Make your Christmas parties extra sweet with these easy Christmas Sugar Cookie Bars!
Sugar cookies are a must-have at our Christmas parties. However, sometimes I just don't have the time or the energy for all of the chilling, rolling, cutting, and hand-decorating. Packed with all of the deliciousness of sugar cookies and taking minimal effort, these Christmas Sugar Cookie Bars are the perfect shortcut dessert for the holidays! Even though I love making these at Christmastime, you can actually change the sprinkles to coordinate with any holiday or season (or just a rainy afternoon). Not only are they simple enough to make that the kids can help, but the dough can be frozen ahead of time if you are in a time crunch!
Press the cookie dough into a 9x13 baking pan lined with a silicone baking mat or a sheet of parchment paper and spread it out evenly. Bake until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. For a soft and chewy cookie, do not over-bake.
Let the cookie bars cool completely, and remove them from the baking pan. Use a spatula frost the top with a generous amount of vanilla buttercream frosting.
Cut the cookie bars into 18 equal pieces, and then serve. Making sugar cookies for a crowd couldn't be easier!!
Christmas Sugar Cookie Bars
Servings: 18 bars
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 14-16 minutes
Sugar Cookie Bar Ingredients:
- 1 cup butter (2 sticks)
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
Sugar Cookie Bar Directions:
- Preheat the oven to 350º F.
- Line an 9x13 baking pan with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, cream together butter and sugar until light and creamy.
- Add eggs and vanilla extract, and beat until combined.
- In a separate mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and baking powder and whisk until combined.
- Slowly add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and mix until just combined. The dough will be thick.
- Press 1/4 of the dough into the baking pan at a time with the back of a spatula.
- Bake 14-16 minutes, or until the edges are lightly browned and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Allow the cookie bars to fully cool in the pan.
- Once completely cooled, remove the cookie bars from the pan.
- Frost (see below) and cut the bars into 18 equal pieces.
Vanilla Buttercream Frosting Ingredients:
- 1 ½ cups powdered sugar
- ½ cup salted butter, room temperature
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1 tsp almond extract
Vanilla Buttercream Frosting Directions:
- Whip the butter in a bowl for 1 minute.
- Slowly add powdered sugar to the butter, and mix until combined.
- Add the vanilla and almond extract, and fully incorporate until smooth.
- Use a spatula to spread frosting on fully cooled cookie bars.
- Top with a generous amount of Christmas sprinkles!
Tips:
- Storage: Keep cookie bars in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, refrigerated for up to 5 days. If storing in layers, place a sheet of parchment paper between the cookie layers to keep the frosting looking great and to prevent them from sticking together.
- Freeze: Cookie bars can be frozen for up to 3 months! Wrap cookie bars in storage wrap, and then aluminum foil before freezing. Let the cookie bars thaw overnight in the fridge before serving.
Variations:
- Add extra mix-ins to the cookie dough such as sprinkles, chocolate chips, or nuts.
- Change up the frosting color and/or sprinkles to celebrate different holidays and events.
I'm so excited to make these easy Christmas Sugar Cookie Bars to share at our Christmas parties, and hope you try them for yourself! They are SO yummy and are always a hit with the kids!! If you decide to give this recipe a try, I'd love to hear all about it! Please share your creations on Instagram, Facebook, or leave a comment/photo on the project pin on Pinterest!
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