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My success rate with making sugar cutout cookies is 0%.  Zero.  Zilch.  Nada.  Zip.  No successes ever.  It isn’t from a lack of trying – I’ve just never been able to master it.  So I’ve kind of given up.  It’s a simple thing to go to the store and buy sugar cookies.  And I’m okay with that.  I can’t be an expert at everything, you know?  I gotta know my limitations.

BUT…I can make sugar cookie bars!  It’s essentially sugar cookie dough, but baked into bars.  Now we’re talking my language!  I like to put sprinkles inside the dough to add a little color and I actually prefer to not frost the cookies.  It just makes them easier to eat.  But you certainly can frost them – it’s delicious when you do that!  And when you do that, you have more opportunity to add color.  Put a little food coloring in the frosting.  Or decorate with more sprinkles!  It’s a great way to celebrate birthdays or holidays.  Do some pink frosting for Valentine’s Day.  Or red or green for Christmas.  Or green for St. Patrick’s Day.  Gloriousness!

Don’t have a half sheet baking sheet?  Here’s the one that I have and LOVE!  I love that it has a lid and not many out there do.  A lid doesn’t seem important unless you want to transport what you’ve made.  It’s really easy for my husband to just take the whole pan into work with him.  The alternative is that I pre-cut them into bars, put them on a plate or in another storage container and he transports that.  This makes it so easy to do and to stack if you had multiple desserts to bring.  I love that feature!

Sugar Cookie Bars

Great for any occasion!

Ingredients

Cookie Bar Ingredients:

  • 2 cups real butter, softened
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 tablespoon almond extract
  • 5 1/2 cups flour
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon table salt
  • 1/4 cup sprinkles (optional)

Buttercream Frosting Ingredients (optional):

  • 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
  • 3 cups powdered sugar
  • 1 teaspoon almond extract
  • 2-3 tablespoons milk
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

Cookie Bar Instructions:

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease a half sheet baking sheet. 
  • In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. 
  • Add eggs, vanilla extract and almond extract.  Mix.
  • Add the flour, baking powder, and salt. Mix well.
  • If adding sprinkles into the cookie bars, add now and mix well.  This is totally optional.
  • Press the dough into the baking sheet.  Don't worry about some bumpiness.  Frosting will cover it.
  • Bake for 20-30 minutes or until the top is lightly golden brown.   Let cool completely before frosting.

Frosting Instructions:

  • In a large mixing bowl, beat together the powdered sugar and butter until combined.
  • Add the milk a bit at a time until desired consistency is reached. If too thin, add more powdered sugar.  If too thick, add more milk.
  • If desired, add a few drops of food coloring.

Assembly:

  • Once the cookie bars are cool, cover with frosting and sprinkle (if desired).  Cut into squares.

Notes

The frosting is optional.  In fact, I usually don't make it.  The bars are wonderful as is and without the frosting, they're easier to eat!

Jayme is a wife to 1 and a mother to four little boys. She tries to coupon, builds a smart stockpile, and always meal plans. While she likes to cook, she’s in the stage of life where simple is usually better – she never knows how many hands she’ll have free at dinner time! You can find her at No Regrets Living.

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{ 6 comments… add one }
  • Jen February 17, 2018, 3:18 pm

    I love sugar cookies, and for me a bar is just more to love! Great recipe!

    Reply
  • Tiffany Coler September 16, 2018, 9:29 pm

    2cups butter?!? Oh my word. I know that these must taste great.

    Reply
    • Jayme September 16, 2018, 9:31 pm

      They do sis! 🙂

      I think that every time I make them — a whole pound of butter!? But then I remember that it also makes a whole half sheet of cookies. You could halve the recipe and make it in a 9×13 pan and then it doesn’t seem so bad with only 2 sticks of butter!

      Reply
  • Lorie December 22, 2023, 8:09 am

    I am trying this today. I have baked 5 different kinds of cookies for Christmas and was looking for something that I could make in bar form. Getting the butter out of the fridge now. Thanks!

    Reply
  • Lorie December 22, 2023, 11:33 am

    Be aware, you must be a very strong person to make these. I just got done, it wasn’t easy. VERY hard to mix the dough. And it took me a VERY long time to spread the dough out on the pan using wax paper. I am bushed, am having a big dinner tomorrow and need to prepare other things, I didn’t think these cookie bars would take as long to make. I won’t do it again.

    Reply

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