Sugar Cookie Bars are a simple bar cookie made with a package of Betty Crocker sugar cookie mix, butter, and eggs topped with a homemade Lofthouse cookie type frosting for a quick and simple treat. These bars were everything I wanted from a non-chocolate treat. The soft centers with browned edges and soft, creamy frosting made these sugar cookie bars perfect.
Since I am not a big baker, I love using mixes to help make sure I am giving myself the best chance at success. A few of my favorite treats made with cake mixes are
Cake Mix Red Velvet Brownies with Cream Cheese Frosting
Christmas Cake Mix Gooey Butter Cookies - Christmas Cookies
Candy Pizza - Cookie Cake Cooking with Kids Recipe
Ingredients for Better Crocker Sugar Cookie Bars Recipe
To make a simple cookie bar with a Better Crocker cookie mix, you will need just some basic ingredients to mix in with the mix.
With these three ingredients, you can make these bar cookies
- Betty Crocker Sugar Cookie Mix - This cookie mix is a 17.5 ounce size mix. I prefer the Betty Crocker mix, but you can find the mix that your family likes.
- Egg - One whole egg that has been brought to room temperature.
- Butter - Room temperature for the butter too. This recipe works best with soft butter, not melted butter.
How to Make Sugar Cookie Bars with a Cookie Mix Recipe
To start, pull that stick of butter out of the fridge about two hours before you want to start baking the cookies. Might as well pull two out - one for the cookies and one for the frosting. You might as well pull the egg out too. But, if you are like me and not a planner, then pre-heat the oven and put the butter on the stove to help soften it. Or microwave it cut into 8 pieces on 30% power in the microwave for 20 seconds at a time until it is soft. I am obviously not an amateur at room temping butter.
Mix the egg, softened butter, and cookie mix together. I recommend using a mixer. It will be a bit crumbly looking but will flatten nicely into a square 9-inch pan.
Then bake the bars at 375° for 25-30 minutes. If you have a convection oven it may take a little less time. Just watch to make sure the edges don't get too dark.
Let cool for at least 30 minutes before frosting the cookie bars.
How to Make Lofthouse Cookie Frosting
Now when it comes to the icing for these sugar cookie bars, nothing will do except a Lofthouse cookie copycat recipe. The ingredients are simple for this frosting.
- Powdered sugar - Plain powdered sugar, but I will say sifting the powdered sugar through a wire mesh handheld strainer makes it easier to make a smooth icing.
- Butter - Softened to room temperature once again.
- Heavy Cream - Milk or half and half cream will work too in this frosting recipe.
- Vanilla - 100% pure vanilla extract is my preference to have a purer flavor
- Sprinkles - Decorate these bars with your favorite sprinkles.
Mix the combination of powdered sugar, butter, and cream together. Then add the vanilla flavoring. I like this frosting a bit stiffer, but if you want it a bit thinner icing, add more cream.
After the bars have cooled, you can begin frosting them.
Once they are frosted completely, add sprinkles to make them more festive. Obviously, these can be made any time of year, so any color of sprinkles will work. The Christmas sugar cookie bars of course sprinkled with red and green sprinkles.
Cut into small squares by making 3 cuts going both directions to form 16 bars.
These will be a big hit for all of your friends and family who are looking for a chocolate alternative.
Storing Sugar Cookie Bars
These sugar cookie bars can definitely be made ahead of time and frozen or refrigerated. Here is the key though, don't frost them until you are ready to serve them.
- Refrigerate Cookie Bars - Keep the bars uncut and in their pan. Cover and place in the refrigerator for up to a week before serving. Wait to frost the sugar cookie bars until you are ready to serve the sugar cookie bars.
- Freezing Cookie Bars - Freeze the whole slab of cookie bars for up to three months before serving. Keep them uncut and unfrosted. Remove from the freezer and thaw on the counter 24 hours before serving. Frost when thawed.
Easy Christmas Cookie Recipes
Easy to make Christmas cookies are the only way I make Christmas cookies. Cake mixes, no-bake, and candies are also routes I go to making Christmas treats even easier.
๐ Recipe
Sugar Cookie Bars
Ingredients
Sugar Cookie Bars
Sugar Cookie Frosting
- 2½ cups powdered sugar
- 8 tablespoons butter at room temperature
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream
- ½ teaspoon vanilla
- sprinkles
Instructions
Sugar Cookie Bars
- Mix together the sugar cookie mix, 8 tablespoons of butter, and egg with a hand mixer.
- Spread out in a greased or parchment paper lined 9 inch square pan.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes on 375°
- Cool for 30 minutes before frosting.
Sugar Cookie Frosting
- Make the frosting by mixing together the powdered sugar, cream, butter, and vanilla. Add more cream to reach the consitency of frosting you desire.
- Spread the frosting on the cooled cookie bars.
- Sprinkle with sprinkles to decorate.
Video
Nutrition
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George Smith
The cookies are great. On this page in Pinterest I see the egg and vanilla listed as ingredients but on the recipe proper that is printed out the egg is left off as well as the vanilla in the frosting. I love following your ideas.
Leah
Yes, 1 egg. I totally left it off the recipe. Thank you for catching it!