Nothing says holiday cheer quite like a batch of homemade, buttery treats fresh from the oven. This Christmas Sugar Cookie Bars Recipe is my go-to for sharing sweet festive vibes without the fuss of rolling out individual cookies. The bars are soft, flavorful, and topped with colorful sprinkles that instantly bring joy to any holiday gathering.
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
I've made countless sugar cookies over the years, but these Christmas Sugar Cookie Bars won me over for their simplicity and festive charm. They taste like classic sugar cookies but are incredibly easy to make in a single pan, perfect for busy holiday days.
- Easy to Make: No rolling, cutting, or chilling dough — just mix, spread, bake.
- Soft, Chewy Texture: Thanks to cream cheese and the right balance of ingredients, these bars stay tender.
- Customizable Frosting: The creamy frosting can be colored and decorated to suit your holiday style.
- Perfect for Sharing: Cut into squares for easy snacking, cookie swaps, or gift boxes.
Ingredients & Why They Work
The magic behind this Christmas Sugar Cookie Bars Recipe is really in the ingredients. Each one plays a special role in achieving that soft texture and classic flavor we love around the holidays. Plus, the sprinkles add a fun, festive touch that’s both nostalgic and cheerful.
- Unsalted Butter: Softened butter adds richness and helps create that tender crumb, and controlling the salt lets you balance flavors perfectly.
- Granulated Sugar: Adds just the right sweetness and helps with creaming to create a light, fluffy base.
- Eggs: Bind everything together and add moisture.
- Cream Cheese: This is my secret weapon for extra tenderness and a slight tang that elevates the cookie flavor.
- Vanilla Extract: A classic that enhances all the flavors.
- Flour: Use spooned and leveled flour for accuracy; it builds the structure.
- Baking Powder: Provides a little lift, so the bars aren’t too dense.
- Salt: Balances the sweetness and prevents a flat taste.
- Christmas Jimmies (Sprinkles): Adds festive color and a bit of crunch wrapped in holiday spirit.
- For the Frosting Ingredients: Butter, powdered sugar, heavy cream, vanilla, salt, optional food coloring, and sprinkles come together for that creamy, dreamy finish.
Make It Your Way
One of the best things about this Christmas Sugar Cookie Bars Recipe is how easy it is to tailor to your taste. I like to experiment with types of sprinkles or even try adding a pinch of cinnamon for a warm holiday twist.
- Variation: Once, I swapped the vanilla for almond extract and topped with crushed peppermint candy—guests loved the festive surprise!
- Dietary Tweaks: For a dairy-free twist, try plant-based butter and cream cheese alternatives; texture might change slightly but still delicious.
- Seasonal Changes: Swap out sprinkles for nuts or dried cranberries to suit different holidays or tastes.
Step-by-Step: How I Make Christmas Sugar Cookie Bars Recipe
Step 1: Creaming the Butter and Sugar
Start by softening your butter—room temperature is key here. Beat it with the sugar for about 3 minutes until it's light and fluffy; this step is crucial for that tender texture later on. I like to use my stand mixer, but a handheld one works fine.
Step 2: Adding Eggs, Cream Cheese & Vanilla
Next, add in the eggs one at a time, then mix in the softened cream cheese and vanilla extract until everything is smoothly combined. Don't rush this—you want that cream cheese well blended to keep the bars soft and moist.
Step 3: Mixing Dry Ingredients and Folding in Sprinkles
Whisk together your flour, baking powder, and salt separately. Gradually add this dry mix into your wet ingredients. When it just comes together, fold in your Christmas jimmies gently—this keeps the sprinkles colorful and prevents bleeding.
Step 4: Baking the Bars
Press the dough evenly into a greased or parchment-lined 9x13 pan. I like to lightly grease the pan and then line with parchment for an easy lift-out. Bake at 375°F for about 15-17 minutes, watching closely so edges just start to turn golden—overbaking will dry them out.
Step 5: Preparing the Frosting
While the bars cool completely, whip up the frosting. Beat butter, powdered sugar, heavy cream, vanilla, and salt together until creamy and fluffy. Add a couple drops of food coloring if you want a fun festive hue. I find beating a little longer makes the frosting extra smooth and easier to spread.
Step 6: Frosting and Decorating
Spread the frosting evenly over the cooled bars, then sprinkle with more Christmas sprinkles or even little holiday candies like M&Ms. Let the frosting set a bit before slicing to keep your edges neat.
Top Tip
From my many attempts, I've learned these few tricks really help bring this Christmas Sugar Cookie Bars Recipe to the next level and keep the process smooth and stress-free:
- Softened Ingredients: Make sure both butter and cream cheese are softened before mixing so the batter blends perfectly without lumps.
- Don’t Overbeat the Flour: Mix the dry ingredients just until combined to keep the texture tender, not tough.
- Cool Completely Before Frosting: Frosting warm bars can melt and slide off, so patience here pays off.
- Use Parchment Paper: It makes cleanup a breeze and helps you lift bars out without breaking them.
How to Serve Christmas Sugar Cookie Bars Recipe
Garnishes
I love topping these bars with a mix of classic Christmas jimmies and a few festive candies like mini M&Ms or crushed peppermint. It adds not only color but a fun texture contrast that everyone enjoys.
Side Dishes
These bars shine on their own, but I like to serve them alongside hot cocoa or mulled cider for a cozy treat setup. They also pair beautifully with a simple bowl of fresh fruit for a balance of flavors.
Creative Ways to Present
Try layering these bars in festive tins tied with ribbon for gifts, or stack on a pretty platter with holiday wax paper between layers. I’ve even trimmed them with cute little cookie cutters post-frosting for unique shapes at parties.
Make Ahead and Storage
Storing Leftovers
I store leftover cookie bars in an airtight container at room temperature—usually they stay fresh and chewy for about 3-4 days. Keeping them covered well prevents drying out, which is key with frosted bars.
Freezing
If I want to prep ahead, I freeze the plain, unfrosted bars wrapped tightly in foil and plastic wrap. When ready to serve, I thaw them fully, then add the frosting fresh. This keeps the frosting nice and creamy.
Reheating
Frosted bars are best served at room temp, but if you like them a little warm, I gently microwave a square for about 10 seconds. Be careful not to overheat, or the frosting might melt too much and get messy.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Absolutely! Regular sprinkles work fine, just be mindful they might bleed color a bit more when mixed into the batter. I prefer jimmies for their stability and festive look.
Make sure to bake the bars only until the edges start to turn golden, typically 15-17 minutes. Overbaking is the most common cause of dry bars. Also, using cream cheese in the dough keeps the texture moist and tender.
You can substitute the all-purpose flour for a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend, but be aware the texture might be a bit different. I recommend chilling the dough slightly before baking to help with spread.
Cream cheese adds moisture and richness, making the bars softer and giving them a subtle tangy depth that enhances the classic sugar cookie flavor. It’s a simple addition that makes a big difference.
Final Thoughts
This Christmas Sugar Cookie Bars Recipe has become a little holiday tradition in my house. It’s the perfect blend of classic cookie flavor, festive fun, and easy prep that anyone can master. Trust me, once you try these bars, they’ll be on your repeat list for every holiday season to come. Go ahead, whip up a pan, and share the cozy sweetness with those you love!
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Christmas Sugar Cookie Bars Recipe
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 17 minutes
- Total Time: 22 minutes
- Yield: 20 servings
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
These festive Christmas Sugar Cookie Bars combine soft, buttery sugar cookie dough with a creamy vanilla frosting and colorful holiday sprinkles, perfect for holiday gatherings and celebrations.
Ingredients
For the Sugar Cookie Bars:
- ¾ cup unsalted butter (softened)
- 1 ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 2 oz cream cheese (softened)
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 ½ cups flour (spooned and leveled)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup Christmas jimmies
For The Frosting:
- ½ cup butter (softened)
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 3-4 TBS heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- 3-5 drops food coloring (optional)
- 2 TBS assorted Christmas sprinkles
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit and line a 9x13 pan with parchment paper.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: In a large mixing bowl, cream together the softened butter and granulated sugar for about 3 minutes until light and fluffy.
- Add Wet Ingredients: Add in the eggs, softened cream cheese, and vanilla extract, mixing until fully combined.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt, then gradually add this to the wet mixture, stirring until a soft dough forms.
- Fold in Sprinkles: Gently fold the Christmas jimmies into the dough to incorporate the festive colors evenly.
- Spread Dough: Press the dough evenly into the prepared 9x13 baking dish using your hands or a rubber spatula.
- Bake Bars: Bake for 17 minutes or until the edges just start to turn golden; then allow the bars to cool completely in the pan.
- Prepare Frosting: Beat together butter, powdered sugar, heavy cream, vanilla extract, and salt until fluffy and creamy; add food coloring if desired and continue beating to incorporate.
- Frost Bars: Spread the frosting evenly over the cooled sugar cookie bars.
- Add Toppings: Sprinkle with assorted Christmas sprinkles or holiday candies for extra festive flair.
- Serve: Cut the frosted bars into squares and serve.
Notes
- Make sure the butter and cream cheese are softened to room temperature for easy mixing and smooth batter texture.
- Do not overbake; bars should be just golden on the edges to keep them soft and chewy.
- Use parchment paper for easy removal and cleanup.
- Adjust heavy cream in frosting to achieve desired consistency—less for thicker frosting, more for thinner spread.
- Food coloring is optional but adds a festive touch to the frosting.
- Store bars in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or refrigerate for up to a week.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bar
- Calories: 250 kcal
- Sugar: 20 g
- Sodium: 130 mg
- Fat: 12 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 33 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 40 mg
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