My Christmas sugar cookie bars are bursting with festive holiday sprinkles and sweet peppermint flavor, then frosted with rich cream cheese icing! This seasonal sweet treat recipe is simple to make, but it makes the season more merry and bright.
And if you enjoy this recipe, you'll love my peppermint bark brownies, too!
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❤️ Why You'll Love this Recipe
Quick and Simple to Make - These easy sugar cookie bars for Christmas come together in minutes with no special skills required, and they bake up quickly. The longest time you'll spend is letting them cool so you can frost and enjoy!
Simple Ingredients - You'll only need a few common pantry staples, plus cream cheese, and red and green sprinkles for festive flair. Most things are probably already in the kitchen, and everything can be found at mainstream grocery stores.
A Treat to Eat - I modeled the flavor profile of this Christmas sugar cookie bar recipe after my most popular crushed candy cane cookies, so you'll taste notes of peppermint, vanilla, and almond. And the cream cheese frosting adds a touch of tanginess to balance it all out.
👉🏾 I love baking from scratch with classic Christmas flavors. Try my chocolate gingerbread cookies, peppermint chocolate chip cookies, sweet potato cinnamon rolls, and cranberry apple bread pudding next!
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What You'll Need for this Recipe
Crushed Peppermint or candy canes add pops of cooling flavor throughout the bars, and you can even sprinkle them over top for extra razzle dazzle. I like to quickly blitz the candies into pieces in my blender or buy peppermint crunch from the store.
Almond and Vanilla Extracts in the right amounts make the cookie bars taste like bakery-quality confections. Alternatively, you can use vanilla bean paste or vanilla powder.
Check out the recipe card below for full ingredients list, measurements, nutrition facts, and step-by-step instructions!
Substitutions & Variations
Bars vs. Frosted Cookies - You can turn the cookie dough into Christmastime drop sugar cookies instead of bars by scooping and placing it with a cookie scoop or spoon.
Dyed Frosting - You can dye the frosting green instead of red, or really whichever color you like. Or leave it a creamy off-white color and let the sprinkles do the decorating work.
Vegan - Use plant-based, dairy-free butter and cream cheese products and an egg-free substitute to make this a vegan recipe.
How to Make Candy Cane Sugar Cookie Bars
- Step One: Cream the butter and sugar, then mix in the egg and flavorings. (Photo 1)
- Step Two: Whisk together the flour, leavening agents, salt, peppermint, and sprinkles. (Photo 2)
- Step Three: Combine the wet and dry mixtures until a dough forms, then press it into the baking pan. (Photos 3 and 4)
Pro Tip #1
I find it easiest to scoop and drop the cookie dough into the pan, then press and spread the drops of dough together into one piece.
- Step Four: Bake the dough until lightly golden brown. (Photo 5)
- Step Five: While the cookie cools, beat the frosting ingredients together until glossy and smooth. (Photo 6)
- Step Six: Spread the frosting over the cookie in one smooth layer, then cut it into 16 pieces (Photos 7 and 8)
Pro Tip #2
As the cookie cools, its edges will shrink away from the pan slightly, and the middle will sink down. This is normal.
- Step Seven: Add sprinkles and any desired adornments to the top of each bar. (Photos 9 and 10)
Pro Tip #3
If you're using larger sprinkles (like the snowflake ones pictured), gently tap them into the frosting so they stick.
Frequently Asked Questions
Store the bars in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to six days.
You can freeze either the cookie dough or baked cookie bars, and they'll keep for up to three months once frozen. To freeze the dough, I recommend rolling it into a ball, then wrapping in plastic wrap before placing into an airtight, freezer-safe container.
To freeze the bars, let them cool to room temperature, then layer them in an airtight, freezer-safe container with slips of parchment paper between to prevent sticking. Do not frost the cookies before freezing.
How to Serve
Holiday sugar cookie bars are best served at room temperature. Let any chilled leftovers come to room temp before eating for the very best soft and chewy texture, as the bar hardens in the fridge.
Add them to Christmas cookie boxes or leave them out as treats for Santa Claus. If you need pairing ideas, check out my chewy tahini sugar cookies, peanut butter & jelly thumbprints, and Christmas sprinkle cookies!
More Favorite Candy Cane Flavored Recipes
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
I hope you and your family will enjoy these easy Christmas bar cookies soon and very soon. And sharing is caring, so be sure to pin this recipe for later and follow me over on Pinterest. Thanks for reading!
📖 Recipe
Frosted Christmas Sugar Cookie Bars
Equipment
- 1 stand mixer or hand mixer
- 1 whisk
- 1 cookie scoop optional
Ingredients
For the Cookie Bars
- 9 tablespoons unsalted butter softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 egg
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
- 2 ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- ¾ teaspoon baking powder
- ¾ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ½ cup red and green jimmies sprinkles plus more for decorating
- ½ cup crushed peppermint candy or candy canes or peppermint crunch
For the Frosting
- 2 ½ cups powdered sugar
- 4 ounces cream cheese frosting softened to room temperatured
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter softened
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
- red or green food coloring optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a square 8 by 8-inch pan with parchment paper and set aside.
- Make the Cookie Dough: Using a hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar together until smooth and a slightly lighter shade of yellow (about three minutes).Mix in the egg, vanilla extract, and almond extract until uniform, pausing to scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed to make sure everything is fully incorporated.9 tablespoons unsalted butter, 1 cup granulated sugar, 1 egg, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, 1 teaspoon almond extract
- Meanwhile, in a mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, sprinkles and crushed peppermint.2 ¼ cup all-purpose flour, ¾ teaspoon baking soda, ¾ teaspoon baking powder, ¾ teaspoon fine sea salt, ½ cup red and green jimmies sprinkles, ½ cup crushed peppermint candy
- Add half the flour mixture to the wet mixture, and continue beating until combined, then repeat with the remaining flour until a dough forms.
- Bake the Cookie Bars: Spread the dough into prepared baking pan in an even layer about on inch thick.I find it easiest to scoop and drop the cookie dough into the pan, then press and spread the drops of dough together into one piece.
- Transfer pan to oven to bake for 17-20 minutes or until the top is lightly golden brown. Cool the cookie bar completely in the pan before removing.As th bar cools, it will sink a bit in th middle and the edges will pull away from th pan. This is normal.
- Make the Frosting: While the cookie bar cools, use a hand mixer or stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment to beat together the cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, vanilla extract, salt, and food coloring, if using, until smooth (about three minutes).2 ½ cups powdered sugar, 4 ounces cream cheese frosting, 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt, red or green food coloring
- Cut and Decorate: Spread frosting over top of cooled cookie in an even, thick layer, then use a sharp knife to cut the bar into 16 squares. Add sprinkles and any other decorations you like.
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