Easy Festive Christmas Sugar Cookie Bars
These sugar cookie bars are a quick and easy holiday treat with buttery vanilla flavor and festive sprinkles, perfect for family gatherings and gifting.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 25-30 minutes
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 16 bars 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 ½ cups (310g) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup (227g) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon almond extract (optional)
- ½ cup festive sprinkles
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9×13-inch pan or line it with parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, beat the softened butter and granulated sugar with an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
- Beat in the eggs one at a time, then add vanilla extract and almond extract (if using). Mix until just combined.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing on low speed or folding with a spatula until just combined. Do not overmix.
- Spread the batter evenly in the prepared pan using a spatula.
- Sprinkle the festive sprinkles evenly over the top, pressing lightly so they stick but do not sink.
- Bake for 25–30 minutes until edges are lightly golden and a toothpick inserted near the center comes out with a few moist crumbs.
- Cool completely in the pan on a wire rack for at least 30 minutes before slicing into squares.
Notes
Use softened butter for easy mixing and spreading. Do not overmix the batter to keep bars tender. Let bars cool completely before slicing to avoid crumbling. For vegan or dairy-free versions, use dairy-free butter and egg replacer. Gluten-free flour can be substituted 1:1 for all-purpose flour. Check bars at 22 minutes to avoid overbaking.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bar (1/16 of recip
- Calories: 220
- Fat: 10
- Carbohydrates: 30
- Protein: 2
Keywords: sugar cookie bars, holiday baking, Christmas cookies, festive treats, easy cookie bars, vanilla sugar bars, holiday dessert