These Christmas Sugar Cookie Bars deliver everything you love about traditional sugar cookies - a soft texture, rich vanilla flavor, and a festive look - all in an easy-to-make bar. Perfect for holiday gatherings or baking with kids, they’re simple, pretty, and irresistibly delicious.
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Christmas Sugar Cookie Bars are a no-fuss version of classic sugar cookies. You get all the buttery flavor and soft texture of a homemade sugar cookie without needing to chill dough, roll it out, or cut out shapes.
These bars come together quickly in one pan - an easy last-minute treat for holiday guests.
The bottom layer is a soft sugar cookie which is topped with a creamy, sweet frosting and enhanced with vanilla bean paste for a more intense, rich vanilla flavor. (You can swap for vanilla extract instead).
The sprinkle topping makes them instantly festive, and you can customize the colors and shapes to suit your celebration.
Try coconut sugar cookie bars for a similar process with toasted coconut flavors.
Ingredients
See the recipe card for exact amounts.
- butter: use unsalted butter to control the salt in the recipe.
- brown sugar: for depth and to keep the cookie base soft and chewy.
- white granulated sugar: balances the brown sugar and helps create the perfect cookie texture.
- large egg: for binding the ingredients together.
- vanilla extract: adds a warm, classic flavor to the cookie base. For the frosting, I opt for vanilla bean paste for a more intense vanilla taste and for the visible specks of vanilla bean.
- flour: use all-purpose flour for the foundation of the cookie base.
- baking powder: a leavening agent that helps the cookie base rise slightly, creating a soft, light texture.
- salt: balances the sweetness and enhances the flavors.
- sprinkles: add a festive look to the bars. I like these white, pink, and bronze sprinkles but you can use red and green for something a bit more festive, or customize them for any occasion. Try snowflake, Christmas tree, or gingerbread men sprinkles like in my gingerbread biscotti recipe!
- powdered sugar: forms the base of the frosting, providing sweetness and a smooth texture when combined with butter.
Substitutions
- butter: if using salted butter, try reducing the salt by half.
- vanilla bean paste: if you don’t have vanilla bean paste, regular vanilla extract works perfectly.
Parchment Paper Tip
Does your parchment paper keep rolling up on you? To stop parchment paper from rolling up, scrunch the sheet into a tight ball and then open it up again and flatten it out. It will now stay in place better!
Instructions
Prep Tips
For this cookie bar, you'll bake the cookie layer, let it cool, and then frost and decorate it - just like making sugar cookies but without cutting out shapes.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, or using a large mixing bowl and a handheld mixer, cream the butter and sugars together and then mix in the egg and vanilla. Add the dry ingredients and mix to combine.
- Add the dough to a parchment lined baking pan.
- Press the mixture into the bottom of the prepared baking pan. Bake for 15 minutes or until cooked through and lightly golden brown and then let cool.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, or using a large mixing bowl and a handheld mixer, beat the butter, vanilla bean paste, and salt together until light and fluffy. Add the powdered sugar and mix until well combined.
- Add the milk, a little at a time, mixing well between additions. I like a light and fluffy consistency.
- Add the frosting on top of the cooled cookie bar.
- Spread the frosting on top of the cookie layer.
- Add sprinkles.
Slice the bar into 24 squares.
Tips for making sugar cookie bars
- Make sure your butter is at room temperature before starting. Soft butter creams better with sugar, creating a smooth base and fluffy frosting.
- Measure flour accurately by using a baking scale. Alternatively, use the spoon-and-level method: spoon flour into a measuring cup and then level with a knife. Avoid scooping the measuring cup into the flour. It will pack the flour down and you'll overmeasure the flour, leading to dry cookie dough.
- Cool the bars completely before frosting. If the bars are warm, the frosting will melt and slide off. Let them cool fully for clean, smooth frosting.
- Sift the powdered sugar. Sifting removes lumps from the powdered sugar, making your frosting smooth and creamy.
More Cookie Recipes
- Mini Egg Cookies
- No Bake Chocolate Oat Cookies with Peanut Butter
- Chai Sugar Cookie Snowflakes
- Nutella Linzer Cookies
Storage
Store the cookie bar in the fridge in an airtight container or in the baking pan covered with plastic wrap for 3-4 days.
FAQs
Yes, you can make the cookie a bar a few days ahead because it stores nicely in the fridge. Once baked and frosted, store the bars in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.
Recipe
Christmas Sugar Cookie Bar
Ingredients
Cookie Layer
- ½ cup unsalted butter at room temperature
- ½ cup brown sugar
- ½ cup granulated white sugar
- 1 large egg
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
Frosting
- ½ cup unsalted butter at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 3 ½ cups powdered sugar sifted
- 2 tablespoons milk or more as need
Topping
- ½ cup sprinkles
Instructions
For the Cookie Layer
- Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Line a 9 x 13 pan with parchment paper.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, or by hand, beat the butter and sugars together for about 5 minutes or until light and fluffy.
- Add the egg and vanilla extract and mix.
- Add the flour, baking powder, and salt to the mixer bowl and mix until combined.
- Press the mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan, smoothing the top.
- Bake for 15 minutes or until done. The cookie should be lightly golden.
- Let cool completely.
For the Frosting Layer
- Beat the butter, vanilla bean paste, and salt until light and fluffy.
- Add the powdered sugar and beat again until light and fluffy. It'll start off as crumbly and then start to smooth out.
- Add milk, a little at a time, until desired consistency (I like a light, smooth frosting)
- Spread the frosting on top of the cooled cookie layer.
- Top sprinkles and then slice into 24 squares.
Equipment
- 9 x 13 Baking Dish or Baking Sheet
Video
Notes
Nutritional information is an estimate. Values vary based on products used. Read our full Nutrition Disclaimer.
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