Patriotic Sugar Cookie Bars
Need a festive and simple dessert? These patriotic sugar cookie bars are easy to make and fun to share. They have a tender, flavorful cookie base, a generous swoop of homemade frosting, and cheerful red, white, and blue sprinkles on top.
Perfectly Patriotic Sugar Cookie Bars
Whether you need to feed a crowd at a neighborhood potluck or summer event or simply want a fun treat to bake with your kids, these Fourth of July-themed sugar cookie bars are sure to hit the spot. They’re easy to make but incredibly delicious, with a tender, sweet sugar cookie base, a luscious layer of frosting, and festive sprinkles to suit the occasion.
These red white and blue cookie bars check so many boxes:
- Quick and easy to make. One bowl, one pan, no chilling or cutting required.
- Made from scratch. I just love a treat that’s homemade but still has no fuss.
- Festive but low-key and just plain fun!
These are absolutely perfect for the 4th of July, but also fun for Memorial Day, Labor Day, and any other Americana-themed celebration. Of course, you can easily swap out the sprinkles for any other color combination and occasion that you like.
Ingredients & Substitutions
Here are a few notes and shopping tips about the ingredients you’ll need to make this, as well as possible substitutions. Full amounts are noted in the print-friendly recipe card below.
- Butter. This adds so much more flavor than oil or shortening, and is used in both the cookies and the frosting.
- Cream cheese. A secret ingredient for adding body and richness to the cookie dough.
- Granulated AND powdered (confectioner’s) sugar. Adding both to the cookie dough is another secret to achieving the soft, cake-like texture, and of course powdered sugar is a base of the frosting as well.
- Egg and milk.
- Almond AND vanilla extract. I love using almond extract in the cookies and vanilla in the frosting. However, if you don’t have and don’t want to buy almond extract, you can use vanilla in both. Pro tip: if you want truly white frosting, use clear imitation vanilla extract. I keep a small bottle of it with my baking supplies for just this purpose.
- All-purpose flour, baking powder, salt. I have not tried making these with gluten-free flour (yet!).
- Red, white, and blue sprinkles. Of course! Mix any form that you like–jimmies, stars, non-pareils, you name it. If I’m planning far enough in advance, I like to buy a sprinkle mix on Amazon for ease, but they are also typically stocked at Target and major grocery and drugstores in the run-up to the 4th of July.
How To Make Soft Sugar Cookies in Bar Form
Ever since perfecting a recipe for soft frosted sugar cookies, I’ve had a minor dilemma. They are so much better tasting than anything store-bought that I don’t bother with the pretty ones that appear in grocery stores for every occasion! The downside? Of course any cookie you have to roll and cut out takes a bit of time, making it sub-ideal for a quick and easy treat.
Fortunately, I’m happy to report that the exact same cookie dough recipe works wonderfully in bar form, making it exponentially easier and allowing the same recipe to feed even more hungry mouths! What a win.
Here are the basic steps. You will find full instructions with exact ingredients in the print-friendly recipe card below.
- Cream together the butter, cream cheese, sugars, egg, and extract.
- Mix in dry ingredients: flour, baking powder, & salt. The dough will be very soft.
- Scrape and press dough evenly across a 9″x13″ baking pan lined with parchment paper.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes at 375 degrees F.
- Beat butter, powdered sugar, milk, and extract together to make the frosting.
- Spread the frosting in an even layer. An offset spatula really makes this easy!
- Add sprinkles, cut into bars, and try not to eat them all at once. I find this the most difficult part. 🙂
Pro Tip: Be sure to let the pan of cookie bars cool completely to room temperature before spreading the frosting! You don’t want the residual heat to cause a literal meltdown.
Storage & Freezing Tips
These bars keep well tightly covered at room temperature for up to 5 days. If not exposed to much air, they will hold onto their soft, tender texture without a problem. If you need to stack them and want to keep the frosting tidy, use sheets of waxed paper or parchment paper in between layers.
You can also freeze the large uncut cookie! Lift it out of the pan, carefully double wrap it in plastic wrap, then wrap it again in aluminum foil or an extra-large freezer-safe bag. Place it gently in your freezer and store for up to 3 months. When ready to proceed, unwrap the cookie, defrost at room temperature, then frost and decorate as desired.
Related Recipes
Looking for more red, white, and blue recipes? A mixed berry galette is an elegant dessert, while red, white, and blue frozen lemonade is a fun tasty treat!
Love the simplicity of a great bar cookie? These carmelita bars are always a run-away hit, and we also love tucking extra bits of candy into these super chewy candy bar blondies. Need an ultra-fast yet elevated classic? Brown butter rice Krispie treats are always a good idea!
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Patriotic Sugar Cookie Bars
Ingredients
For the cookies:
- 3/4 cup butter softened
- 8 ounces cream cheese softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
- 2 and 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
For the frosting:
- 1/3 cup butter softened
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 2 Tablespoons milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract see note
- food coloring if desired
Sprinkles, to finish!
Instructions
- Line a 9"x13" baking pan with parchment paper; set aside. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
- In a large bowl, using a stand or hand mixer, cream together the butter, cream cheese, granulated sugar, powdered sugar, egg, and almond extract until light and fluffy.
- Sprinkle the flour, baking powder, and salt over the mixture, and mix on low speed until a soft dough forms.
- Scrape the dough out into the lined baking pan. Using either a spatula or your hand, gently press the dough into an even layer and into the corners. The dough will be soft, but be patient and you will be able to even it out.
- Bake for 20-25, just until the edges are the tiniest bit brown and a knife inserted into the middle comes out mostly clean. Set the baking pan on a wire rack and allow to cool to room temperature.
- To make the frosting, use a stand or hand mixer to combine all ingredients, beginning on low speed and then whipping in high speed until smooth and light. To make it slightly thicker, add more powdered sugar; to make it thinner, add a tiny bit more milk.
- Spread frosting evenly across the baked cookies and add sprinkles as desired. Using the edges of the parchment paper, lift the entire rectangle of cookie bars out of the pan, place on a cutting board, and cut into squares. Serve and enjoy!
Notes
- If you want to keep your frosting bright white, use clear imitation vanilla extract.
- For the neatest slices, chill the frosted cookies for a few minutes, use a very sharp knife, and wipe the knife clean in between each cut.
- Sugar cookie bars keep well tightly-covered at room temperature for 2-3 days. They can also be stored in the fridge if you prefer.
