Sugar Cookie Cake Bars - Soft and chewy bars topped with decadent buttercream frosting and colorful sprinkles ~ perfect for a party and makes enough for a crowd!
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So, who doesn't love sugar cookies? They're soft, they're chewy, the frosting is amazing and you can never eat just one. Right? Right. What I don't love as much is the time it takes to bake them, frost them AND decorate them.
There are only so many hours in a day and let me tell you what. . .when the holidays are approaching, there's a lot to get done. Although sitting down and frosting a cookie (or 200 of them) can be therapeutic, I'd much rather make a pan of these Sugar Cookie Cake Bars to impress my guests. . . as well as keep my sanity in check. 😉
This recipe makes a big pan of bars. I actually use a jelly roll pan. If you're looking for dimensions, a standard jelly roll pan is 12½ x 17½ by 1 inch. You can see that it's certainly enough to feed a crowd. I usually get about 30 bars out of the pan, however, it all depends on how large or small you cut your bars. I say go bigger. 😉
Texture-wise, these bars are a combination between a cookie and a cake, thus their name. Soft, chewy and topped with a sweet buttercream frosting. SO GOOD. Oh, and don't forget the sprinkles, right? Because they just make everything taste and look EVEN better (according to my 4-year-old).
The frosting is just heavenly. I sent a pan of these bars along with my hubby to share with his deer hunting crew this past weekend. Well, almost the whole pan of bars. I did squirrel away a few to keep here at the house.
A few notes about these bars. . .they don't need to be refrigerated. Also, once the frosting sets, the bars can actually be layered on top of one another for serving off of a platter. The key phrase there is, ONCE THE FROSTING SETS. . .or you may have a bit of a mess on your hands that you would need to eat clean up.
That could very well be why I make so many messes. 😉 After I frost these bars, I normally just allow the frosting to set and I cover the entire jelly roll pan with aluminum foil or cling wrap until I'm ready to cut and serve them.
These sugar cookie cake bars are an awesome addition to the holiday dessert platter. . .and they go a long way. I think I'm going to make another pan of these to take to Thanksgiving with the family this week. You should, too!
Sugar Cookie Cake Bars
Ingredients
For the Cookie Bars
- 2 sticks unsalted butter (room temperature)
- 2 cups sugar
- 4 large eggs
- 5 cups flour
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
For the Frosting
- 2 sticks unsalted butter (room temperature)
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 4 tablespoons milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- A pinch of salt
- Nonpareils for decoration
Instructions
For the Cookie Bars
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
- In a large bowl cream together the butter and the sugar.
- Mix in one egg at a time.
- Add vanilla extract and mix well.
- In a separate bowl, mix together the flour, salt and baking soda.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients gradually, a little at a time. Mix well.
- Flour your hands to prevent the dough from sticking and spread on prepared jelly roll pan.
- Bake for 12-15 minutes. Do not overbake or you'll end up with dry bars!
For the Frosting
- Beat butter until creamy.
- Mix in the vanilla and salt.
- Add the powdered sugar gradually, mixing well.
- Add the milk and mix until it reaches your desired consistency.
- Spread the frosting onto the cooled cake bars.
- Sprinkle on some nonpareils.
Notes
- Room Temperature Ingredients: Ensure that both the butter and eggs are at room temperature before starting. Room-temperature ingredients blend more easily, resulting in a smoother batter and better incorporation of flavors.
- Even Thickness: When spreading the dough onto the jelly roll pan, aim for an even thickness throughout. An unevenly spread dough may result in uneven baking, with some parts of the bars being undercooked and others being overcooked.
- Cool Completely Before Frosting: Allow the cookie bars to cool completely before frosting them. Applying frosting to warm bars can cause them to melt and slide off, resulting in a messy appearance. Patience is key to a neat and professional-looking finish.
Kay
Have u ever froze the bars and frosted later before serving?
Sara
I haven't tried freezing them, Kay. If you do, let me know how it worked for you!
Susan
Has anyone tried freezing these? I think they would be fine, but was just wondering.
Sara
Yes, these freeze very well!
Mary
Your recipe says to press cookie dough mixture into a "prepared" pan. But no instructions on what "prepared" means. Is that greased and floured or just greased? Thanks
Sara
Just greased is fine!
Nancy
I made these yesterday and they are wonderful! Now I need to give them away so I don't eat the whole tray myself!
Annie
Looking forward to making these today! It says to spread into preparers pan - do you grease and flour, or just grease?
Sara
Just grease the pan and then put a little flour on your hands so it's easier to spread the dough out in the pan.
Amy
I'm making this recipe again - have lost track of how many times - for our wrestling guys. I make it for the coaches room, the end of season party, any time they ask me to! They are always eaten before regular food and they are requested every time!
Thank you for the recipe; it is much loved and enjoyed!!!!!
Sara
Oh, I'm so glad to hear that, Amy! Love that the wrestlers are enjoying them! Hope you're all having a great season!
Sabrina
What size pan did you use?
Sara
I used a jelly roll pan. Here are the measurements: 12½ x 17½ by 1 inch
amanda @ fake ginger
I think I'm gonna make these for tomorrow for the people who aren't into pie. Who wouldn't love these?! They look perfect!
Justine | Cooking and Beer
I love that this recipe makes such a big batch! I could eat like 12 of these! Pinned!
Erin @ Texanerin Baking
These remind me of treats from the grocery store bakery. And that's a compliment! 😉 They look SO delicious and that frosting... yum! Good thing it makes a big batch. 🙂
Sara
Aww, thank you, Erin!
Jenny | Honey and Birch
Yum, I love bar cookies and bars - can't wait to try this!
Jo-Anne
Nice I like the look of these
Sara
Thank you, Jo-Anne! I hope you try them!
Megan Keno
The holidays are such a busy time... These cookies cake bars seem so much more time efficient!
Sara
You said it, Megan! Baking is just ONE of the things on the to-do list around the holidays!
Beth
Oh yes! Been there, frosting like 100 cookies.. this seems way more manageable!
Sara
It is much easier, especially for a larger group!
Jenn @ Peas and Crayons
Sara these are fantastic! I love slice and serve desserts! <3
Sara
Thanks, Jenn! They're super easy to make and the family loves them!
Faith (An Edible Mosaic)
These are so pretty! I love sugar cookies and I bet these would be fun to dress up for the holidays!
Sara
That's the best part, Faith! They can be dressed up for ANY occasion!