Festive & Easy Christmas Sugar Cookie Bars: Your Ultimate Holiday Baking Guide

Embrace the joyful spirit of the season with these utterly irresistible Christmas Sugar Cookie Bars. Imagine a soft, buttery sugar cookie base, generously topped with a velvety, homemade frosting, and adorned with vibrant festive sprinkles. These delightful bars capture all the beloved flavors of traditional sugar cookies but offer a significantly simpler approach, making them the perfect holiday treat for busy bakers and festive gatherings alike. They’re designed for effortless enjoyment, cut into easy-to-eat squares that are perfect for sharing at parties, gifting to neighbors, or simply savoring with a warm cup of cocoa.

Every bite of these decadent bars delivers that classic sugar cookie comfort you crave, elevated by a thick, creamy layer of frosting. The soft, chewy texture of the cookie dough, combined with the smooth, sweet frosting, creates an absolutely delicious experience. What truly makes this dessert shine for the holidays are the cheerful Christmas sprinkles, transforming a simple bake into a visually stunning and incredibly festive centerpiece. These bars come together quickly and easily, proving that impressive holiday treats don’t have to be complicated. They are thick, soft, and guaranteed to become a new favorite in your holiday baking repertoire.

Our family adores sugar cookie bars throughout the year, from classic Sugar Cookie Bars to refreshing Strawberry Lemonade Sugar Cookie Bars. This special holiday rendition, however, is particularly beautiful and always a crowd-pleaser. If you’re looking for more fun holiday options, be sure to also try our Grinch Cookie Bars, and explore our extensive collection of 73 Cookie Bar Recipes for inspiration all year round.

Why You’ll Love This Easy Christmas Cookie Bar Recipe

There are countless reasons why these Christmas Sugar Cookie Bars are a holiday season essential! They deliver incredible flavor without the fuss typically associated with individual sugar cookies. This easy cookie bar recipe is a time-saving marvel, perfect for when you want a homemade treat but are short on time during the busy festive period. They consistently look absolutely stunning on any dessert table, making them ideal for holiday parties, potlucks, or even as thoughtful edible gifts.

Get ready to make these holiday favorites today. Their versatility means you can effortlessly change the sprinkles to match any occasion, allowing you to enjoy this fantastic recipe year-round, from birthdays to Halloween. Each bite offers a wonderfully tasty and decadent experience that will have everyone asking for the recipe. Their festive and gorgeous appearance, combined with their delightful taste, means that once you try these sugar cookie bars, they’re likely to become a cherished annual tradition for your family.

Essential Ingredients for the Best Christmas Sugar Cookie Bars

For the Perfect Sugar Cookie Base

• Unsalted Butter: Always opt for real unsalted butter for the best flavor and texture. Ensure it’s softened at room temperature, but not melted, for optimal creaming with the sugar. Room temperature butter incorporates more air, leading to a lighter, fluffier cookie.
• Granulated Sugar: This provides the classic sweetness and contributes to the crisp-chewy texture of the sugar cookie bars.
• Large Egg: A single large egg helps bind the ingredients and adds richness. Like butter, a room-temperature egg emulsifies better with the other ingredients, resulting in a smoother, more uniform dough.
• Vanilla Extract: Pure vanilla extract is crucial for that signature, warm sugar cookie flavor. Invest in good quality pure vanilla for the best taste.
• All-Purpose Flour: The foundation of our cookie bars. When measuring, spoon the flour into your measuring cup and level it off with a straight edge. This prevents over-packing the flour, which can lead to dry, dense cookies.
• Baking Powder: Our leavening agent, ensuring the cookie bars rise beautifully and achieve that desirable soft and thick texture.
• Salt: A pinch of salt balances the sweetness of the sugar and enhances all the other flavors in the cookie.

For the Creamy & Festive Frosting

• Unsalted Butter: Again, use softened, real unsalted butter as the base for a rich, flavorful buttercream frosting.
• Powdered Sugar: Also known as confectioners’ sugar, this is key for achieving a smooth, melt-in-your-mouth frosting texture. I highly recommend sifting it to prevent any lumps.
• Milk: A small amount of milk helps to thin the frosting to a smooth, spreadable consistency. Whole milk is often preferred for richness, but reduced-fat milk works just as well.
• Vanilla Extract: Adds a lovely depth of flavor to the frosting, complementing the cookie base perfectly.
• Christmas Sprinkles: The festive touch! Choose your favorite blend of red, green, and white sprinkles, nonpareils, jimmies, or sanding sugar to make these bars truly shine.

You can find the precise measurements for all these ingredients in the detailed recipe card at the bottom of the page.

Creative Additions and Simple Substitutions for Your Holiday Cookie Bars

One of the best things about this Christmas sugar cookie bar recipe is how adaptable it is. Feel free to get creative with these delicious additions and substitutions to make them uniquely yours, or to suit any holiday or preference:

• Food Coloring: Add a few drops of gel food coloring to your frosting to achieve vibrant holiday hues. Red or green frosting would be absolutely beautiful for Christmas, or mix both for a marbled effect.
• Diverse Sprinkles: Don’t limit yourself to just one type! Experiment with different kinds of Christmas sprinkles – festive nonpareils, sparkly sanding sugar, or even edible glitter. Beyond Christmas, easily transform these bars for other celebrations by swapping out sprinkles for Valentine’s Day hearts, Easter pastels, Halloween themes, or birthday party colors.
• Christmas M&M’s: For an extra special festive touch, top your bars with red and green M&M’s. You can use them instead of sprinkles, combine both for maximum holiday cheer, or even fold a cup of mini M&M’s into the cookie dough before baking for an added burst of chocolatey color.
• Flavor Extracts: Introduce a new dimension of flavor. Try adding a ¼ to ½ teaspoon of almond extract to the cookie dough or frosting for a subtle nutty note that pairs wonderfully with vanilla. Peppermint extract would also be a fantastic choice for a truly minty holiday treat.
• Cream Cheese Frosting: For a tangy and rich alternative, substitute the classic buttercream with a luscious cream cheese icing. The slight tanginess beautifully cuts through the sweetness of the sugar cookie.
• Store-Bought Frosting: While homemade icing is incredibly quick and easy to prepare and offers superior flavor, you can certainly opt for a good quality store-bought frosting if you’re truly pressed for time. Just ensure it’s a smooth, spreadable variety.
• White Chocolate Chips or Peppermint Bark: Stir a cup of white chocolate chips into the cookie dough before baking, or melt white chocolate and drizzle it over the frosted bars for an elegant finish. Crushed peppermint candies or peppermint bark pieces can also be sprinkled on top of the frosting for a refreshing crunch and festive flavor.
• Citrus Zest: For a brighter, more aromatic cookie, add the zest of one lemon or orange to your cookie dough. The citrus notes will add a lovely counterpoint to the sweetness.

How to Make Perfect Christmas Sugar Cookie Bars: A Step-by-Step Guide

Making these festive cookie bars is straightforward and rewarding. Follow these simple steps for a truly delicious holiday treat:

• Step 1: Prepare Your Oven and Pan. Begin by preheating your oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a 9×13-inch baking pan with butter or cooking spray. You can also line it with parchment paper for easy removal and cleaner cuts, leaving an overhang on the sides.

Step 2: Cream Butter and Sugar. In a large mixing bowl, using an electric mixer, cream together the softened unsalted butter and granulated sugar until the mixture is light, fluffy, and pale in color. This process incorporates air, which is essential for a tender cookie texture. Next, beat in the room-temperature large egg and vanilla extract until well combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.

Step 3: Combine Dry and Wet Ingredients. In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing on low speed until just combined. Be careful not to over-mix, as this can develop the gluten in the flour and result in tough cookie bars. A few streaks of flour are fine; final mixing can be done by hand.

Step 4: Bake the Cookie Base. Evenly spread the cookie dough into your prepared 9×13-inch baking pan. You might find it easiest to press the dough out with your hands or a rubber spatula. Bake for 10-13 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden brown and the center is just set. Avoid over-baking to keep the bars soft and chewy. Once baked, remove the pan from the oven and transfer it to a wire rack to cool completely. This step is crucial before frosting.

Step 5: Prepare the Homemade Frosting. While the cookie base cools, make your delicious frosting. In a clean mixing bowl, cream together the softened unsalted butter and sifted powdered sugar until well combined and smooth. Then, gradually add the milk and vanilla extract, beating on medium-high speed for 1-2 minutes until the frosting is light, fluffy, and wonderfully smooth. If you desire colored frosting, add food coloring now.

Step 6: Frost the Cooled Bars. Once the sugar cookie bars are completely cool (this is essential to prevent the frosting from melting!), generously spread the prepared frosting evenly over the top. Use an offset spatula or the back of a spoon to create smooth swirls or a perfectly flat surface.

Step 7: Decorate and Enjoy! Immediately after frosting, generously sprinkle your chosen Christmas sprinkles over the top. This ensures they adhere nicely to the fresh frosting. Once decorated, the bars are ready to be sliced, served, and enjoyed by all!

Frequently Asked Questions About Christmas Sugar Cookie Bars

Pro Tips for the Best Christmas Sugar Cookie Bars Every Time

Achieving perfectly soft, chewy, and beautifully frosted sugar cookie bars is easy with these expert tips:

• Use Real Butter for Superior Flavor: The recipe specifically calls for real unsalted butter for both the cookie base and the frosting. Avoid substituting with margarine or butter spreads, as they contain different fat and water contents that can significantly alter the taste, texture, and overall quality of your cookie bars.
• Room Temperature Ingredients are Key: Ensure both your butter and egg are at room temperature. Softened butter (not melted!) creams much better with sugar, incorporating more air for a light, tender cookie. Room temperature eggs emulsify more easily into the batter, preventing curdling and resulting in a smoother, more uniform dough and frosting.
• Measure Flour Precisely: Accurate flour measurement is critical. Too much flour is the most common culprit for dry, dense, or crumbly cookie bars. Always use the spoon and level method: spoon the flour into your measuring cup until it overflows, then level off the excess with a straight edge (like the back of a knife). Do not scoop directly from the bag.
• Avoid Overmixing the Dough: Once you add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mix only until just combined. Overmixing develops the gluten in the flour, which can lead to tough, rubbery cookie bars. A few streaks of flour are acceptable, as the dough will finish mixing as you spread it into the pan.
• Experiment with Different Pan Sizes:
  • For a smaller batch: Half the ingredients and use an 8×8-inch baking pan. The baking time generally remains the same, but keep a close eye on them as they might bake a few minutes faster.
  • For thinner bars: Use the regular recipe amount and spread the dough into a larger sheet pan (e.g., 10×15 inches or half-sheet pan). Remember to significantly reduce the baking time, as thinner bars will cook much more quickly.
• Cool Completely Before Frosting: This cannot be stressed enough! The sugar cookie bars must be completely cool to the touch before you attempt to spread the frosting. Applying frosting to warm or even slightly warm bars will cause the frosting to melt, resulting in a messy, runny disaster. Patience is a virtue here.
• Use a Sharp Knife for Clean Cuts: For neat, professional-looking squares, use a sharp, non-serrated knife. For extra clean cuts, you can dip your knife in hot water and wipe it clean between each slice. This works wonders, especially when dealing with sticky frosting.
• Decorate Immediately After Frosting: Sprinkles adhere best to fresh, wet frosting. Once you’ve frosted the bars, add your Christmas sprinkles right away before the frosting begins to set.

More Festive Christmas Desserts to Try

If you’re looking to expand your holiday baking repertoire beyond these delicious sugar cookie bars, we have plenty of other festive treats that are sure to delight:

• Easy Christmas Cake Mix Cookies
• Classic Magic Cookie Bars
• Homemade Christmas Brownies
• Festive Christmas Rice Krispie Treats Recipe
• More Festive Christmas Cookie Bars
• Adorable Christmas Tree Rice Krispie Treats

I am so excited for you to try these decadent Christmas sugar cookie bars! Their simplicity, festive appeal, and incredible taste make them a true holiday gem. Make sure to leave a comment after you try them and let me know how much you loved them!