Chewy Sugar Cookie Bars Recipe for Soft, Gooey Squares

These sugar cookie bars are soft, flavorful, and slightly chewy. They’re delightful to make, decorate, and enjoy.

Why it works

These bars have a tender, soft crumb with a pleasant chew and bursts of color from sprinkles in both the cookie and the frosting. A small amount of cornstarch keeps the dough light, puffy, and tender—it’s a simple trick I use in many soft cookie recipes. The cornstarch helps control structure without weighing the bars down.

Cream cheese contributes tang, richness, and moisture while helping maintain that soft, slightly chewy texture. Using cream cheese in both the dough and the frosting elevates the flavor and mouthfeel.

Another advantage is that the dough does not require chilling before baking. Because you press the dough into the pan, spread isn’t a concern. If you prefer to bake later, you can chill or freeze the dough—see the storage section for details on saving the dough for later use.

Ingredients

This recipe uses common pantry staples—most of these you likely already have on hand.

• Flour — All-purpose or white whole wheat flour works fine. Bleached or unbleached is okay.
• Cornstarch — Adds tenderness and helps the bars stay light and puffy. Arrowroot can be used as a substitute.
• Sugar — Granulated sugar is used in the cookie; powdered sugar is used for the frosting. I don’t recommend brown sugar or substitutes for this recipe.
• Butter — Unsalted butter provides richness and flavor. Avoid margarine for best results.
• Cream cheese — Adds moisture, tang, and a soft texture. Use full-fat block cream cheese for best results.
• Eggs — Provide structure, moisture, and chew.
• Leavening — A small amount of baking powder helps prevent a dense texture.
• Vanilla — Pure vanilla extract is the primary flavor in both cookie and frosting.
• Salt — Salt enhances flavor and balances sweetness; fine sea salt is recommended.

And of course, sprinkles—add as many as you like. (The original recipe author notes a homemade sprinkle recipe is available elsewhere.)

Tips

Use real unsalted butter, softened to room temperature; margarine generally won’t produce the same texture or flavor. Use full-fat block cream cheese—lower-fat versions contain more water and can make the dough or frosting runny.

FAQs

Storage

This recipe stores very well. Chilling the dough can deepen the flavor if you want to bake later. Unbaked dough can be refrigerated up to three days or frozen for up to a month—wrap tightly in plastic wrap and place in an airtight container.

Once baked and cooled, bars can be kept at room temperature in an airtight container for up to a week when frosted. Refrigerating cut bars is not recommended because it dries them out; instead, freeze cut bars if you plan to store them longer. For freezing, place cut bars on a baking tray to freeze solid, then transfer to an airtight container or freezer bag. Thaw at room temperature in a single layer.

Related recipes

If you enjoy these sugar cookie bars, try other sugar cookie variations such as lemon sugar cookies, sprinkle sugar cookies, chocolate sugar cookies, or Nutella-stuffed sugar cookies. You might also like edible cookie dough or other no-bake treat variations.

Recipe Card

Sugar Cookie Bars

Yield:
24 bars

Prep Time:
25 minutes

Cook Time:
25 minutes

Total Time:
50 minutes

These fun and delicious sugar cookie bars are perfect for gatherings and everyday treats.

Ingredients

Sugar Cookie Bars

• 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
• 3 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
• 1 ⅓ cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• 2 tablespoons sprinkles

Cream Cheese Frosting

• ½ cup unsalted butter, room temperature
• 4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
• 3 cups powdered sugar
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1 ½ teaspoon vanilla
• lemon zest, optional
• 3–4 tablespoons heavy cream

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line the bottom of a 9 x 13-inch sheet pan with parchment paper.
2. Beat the butter, cream cheese, and granulated sugar together until light and fluffy.
3. Add the eggs and vanilla, then beat for about 2 more minutes.
4. Whisk the flour, cornstarch, salt, and baking powder in a separate bowl.
5. Mix the dry ingredients into the butter mixture until just combined and no streaks of flour remain.
6. Fold in the sprinkles with a rubber spatula.
7. Press the dough evenly into the prepared sheet pan.
8. Bake for about 25 minutes, or until the top is just lightly golden brown.
9. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely.
10. While the cookie cools, make the frosting.
11. Beat the butter and cream cheese together until smooth and combined.
12. Add the powdered sugar, salt, and vanilla; add lemon zest if using.
13. Mix until smooth and fully combined.
14. Add heavy cream a tablespoon at a time until the frosting reaches a smooth, spreadable consistency.
15. Spread the frosting over the cooled cookie and cut into bars.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 24
Serving Size: 1

Amount Per Serving:
Calories: 298
Total Fat: 16g
Saturated Fat: 10g
Trans Fat: 0g
Unsaturated Fat: 5g
Cholesterol: 57mg
Sodium: 111mg
Carbohydrates: 37g
Fiber: 0g
Sugar: 26g
Protein: 3g

Calculations are estimates; use your own brand-specific numbers for precise nutrition facts.