These Frosted Sugar Cookie Bars are loved by kids of all ages. The, not too sweet, vanilla cookie bottom, is slathered with a fluffy frosting flavored with almond extract. Totally customizable for any holiday, this large batch is perfect for parties and feeding a crowd!
Back in 2012, when I first made this Frosted Sugar Cookie Bars, I made them all the time! When I first found the recipe on Pinterest, it was around Halloween, and I made them and tinted the frosting orange and topped them with Halloween sprinkles. Everyone LOVED them.
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This photo is from the very first time I made these cookie bars. I love how customizable they are!
I told my friend, Betsy, about them. She tried the recipe and told me she added a bit of almond extract to them, too. The original recipe called only for vanilla extract. We had the Halloween party coming that week, at my husband’s office, and I knew I would make them again.
Four days later, I did. This time I tinted them lime green and added some other Halloween colored sprinkles. The addition if the almond extract was a winner. I love that hint of almond extract in a sugar cookies. They are perfect for get togethers and parties, because they make a bunch!
These sugar cookie bars are made in a 13×18 jelly roll/half sheet pan. They feed a lot of people and depending on how small you cut them, you can get even more from them than I did.
This past weekend, we attended an engagement party for my oldest daughter and her fiancé. It was hosted by a few people in the wedding party and held at her friend, Lexi’s house. They grilled burgers, and the rest was a potluck.
I was trying to decide what to bring, and decided on something sweet, as there were lots of salads. I made these, and my Pineapple Pretzel Fluff.
I cut mine a little larger and still was able to get about 35 bars from them. Cutting them in smaller squares could easily get you twice that many!
Serve them right out of the pan, or cut them and plate them.
Ingredients in Frosted Sugar Cookie Bars:
- butter, eggs, milk
- sugar, flour, powdered sugar
- salt, baking powder
- vanilla and almond extract
- shortening
- food coloring and sprinkles (optional)
You can make these without a stand mixer, but they really help. It makes a lot of batter, and it’ll give your hand mixer a workout. Just mix in the dry ingredients a little at a time, and that hand mixer will do just fine.
Make sure you pin them so you can find them again!
Surely you have something to celebrate with a Frosted Sugar Bar? How would you decorate them?
This is another old picture. I love the Tiffany blue color of the frosting I used this time. So many options with these cookie bars!
This recipe has served me well over the years. It’s got me through many a bake sale, class party and family reunion.
Love Sugar Cookies? Us, too! Here are some other sugar cookies you will enjoy!
- Old Fashioned Frosted Sour Cream Sugar Cookies
- Grandma Davis’ Sugar Cookies
- Great Aunt Vern’s Sugar Cookies
- Sugar Cookie Bars with White Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting
- Sweet Potato Sugar Cookies with Marshmallow Frosting
Let’s get to the recipe! 
Yield: 35 large cookie squares
Frosted Sugar Cookie Bars
These Frosted Sugar Cookie Bars are loved by kids of all ages. The, not too sweet, vanilla cookie bottom, is slathered with a fluffy frosting flavored with almond extract. Totally customizable for any holiday, this large batch is perfect for parties and feeding a crowd!
Prep Time
10 minutes
Cook Time
15 minutes
Total Time
25 minutes
Ingredients
For the Cookies
- 2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
- 2 cups sugar
- 4 eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract (can add 1/2 teaspoon almond extract if desired)
- 5 cups flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
For the Frosting
- 1 stick unsalted butter, softened
- 1/2 cup shortening
- 1 teaspoon vanilla or almond extract
- pinch of salt
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 5 Tablespoons milk
- food coloring and sprinkles, optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees
- For the cookies: Cream together butter and sugar. Add vanilla and eggs, and beat well.
- Combine dry ingredients in a separate bowl, and gradually add to creamed mixture, mixing well.
- Spread into greased 13×18 pan, bake for 10-15 minutes, or until golden brown.
- Cool, and then frost.
- For the frosting: In a mixer, cream together butter and shortening, add extract and salt.
- Add powdered sugar and milk a little at a time, mixing until fluffy.
- Can tint with food coloring if desired. Top with sprinkles if you choose.
Notes
I typically add a little bit of almond extract to the cookie batter, too. But it's totally up to you! If you prefer the vanilla option, omit it all together.
I cut into larger bars, and get 35 bars. You can cut into smaller squares and get twice that many if you choose.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield:
35Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 265Total Fat: 12gSaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 44mgSodium: 82mgCarbohydrates: 38gFiber: 0gSugar: 24gProtein: 3g
Nutrition isn't guaranteed accurate.
original recipe from A Little Bit Crunchy, A Little Bit Rock & Roll
If you make this recipe, I’d love to know! Snap a picture, share the photo on social media with the hashtag #AnAffairFromTheHeart – I’d love to see what you made! – Michaela
Sweet and Savory Eats says
What an easy recipe! I need to make these for our next big gathering:)
Michaela says
They are PERFECT for that!! Great bake sale item too!!
BeBetsy says
These are the kind of cookies that I would eat until I was sick. 🙂 Denise
Michaela says
Denise,
That’s why it’s HARD to have them around! 😉 I am such a COOKIE MONSTER!!
Winnie says
how lovely these cookies look!! I loooooooove the frosting
Bobbi Burleson says
Oh my goodness!! Yummmmmm!! Thank you for sharing this on Manic Monday!!
Dot says
These are so easy and I absolutely love that I can change the colors and sprinkles for individual occasions.
Elaine says
I am sure these bars will be a hit among adults just as much as they are among kids. They look absolutely fantastic, and I am really excited to try them one of these days!
Irina says
Your Sugar Cookie Bars sound delicious! The best idea for the upcoming party dinner. Thanks for sharing!
Dannii says
How cute are these! I bet kids would love to help with making these as well.
Jennifer says
What fun cookie bars for parties! I love how versatile the recipe is. Like you said, you can tint the icing and serve them for just about any occasion!
kim says
What a fun party treat! My kids would love these!
Sara Welch says
What a light and flavorful recipe! Perfectly refreshing and easy too!
Nathan says
These look amazing, My family would love these! definitely need to try!
Pam Greer says
We make these for every occasion too! They are so good and so easy to change up a bit!
Cookilicious says
They look so tempting..great after school snack too!
Deb Clark says
Can’t have a party without some sprinkles and I’d be standing in line for these sweet bites! what a terrific cookie and so easy to make in bar form – love ’em!
Julie Menghini says
We love these cookies. They’re so easy to make and take. Everyone always asks for the recipe. I find that the kiddos love helping with the sprinkles too!
Sandra says
Love that these can be made all year long and decorated differently! That Tiffany blue version you made is so cool! Congratulations to your daughter!!
Michaela Kenkel says
Thank you, Sandra!
Jennifer A Stewart says
I used to love getting these from the grocery store as a kid. I would try and get two by waiting for the bakery clerk to change but it never worked. Now I can make these at home and eat as many as I want!
Sue Pittrich says
I’m going to cut the recipe in half and use a smaller pan. Probably an 8×8. Can’t wait to try them!
Michaela Kenkel says
I’d love to hear what you think!