

For the cookie bars:

• 1 cup 226 g unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup 200 g granulated sugar
• 1 large egg
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 ½ cups 315 g all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon salt

For the frosting:

• ½ cup 113 g unsalted butter, softened
• 2 cups 240 g powdered sugar
• 2–3 tablespoons heavy cream or milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Pinch of salt
• Red and green sprinkles for decorating

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 9×13-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving some overhang for easy removal.

Cream the butter and sugar. In a large bowl, beat the softened butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy, about 2–3 minutes.

Add the wet ingredients. Beat in the egg and vanilla until well combined.

Mix the dry ingredients. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.

Make the dough. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture, mixing just until a soft dough forms. Don’t overmix.

Press into the pan. Transfer the dough to the prepared pan and press it into an even layer. If the dough is sticky, lightly flour your fingertips.

Bake for 18–22 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden and the center looks set. Avoid overbaking so the bars stay soft.

Cool completely. Let the cookie bars cool in the pan before frosting. For cleaner cuts, allow them to cool completely.

Make the frosting. Beat the softened butter until creamy. Gradually add the powdered sugar, then mix in the vanilla, salt, and enough cream or milk to create a smooth, spreadable frosting.

Frost and decorate. Spread the frosting evenly over the cooled cookie bars and finish with red and green Christmas sprinkles.

Cut and serve. Lift the bars from the pan using the parchment paper and cut into 16 squares or smaller bite-sized pieces.

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