Table of Contents

Butter: The choice of butter is pivotal. Unlike many cookie recipes that call for creamed butter, we opt for melted butter here. Through extensive testing, we’ve found that melted butter consistently delivers a chewier and denser texture, which is key to achieving that authentic, beloved sugar cookie experience in bar form. Ensure it’s cooled to a warm, not hot, temperature before mixing with other ingredients to prevent cooking the eggs.

Cornstarch: This unassuming ingredient is a game-changer for tenderness. The addition of cornstarch effectively softens the gluten in the flour, preventing the bars from becoming tough and instead creating that desirable light and exquisitely chewy texture we all crave. It’s a secret weapon for super soft cookies!

Meringue Powder: For our elegant royal icing, meringue powder is indispensable. It serves as a safe and stable substitute for raw egg whites, which are traditionally used. Meringue powder ensures that your icing sets beautifully and quickly, forming a firm yet delicate crust on top of the cookie bars that locks in moisture. Quality matters here – a good brand prevents any off-flavors. We highly recommend Genie’s Meringue Powder for superior results.

Food Coloring: To achieve those vibrant, eye-catching holiday colors for your royal icing, we strongly recommend using gel food coloring. Brands like Americolor offer concentrated pigments that produce rich, brilliant hues without significantly altering the icing’s consistency, unlike liquid food colorings which can make it too thin. A little goes a long way!

Vanilla Extract: Use a good quality vanilla extract for the best flavor in your cookie bars. For the royal icing, clear vanilla extract is often preferred if you want to maintain pure white or vibrant colors without any yellowish tint. However, regular vanilla extract works perfectly fine if color isn’t a primary concern.

1. Prepare the Dough: Whisk together cooled melted butter and sugar in a large bowl, then add eggs and vanilla. Fold in flour, cornstarch, and salt until just combined. Remember, a light hand prevents tough bars!

2. Bake and Cool: Press the dough evenly into a 9×13 baking pan. Bake until the edges are just lightly golden brown. Cooling completely on a wire rack is essential before cutting to maintain their shape and soft texture.

3. Cut and Prepare for Icing: Flip the cooled cookie slab onto a cutting board. Cut into desired shapes – rectangles, squares, or festive triangles for Christmas trees. Place them on a wire rack with a sheet pan underneath to catch icing drips.

4. Make the Royal Icing: Whisk powdered sugar, meringue powder, vanilla, and water until light and fluffy. Divide the icing and color with gel food coloring as desired. Adjust consistency with small amounts of water or powdered sugar.

5. Frost and Decorate: Dip the top of each bar into the royal icing, allowing excess to drip off. Immediately add festive sprinkles while the icing is wet. Let the icing set completely for 1-2 hours before storing or serving.

• Alternative Icings: If time is truly of the essence or royal icing isn’t your preference, you can easily spread a layer of creamy vanilla buttercream on top of the cooled cookie bars before cutting them. It’s still delightfully festive, incredibly tasty, and offers a softer bite. Cream cheese frosting is another excellent, tangy option.
• Diverse Toppings: Beyond sprinkles, consider an array of other exciting toppings. Crushed candy canes offer a refreshing peppermint crunch (perfect for a minty twist!), while chopped nuts (like pecans, walnuts, or almonds) add a lovely texture and nutty flavor. Colorful M&M’s or other chocolate candies can also add a delightful pop of color and sweetness, especially if you choose holiday-themed colors. Edible glitter or sugar pearls can also add a touch of elegance.
• Infused Extract Flavors: Elevate the classic vanilla flavor by incorporating other extracts into your cookie dough or even the icing. A small amount of almond extract provides a sophisticated, subtle note that pairs wonderfully with sugar cookies, while a touch of peppermint extract is perfect for a truly festive, minty treat ideal for the holidays. Citrus zests, like orange or lemon, can also add a bright flavor.
• Year-Round Celebrations: These bars aren’t just for Christmas! Their adaptability makes them perfect for any occasion throughout the year:
  • Valentine’s Day: Tint the royal icing in various shades of pink and red, then decorate with adorable heart-shaped sprinkles or edible glitter.
  • Birthdays: For a celebratory birthday treat, fold rainbow sprinkles directly into the cookie dough before baking, and then top with even more rainbow sprinkles on the icing (similar to our fun pop tart cookie bars).
  • Easter/Spring: Opt for pastel icing colors (light pink, blue, yellow, green) and adorn with spring-themed sprinkles like mini eggs or edible flowers.
  • Halloween: Get spooky with orange and black icing, topped with candy corn, ghost sprinkles, or crushed Oreos for a dirt-like effect.

You can often find a fantastic selection at popular craft stores like Michaels, Hobby Lobby, or Joann Fabrics, which typically stock a wide array of seasonal sprinkles. Large retailers like Target and Walmart also offer great holiday-themed options, especially during the festive season. For convenience and a broader selection, online platforms like Amazon are excellent resources.

For truly gourmet and unique sprinkle mixes that add an extra touch of sophistication and sparkle to your Christmas sugar cookie bars, consider exploring these specialized brands:

• Sweet Tooth Fairy Sprinkle Mix: Often found at craft stores, these mixes are known for their vibrant colors and creative combinations.
• Sweetapolita: Renowned for their intricate and beautiful blends, often featuring unique shapes, metallics, and carefully curated color palettes. Their “Christmas” or “Winter Wonderland” mixes are usually stunning.
• Fancy Sprinkles: Another excellent source for high-quality, unique designs, including custom blends and a wide variety of jimmies, nonpareils, confetti, and edible glitter.

When choosing, look for mixes that include classic red, green, and white, as well as metallic accents (gold, silver), sugar pearls, or even shaped sprinkles like snowflakes, stars, or mini candy canes for an extra touch of holiday magic. Remember that larger, more intricate sprinkles are best applied by hand, while smaller ones can be scattered liberally over the wet icing.

Once the royal icing has completely set and hardened (this is crucial to prevent smudging and sticking), store your delightful cookie bars in an airtight container at room temperature. They actually become even softer and more tender the next day, as the moisture from the icing permeates the cookie, enhancing their chewiness. They will remain wonderfully soft and chewy for an impressive 3-4 days, making them perfect for preparing a little in advance of your holiday celebrations. Avoid direct sunlight or overly warm environments, which can soften the icing.

While the baked cookie bars freeze beautifully, I do not recommend freezing them *after* they have been covered in royal icing, as the icing’s texture can be compromised upon thawing (it might become sticky or crack). Instead, you can bake the bars, let them cool completely, cut them, and then freeze them undecorated in an airtight container or freezer bag for up to 3 months. When ready to serve, simply defrost them at room temperature for a few hours and then proceed with the frosting and decorating steps. This is a great make-ahead option for holiday baking!

Absolutely! This recipe is easily adaptable for smaller needs. For a smaller gathering or a less extensive batch, you can halve all the ingredients precisely. Then, bake them in an 8×8 inch metal baking pan. The baking time will be slightly shorter, typically around 18-20 minutes, so keep a close eye on them. This adjustment will yield approximately 15-18 delicious cookie bars, depending on how you cut them.

Working with this dough is simple, even if it’s a bit sticky! The easiest method is to drop spoonfuls or small balls of the dough directly into the prepared baking pan, ensuring they are somewhat evenly spaced. Then, lightly grease your hands with a tiny bit of butter or non-stick spray (or use a piece of parchment paper), and gently press the dough balls together to form an even layer across the entire bottom of the pan. Finish by using an offset spatula or the back of a spoon to smooth the top surface for a uniform bake and neat finish.

While a metal baking pan is highly recommended for its superior heat conduction and even baking, glass or ceramic pans can be used if that’s all you have. Be aware that these materials retain heat differently, which can affect baking time and the crispiness of the edges. If using glass or ceramic, you may need to extend the baking time slightly – start checking on them every 2 minutes after the initial 18-minute mark, looking for those lightly golden edges, and lower the oven temperature by 25°F (about 15°C) to prevent over-browning.

Christmas Sugar Cookie Bars

Baked in a sheet pan, dipped in royal icing, and decorated with festive sprinkles, these soft and chewy Christmas sugar cookie bars are your favorite classic sugar cookies in bar form!

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Sugar Cookie Dough

• 1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter, melted (and cooled to just warm, not hot)
• 1 1/2 cup (300 g) granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• 1 tbsp vanilla extract
• 3 1/4 cups (408 g) all-purpose flour (*See notes below for proper measuring*)
• 2 tsp cornstarch
• 1 tsp fine sea salt

Royal Icing Frosting

• 2 1/2 cups (300 g) powdered sugar, sifted
• 1 tbsp + 1 tsp (11 g) meringue powder
• 3-5 tbsp (54 g) water (start with 3 tbsp and add more as needed)
• 1/4 tsp clear vanilla extract (or regular vanilla)
• Christmas colored sprinkles
• Red and green gel food coloring (*See notes below for specific names*)

Proper Flour Measurement: This is a critical baking tip! Avoid scooping your measuring cup directly into the flour, as this compacts it and leads to too much flour. Instead, use the “spoon-level method”: fluff the flour in its container, then spoon it lightly into your measuring cup until overflowing, and finally, level it off with a straight edge (like the back of a knife). For the most accurate results, always use a kitchen scale to weigh your ingredients.

Food Coloring Recommendations: For vibrant and true-to-life colors, we highly recommend Americolor Gel food coloring. Specific shades we love for Christmas include “Super Red” and a mix of “Forest Green” and “Electric Green.” These concentrated gels provide intense color without thinning your icing.

Cutting Guidelines:

• For classic rectangle bars, aim for approximately 2.5 x 1.25 inches.
• For square bars, cut 2.25 x 2.25 inches squares. To make festive triangles (perfect for Christmas trees), simply cut each square in half diagonally.

Smaller Batch (8×8 Pan): If you wish to make a smaller batch, simply halve all the ingredients. Press the dough into an 8×8 inch metal square baking pan. Baking time will be around 18-20 minutes. This will yield approximately 15-18 delicious cookie bars, depending on how you cut them.

Glass or Ceramic Pans: While not ideal for even baking compared to metal pans, glass or ceramic pans can be used. Be aware they may require a slightly longer baking time due to different heat conduction properties. Start checking on them every 2 minutes after the initial 18-minute mark. To compensate for glass/ceramic, consider lowering your oven temperature by 25°F (about 15°C) to prevent over-browning.

Crucial Baking Point: Do Not Over-Bake! The key to soft and chewy bars is pulling them from the oven when the edges are just barely golden brown. The center should still look a little soft. They will continue to firm up and cook slightly from residual heat in the hot pan. Over-baking is the quickest way to end up with dry, crumbly bars instead of tender ones.

Royal Icing Storage: Always keep your royal icing covered tightly with plastic wrap when not actively using it. Press the plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the icing to create an airtight seal. This prevents it from drying out and forming a hard crust, ensuring your icing remains smooth and workable for decorating.

Serving: 1 cookie bar | Calories: 156kcal | Carbohydrates: 25g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 23mg | Sodium: 69mg | Potassium: 18mg | Fiber: 0.3g | Sugar: 17g | Vitamin A: 171IU | Calcium: 5mg | Iron: 1mg

The calorie information provided for the recipe is an estimate. The accuracy of the calories listed is not guaranteed and can vary based on ingredient brands, preparation methods, and serving size.

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