These Soft and Chewy Sugar Cookie Bars are everything you love about sugar cookies — buttery, sweet, and tender — baked into thick bars and topped with fluffy frosting. Easier than rolling dough, and just as fun (especially with sprinkles).

Why You Will Love This Recipe

Forget chilling, rolling, or cutting out — this recipe gives you sugar cookie flavor in a fraction of the time. The bars are soft, chewy, and perfectly sweet with a cloud-like vanilla frosting. They’re great for birthdays, holidays, or a baking day with kids.

Soft and Chewy Sugar Cookie Bars

Sugar cookies are classic. But between chilling the dough, rolling it out, cutting shapes, and watching the oven like a hawk — they can feel like a lot. That’s why these sugar cookie bars are a total game-changer. You get the same sweet, buttery flavor and soft texture — without the fuss.

Instead of individual cookies, the dough is pressed into a 9×13 pan and baked all at once. No rolling, no cutting, no batches. Just mix, press, bake, cool, and frost.

The cookie base is simple but so satisfying:

• Butter and sugar creamed until fluffy

• A touch of sour cream adds softness and slight tang

• Vanilla brings that classic sugar cookie flavor

• The bake is short and even — no browned edges or overbaked bottoms

The frosting? Pillowy and rich. It’s made with butter, powdered sugar, a splash of cream, and a hint of salt to keep it from being too sweet. You can tint it any color and finish with sprinkles to match the season.

These are great for:

• Holiday trays

• Bake sales

• Kid birthdays

• Office treats

They slice cleanly, stay soft for days, and taste like nostalgia in bar form.

Servings & Time

• Servings: 12 bars

• Prep Time: 20 minutes

• Bake Time: 17 minutes

• Total Time: 1 hour (including cooling and frosting)

Ingredients

Sugar Cookie Base:

• ½ cup unsalted butter, softened

• 1 cup white sugar

• 2 tbsp full-fat sour cream

• 1 egg

• ½ tsp vanilla extract

• 2½ cups all-purpose flour

• ½ tsp baking powder

• ½ tsp sea salt

Frosting:

• ½ cup butter, softened

• 4 cups powdered sugar

• 6 tbsp whipping cream

• 1 splash vanilla extract

• Pinch of sea salt

• Food coloring (optional)

• Sprinkles (optional)

Instructions

Cookie Base:

1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Grease or line a 9×13 baking pan.

2. In a mixer, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy.

3. Add sour cream, egg, and vanilla. Mix until smooth.

4. Add flour, baking powder, and salt. Mix just until combined. Dough may be slightly crumbly.

5. Press into prepared pan. Smooth top with hands or measuring cup.

6. Bake 15–17 minutes. Do not let the edges brown.

7. Let cool completely before frosting.

Frosting:

1. Beat butter until pale and fluffy.

2. Gradually add powdered sugar.

3. Add vanilla, salt, and food coloring if using.

4. Stream in cream until spreadable consistency. Whip until fluffy.

5. Spread on cooled bars. Add sprinkles.

6. Chill 30 minutes before slicing.

Tips

• Don’t overbake. Pull them when they’re pale and set — not browned.

• Make ahead: Store bars in the fridge up to 4 days.

• Add almond extract for bakery-style flavor.