These Christmas Sugar Cookie Bars are soft, buttery and topped with rich, fluffy cream cheese frosting. They’re festive, easy to customize and perfect for holiday parties or cookie trays.
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About this Christmas Sugar Cookie Bars recipe
Every year, I love putting together cookie trays for friends, family and neighbors. But also every year, it seems there’s less time than the year before, and I am always looking for super easy recipes.
Sugar cookie cutouts are one of my favorite holiday cookies, but they are an absolute pain in the apron. As much fun as it is to cut out shapes and go wild with decorating, it is time-consuming.
Enter sugar cookie bars, with all the flavor of the classic cookie and without all the drama. These bars bake into a tender, chewy layer that tastes just like classic sugar cookies, but there’s no rolling or cutting the dough involved.
Cream cheese frosting adds a rich, sweet flavor to the delicious, traditional sugar cookie base, and you can easily switch up the sprinkle colors for any holiday. They slice cleanly, travel well and make a great crowd-pleasing dessert.
Why you’ll love this recipe
- No rolling or cutting: Just mix, spread and bake these delicious Christmas cookie bars for the perfect baked treat.
- Soft and buttery: This recipe has all the warm, rich, classic sugar cookie flavor in bar form.
- Festive: Nothing says Christmas quite like sugar cookies. Make this recipe anytime you want to share a little festive spirit at home or any seasonal gathering.
Tools & equipment
You’ll need a mixing bowl * and a hand mixer to prepare both the cookie dough and the frosting. A rubber spatula * helps scrape the bowl and spread the dough into the pan. Speaking of the pan, you’ll want a 10×10-inch baking pan.
Use measuring cups and spoons for accuracy and line your baking pan with parchment paper * so the bars lift out easily. A sharp knife makes clean slices once the frosting has set, and an offset spatula * is helpful for spreading the frosting smoothly.
baking essentials
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Ingredients
These sugar cookie bars start with softened unsalted butter and granulated sugar to create a light, creamy base for the batter. Three small eggs add structure and richness, and a smidge of vanilla and almond extract bring a warm, bakery-style flavor to the mix. All-purpose flour, baking powder and a pinch of salt give the bars their soft texture, and a splash of heavy cream allows the dough to incorporate smoothly.
The frosting is made with softened cream cheese and butter blended with powdered sugar, vanilla and a bit of cream for a fluffy finish. Festive sprinkles add the perfect holiday touch.
👇 For full measurements and step-by-step instructions, scroll down to the printable recipe card. It’s all there waiting for you!
Substitutions & variations
- Choose the flavor you like best. Swap almond extract for vanilla extract * if preferred.
- Customize the color. Tint the frosting with food coloring for a holiday twist.
- Try different sprinkles. Use different varieties of colored sprinkles for holidays like Valentine’s Day, St. Patrick’s Day, Halloween or birthdays.
Instructions
Making these sugar cookie bars is super simple. Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Line a 10×10-inch baking pan with parchment paper * and set aside.
Using a hand mixer *, beat the softened butter and sugar together until just combined. Add the eggs, heavy cream, vanilla extract * and almond extract. Continue beating until the mixture is smooth and well incorporated.
Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the salt, baking powder and flour and beat for about 1 minute until the dough forms.
Transfer the mixture to the prepared pan. Spread evenly, smoothing it out all the way to the edges. Bake for 20-30 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown and the center is still slightly gooey. Keep an eye on it after 20 minutes to ensure it doesn’t over-bake.
Cool the cookie bars in the pan, or remove with the parchment paper and cool on a wire rack. Cool completely before frosting.
Cream cheese frosting
The frosting comes together quickly and easily, but you could also use a store-bought frosting if you wanted.
In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to combine powdered sugar, softened butter, cream cheese, vanilla and heavy cream. Beat until the frosting is smooth and fluffy.
Allow the cookies to cool completely before adding the frosting, but you can prepare the frosting and stash it in the fridge until you’re ready to frost — you may need to add a splash of cream and stir it well to liven it up a little bit!
Spread the frosting evenly over the cooled cookie bars, covering the entire surface. Decorate with sprinkles. Slice into 2-inch (5 cm) squares and serve right away or let the frosting firm up slightly before cutting for cleaner slices. Depending on how many bars you want, cut this many slices:
- 16 bars: cut 4 rows by 4 rows (2½ inches square)
- 20 bars: cut 4 rows by 5 rows (2.5″ × 2″
- 25 bars: cut 5 rows by 5 rows
Tips & tricks
- Frosting will cover mistakes. Don’t worry if the top isn’t perfectly smooth, as frosting will cover it later.
- Prep in advance. Make sure the butter and cream cheese are fully softened for the smoothest frosting.
- Make cleanup easy. Leave an overhang on your parchment paper so the bars lift out cleanly.
- Use a ruler to cut perfect bars. I love this precision cutting board * for creating uniform bars.
Food pairings
These bars go well with cozy holiday drinks and sweet treats. Try them with:
- Beverages: Spiked hot chocolate or peppermint mochas are great Christmastime drinks with cookie bars. You could also serve up sugar cookie lattes or sugar cookie martinis!
- Snacks: Salty pretzels, holiday snack mix or charcuterie cups are excellent for a balanced flavor profile.
- Desserts: Gingerbread, peppermint bark or brownies all pair wonderfully with sugar cookie flavor.
ABOUT THE SWEETEST SEASON
This recipe is part of The Sweetest Season, an annual virtual cookie swap co-hosted by Erin of The Speckled Palate and myself. Every year, we get a sizeable group of food bloggers together to share new holiday cookie recipes.
This year we are raising money for Cookies 4 Kids’ Cancer, a recognized 501(c)3 non-profit organization dedicated to funding research for new, innovative and less-toxic treatments for childhood cancer. This season, OXO will be matching every dollar raised through Dec. 31, 2025 up to $100,000. Any money raised will automatically double on our fundraising page!
For more holiday cookie recipe ideas, head to The Sweetest Season archive!
FAQ
Yes. You can bake and frost the bars up to 3 or 4 days in advance. Store them covered in the refrigerator until you’re ready to serve. Be aware that the frosting will firm up slightly in the fridge, or you can always frost them later.
Store any leftover cookie bars in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Yes. Store the unfrosted bars in the freezer for up to 2 months, then thaw, frost and decorate when ready.
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Christmas Sugar Cookie Bars
ingredients
Sugar Cookie Bars
- 10 tablespoons unsalted butter softened to room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 3 small eggs at room temperature
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon almond extract
- 2½ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 4 ounces cream cheese softened
- 5 tablespoons unsalted butter softened
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon Christmas sprinkles * for topping
instructions
Sugar Cookie Bars
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Line a 10-inch square baking pan * with parchment paper and set aside.
- Using a hand mixer *, beat the softened butter and sugar together until just combined.10 tablespoons unsalted butter, 1 cup granulated sugar
- Add the eggs, heavy cream, vanilla extract and almond extract. Beat until the mixture is smooth and well incorporated.3 small eggs, 2 tablespoons heavy cream, ½ teaspoon almond extract, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the flour, baking powder and salt. Beat for about 1 minute until the dough forms.2½ cups all-purpose flour, ¼ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon baking powder
- Transfer the mixture to the prepared pan. Spread evenly, smoothing it out all the way to the edges. (Don’t worry if the top isn’t perfectly smooth, as frosting will cover it later.)
- Bake for 20-30 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown and the center is still slightly gooey. Keep an eye on it after 20 minutes to ensure it doesn’t over-bake.
- Cool the cookie bars in the pan, or remove with the parchment paper and cool on a wire rack. Cool completely before frosting.
Cream Cheese Frosting
- In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to combine softened cream cheese, softened butter, powdered sugar, vanilla extract and heavy cream. Beat until the frosting is smooth and fluffy.4 ounces cream cheese, 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, 2 cups powdered sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1 tablespoon heavy cream
- Spread the frosting evenly over the cooled cookie bars, covering the entire surface. Decorate with Christmas sprinkles *.1 tablespoon Christmas sprinkles
- Slice into 20-25 2-inch (5 cm) squares and serve right away, or let the frosting firm up slightly before cutting for cleaner slices.
notes
- A 9 × 9-inch pan will give you slightly thicker bars and works beautifully; just add a couple extra minutes to the bake time and slice into 2 to 2.5-inch squares.
- A 9 × 13-inch pan will give you thinner bars; they’ll bake a little faster, so start checking around 18 minutes, and cut them into 20 to 30 rectangles depending on how big you like them.
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