The scent of butter and sugar baking in the oven always feels like December magic. These Christmas Sugar Cookie Bars bring that cozy feeling straight to your kitchen. They’re soft, buttery, and topped with creamy frosting that melts as you take a bite. Perfect for cookie swaps, school treats, or a quiet night with cocoa and fairy lights.
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love These Cookie Bars
You’ll love these cookie bars because they taste like holiday cheer in every bite. They bake up thick and soft, just like your favorite bakery-style sugar cookies. Even better, you don’t need to chill the dough, so you can start baking right away. You can also change the frosting color and sprinkles to fit any holiday theme.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Sugar Cookie Base
- Butter (softened): ½ cup
- Granulated sugar: ½ cup
- Brown sugar: 2 tbsp
- Egg (large): 1
- Vanilla extract: 2 tsp
- Almond extract: ¼ tsp
- Baking powder: ½ tsp
- All-purpose flour: 1¼ cups
- Cornstarch: 1 tbsp
- Salt: ¼ tsp
Buttercream Frosting
- Butter (softened): 4 tbsp
- Powdered sugar: 1 cup
- Heavy cream (cold): 3 tbsp
- Vanilla extract: 1 tsp
- Christmas sprinkles: as needed
How to Make Christmas Sugar Cookie Bars
Step 1 – Make the Dough
Start by preheating your oven to 350°F. Line an 8×8 inch pan with parchment or foil. Cream the butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar together until smooth and fluffy. Add the egg, vanilla extract, and almond extract. Mix well.
In another bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, cornstarch, and salt. Then fold the dry ingredients into the butter mixture until just combined. The dough should be soft but thick. Spread it evenly into your prepared pan.
Step 2 – Bake the Bars
Bake for about 15 minutes. The center might look slightly underbaked, and that’s okay. It will continue to set as it cools. Let the bars cool completely before frosting.
Step 3 – Frost and Decorate
In a mixing bowl, whip the softened butter with powdered sugar until smooth. Add the heavy cream and vanilla extract. Continue to whip until the frosting becomes light and fluffy. Spread it generously over the cooled cookie bars.
Sprinkle with colorful Christmas sprinkles. Chill for a few minutes if you want the frosting to firm up or slice and serve right away.
Variations & Holiday Add-Ins
You can easily make these cookie bars your own. Try tinting the frosting green or red for a fun look. Add mini chocolate chips to the dough for a sweet crunch. Or spread a layer of cream cheese frosting instead for extra richness. You can even decorate with themed sprinkles for Valentine’s, Easter, or birthdays.
For another festive idea, try my festive gingerbread cheesecake cookies for your holiday dessert table. They make a lovely pair with these sugar cookie bars.
Storage & Freezing Tips
Store your frosted bars in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 7 days. To freeze, place parchment between layers of bars to keep them from sticking. When ready to serve, let them rest at room temperature until the frosting softens.
FAQs
Can I make these ahead?
Yes, you can! Bake and frost them a day or two in advance. Store them covered in the fridge, then let them come to room temperature before serving.
Why is the center soft?
That soft center gives the bars their chewy, cookie-like texture. The edges stay slightly firm while the middle stays tender. It’s exactly what makes them so good.
Can I use cream cheese frosting?
Absolutely. Cream cheese frosting adds a tangy flavor that pairs beautifully with the buttery cookie base. Just be sure the bars are fully cooled before spreading it on.
Christmas Sugar Cookie Bars Recipe Card
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Christmas Sugar Cookie Bars – Soft, Sweet & Irresistible
- Total Time: 60 minutes
- Yield: 16 bars 1x
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
Soft, buttery Christmas Sugar Cookie Bars topped with creamy vanilla frosting and colorful sprinkles. These festive cookie bars bake quickly with no dough chilling — perfect for holiday gifting or sharing.
Ingredients
Butter, softened: 1/2 cup
Granulated sugar: 1/2 cup
Brown sugar: 2 tbsp
Egg, large: 1
Vanilla extract: 2 tsp
Almond extract: 1/4 tsp
Baking powder: 1/2 tsp
All-purpose flour: 1 1/4 cups
Cornstarch: 1 tbsp
Salt: 1/4 tsp
Frosting:
Butter, softened: 4 tbsp
Powdered sugar: 1 cup
Heavy cream, cold: 3 tbsp
Vanilla extract: 1 tsp
Christmas sprinkles: as needed
Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line an 8×8 inch pan with parchment or foil.
2. In a large bowl, cream together butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until smooth.
3. Add egg, vanilla extract, and almond extract. Beat until combined.
4. In a separate bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, cornstarch, and salt.
5. Fold dry ingredients into wet ingredients until just combined.
6. Spread dough evenly into prepared pan.
7. Bake for 15 minutes. The center should look slightly underbaked.
8. Let bars cool completely in the pan.
9. For frosting: beat butter and powdered sugar until smooth.
10. Add heavy cream and vanilla, then whip until light and fluffy.
11. Spread frosting over cooled bars and top with Christmas sprinkles.
12. Chill to set frosting or slice and serve immediately.
Notes
No chilling required for the dough.
Customize colors and sprinkles for any holiday.
Optional add-ins: mini chocolate chips or cream cheese frosting.
Storage: airtight in fridge for up to 7 days.
Freezing: freeze frosted bars with parchment between layers.
Let bars rest at room temperature before serving for best texture.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Easy & Decadent Christmas Desserts
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bar
- Calories: 210
- Sugar: 20 g
- Sodium: 70 mg
- Fat: 10 g
- Saturated Fat: 6 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 28 g
- Fiber: 0 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 35 mg
More Such Recipes
If you love easy Christmas treats, check out my easy Christmas fudge recipe that’s perfect for gifting, colorful red velvet blossom cookies for your cookie box, or classic Christmas candy cane cookies with a twist.
Final Thoughts
These Christmas Sugar Cookie Bars bring joy with every bite. They’re easy to make, simple to share, and so pretty on a plate. Wrap a few in parchment and gift them to a neighbor, or serve them beside cocoa after dinner. However you enjoy them, they’ll fill your kitchen with warmth and sweetness.
Follow along for more cozy baking ideas on Pinterest and Facebook.
