Get ready to discover your new favorite holiday tradition! These Christmas Sugar Cookie Bars are the ultimate festive treat, combining the classic, buttery flavor of sugar cookies with the simplicity of a bar recipe. Forget rolling and cutting individual cookies; this recipe delivers a perfectly soft, chewy, and thick cookie base that’s baked in a single pan and topped with a luscious buttercream frosting. They are incredibly easy to make and even more fun to decorate.
Whether you’re baking for a holiday party, a cookie exchange, or just a cozy night in, these bars are a guaranteed crowd-pleaser. The simple, no-chill dough comes together in minutes, making it the perfect recipe for busy bakers who still want a homemade touch. Let’s bake some holiday magic!
Why You’ll Adore These Christmas Sugar Cookie Bars
- Incredibly Easy: This is a straightforward, no-fuss recipe. The dough is mixed in one bowl and pressed into a pan, saving you time and effort.
- Soft and Chewy Texture: We use specific ingredients and techniques to ensure these bars are perfectly moist and tender with a classic chewy bite.
- Perfect for a Crowd: A single batch makes plenty of bars, making it an ideal dessert for holiday gatherings and parties.
- Customizable and Fun: The best part is the decorating! Get creative with festive sprinkles, food coloring, and frosting techniques to make them your own. It’s a fantastic activity for kids and adults alike.
Essential Ingredients for Your Cookie Bars
This recipe uses simple, staple ingredients that you likely already have in your pantry, especially during the holiday baking season. Here’s what you’ll need:
For the Cookie Bars
- All-Purpose Flour: Provides the structure for our bars. Make sure to measure it correctly for the best texture.
- Baking Powder: Gives the bars a slight lift, making them soft rather than dense.
- Salt: Balances the sweetness and enhances the other flavors.
- Unsalted Butter: Use softened, room-temperature butter for a smooth, creamy dough.
- Granulated Sugar: Provides the classic sweetness and contributes to the chewy texture.
- Egg: Acts as a binder and adds richness. One large egg at room temperature is perfect.
- Vanilla Extract: A splash of pure vanilla extract is essential for that classic sugar cookie flavor.
For the Creamy Buttercream Frosting
- Unsalted Butter: Again, make sure it’s softened for a silky smooth frosting.
- Powdered Sugar: This dissolves completely, creating a non-grainy, luscious frosting.
- Heavy Cream or Milk: Adds creaminess and helps achieve the perfect spreading consistency.
- Vanilla Extract: Complements the cookie base and adds depth to the frosting.
- Festive Sprinkles: Red, green, and white sprinkles are a must for that Christmas touch!
Step-by-Step Instructions
Making these Christmas Sugar Cookie Bars is a simple three-part process: making the dough, baking the bars, and whipping up the frosting. Follow these steps for foolproof results every time.
Making the Dough
- Preheat and Prep: First, preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Grease a 9×13 inch baking pan and line it with parchment paper, leaving some overhang on the sides to act as handles. This will make lifting the bars out later much easier.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt. Set this aside.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: In a large bowl, using a stand mixer or a hand mixer, beat the softened unsalted butter and granulated sugar together on medium-high speed until the mixture is light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.
- Add Wet Ingredients: Beat in the egg and vanilla extract until they are well combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed to ensure everything is incorporated.
- Combine Wet and Dry: With the mixer on low speed, gradually add the dry ingredient mixture to the wet ingredients. Mix until just combined—be careful not to overmix!
Baking to Perfection
- Press Dough into Pan: Transfer the dough to your prepared baking pan. The dough will be thick. Use your fingertips or the back of a spatula to press it into an even layer across the bottom of the pan.
- Bake: Bake for 18-22 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Cool Completely: Let the cookie bars cool completely in the pan on a wire rack. It’s crucial they are fully cooled before you attempt to frost them, or the frosting will melt.
Whipping Up the Frosting
- Beat the Butter: While the bars are cooling, prepare the buttercream. In a large bowl, beat the softened butter with a mixer on medium speed until it’s creamy and smooth.
- Add Sugar and Vanilla: Gradually add the powdered sugar, mixing on low speed until it’s incorporated. Then add the vanilla extract.
- Add Cream and Whip: Add 2 tablespoons of heavy cream or milk and beat on medium-high speed for 2-3 minutes until the frosting is light, fluffy, and smooth. If the frosting is too thick, add more cream, one teaspoon at a time, until you reach your desired consistency.
- Frost and Decorate: Once the bars are completely cool, spread the frosting evenly over the top. Immediately add your favorite festive sprinkles. Use the parchment paper handles to lift the bars from the pan before cutting. For another fun holiday treat, try these Buttery Soft Christmas Cookies.
Pro Tips for Perfect Christmas Sugar Cookie Bars
- Room Temperature Ingredients: For the smoothest dough and frosting, make sure your butter and egg are at room temperature. This helps them incorporate seamlessly for a uniform texture.
- Do Not Overbake: The key to soft and chewy bars is to pull them from the oven as soon as the edges are lightly golden. They might look slightly underdone in the center, but they will continue to set as they cool.
- Cool Completely: I can’t stress this enough! If you frost warm bars, you’ll have a melted, soupy mess. Patience is key for that perfect, photo-worthy finish. If you’re short on time, check out these No-Bake Grinch Pie or Easy Christmas Fudge Recipe for quick alternatives.
- For Clean Slices: For perfectly clean cuts, use a large, sharp knife. Wipe the blade clean with a damp paper towel between each cut.
Storage and Make-Ahead Magic
One of the best things about these Christmas sugar cookie bars is how well they store, making them a fantastic make-ahead dessert for the busy holiday season.
Storing Your Bars
Store the frosted and cut bars in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days. If your kitchen is particularly warm, you may prefer to store them in the refrigerator, but let them come to room temperature before serving for the best texture.
Making Ahead
You can bake the cookie bar base a day or two in advance. Let it cool completely, then cover it tightly with plastic wrap and store it at room temperature. Prepare the frosting and decorate the day you plan to serve them for the freshest taste. You can also freeze the unfrosted slab for up to 3 months. For another great make-ahead option, consider this Cranberry Brie Bites appetizer.
Frequently Asked Questions
Absolutely! You can bake the unfrosted bars up to 2 days in advance. Store them, tightly covered, at room temperature. Frost and decorate them on the day you plan to serve.
This recipe is optimized for a 9×13 inch pan. You can use an 8×8 or 9×9 inch pan for thicker bars, but you will need to increase the baking time by 5-10 minutes. Keep a close eye on them to prevent overbaking.
For the cleanest slices, make sure the bars are completely cooled. Use a large, sharp knife and wipe the blade clean with a damp paper towel between each cut. This prevents the frosting from smearing.
You can store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days. If your home is warm, you can refrigerate them, but allow them to come to room temperature before serving for the best texture.
A classic American buttercream is the best choice. It’s simple, creamy, and holds its shape well. Our recipe provides the perfect balance of sweetness to complement the buttery cookie base.
Share Your Festive Creations!
I hope you love making and sharing these delightful Christmas Sugar Cookie Bars! They are truly one of the easiest and most rewarding treats of the holiday season. If you make this recipe, I would love to see your beautiful creations. Please leave a comment below or tag me on Pinterest!
Christmas Sugar Cookie Bars Recipe
Christmas Sugar Cookie Bars (The Easiest Holiday Treat!)
Ingredients
Equipment
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Grease and line a 9x13 inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
- In a large bowl, cream the softened butter and granulated sugar with a mixer until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.
- Beat in the egg and vanilla extract until combined.
- On low speed, gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until just combined.
- Press the dough evenly into the prepared pan. Bake for 18-22 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden.
- Let the bars cool completely in the pan on a wire rack before frosting.
- In a large bowl, beat the softened butter until creamy. Gradually mix in the powdered sugar.
- Beat in the vanilla extract and 2 tablespoons of cream. Whip on medium-high speed for 2-3 minutes until light and fluffy. Add more cream if needed to reach a spreadable consistency.
- Spread the frosting over the cooled bars and top with festive sprinkles. Lift from the pan using the parchment paper handles to cut and serve.
Notes
Do Not Overbake: For perfectly soft bars, remove them from the oven when the edges are just lightly golden.
Cool Completely: The bars must be fully cooled before frosting to prevent melting.
