Sugar Cookie Bars

These sugar cookie bars are a simple no bake dessert recipe featuring a soft and chewy bar base topped with a creamy sugar cookie frosting!

If you love sugar cookies and dessert bars, merge the two to make these incredible sugar cookie bars. They are perfect for Christmas and need just a few minutes to assemble.

Now, my sugar cookie bar recipe is a little bit different because I skipped the baking process completely, but I promise you- it does NOT compromise any taste, flavor, or texture.

Table of Contents

1. Recipe highlights
2. Ingredients needed
3. How to make sugar cookie bars
4. Recipe tips and variations
5. Storage instructions
6. Frequently Asked Questions 
7. More cookie recipes to try
8. Sugar Cookie Bars

Recipe highlights

• Perfect texture. They have a perfect melt-in-your-mouth texture- soft and chewy and so irresistible. 
• Easy to make. Like oatmeal bars, all you do is mix up the ingredients and refrigerate. No baking is required!
• Versatile. You can decorate them with sprinkles or icing or enjoy them plain. I personally love a combination of frosting followed by some sprinkles. Besides, they look better that way too.
• Relatively healthy. No white flour, no wheat flour, and no granulated sugar, these bars make a wholesome dessert idea…but I promise you, it won’t taste healthy.

Ingredients needed

The recipe uses simple pantry staples. Here is what you’ll need: 

• Almond butter. Provides a rich, nutty flavor and binds the ingredients together. It’s also a healthier alternative to butter or oil.
• Coconut flour. Gives the bars a chewy texture and helps to absorb moisture.
• Maple syrup. Sweetens the bars and helps keep them soft. You can also use honey or agave syrup.
• Vanilla extract. A must for any cookie-inspired recipe!
• Almond extract. The secret ingredient that makes this dessert something special.

Sugar cookie buttercream frosting 

• Unsalted butter. Room temperature. If you prefer sweet and salty desserts, you can use salted butter.
• Confectioners sugar (Powdered sugar). Sift your sugar if the clumps are noticeable.
• Vanilla extract. Just a touch for that subtle vanilla flavor.
• Milk. Thins out the frosting and makes it easier to spread.
• Sprinkles. Optional, but highly recommended!

Find the printable recipe with measurements below.

How to make sugar cookie bars

Prep. Line an 8 x 8-inch pan with parchment paper. 

Make cookie batter. Mix almond butter and maple syrup in a mixing bowl until combined. Add vanilla and almond extract, and coconut flour and knead everything together until a smooth dough forms. 

Refrigerate. Transfer the dough into the lined pan and press down firmly, before refrigerating them.

Prepare frosting. Cream the butter until fluffy. Add remaining frosting ingredients and beat on low speed. Once everything is combined, increase the speed to medium. Fold through the sprinkles, then spread on the sugar cookie base.

Refrigerate then slice. Refrigerate the bars for an hour for the frosting to firm up. Once firm, slice into bars.

Recipe tips and variations

• Sift the coconut flour. My #1 tip when working with this grain-free and gluten-free flour. It’s often a little clumpy, so sift it well to ensure the cookie base will be smooth.
• Cut with a warm knife. Before slicing the chilled bars, run a sharp knife under hot water, wipe it dry, and then cut the bars. The warm knife will create cleaner cuts and prevent the bars from sticking to the knife.
• Use another flour. I prefer using coconut flour because it is thicker than other kinds, but oat flour and almond flour will also work. The only catch is that you’ll need to double the amount to compensate.
• Add mix-ins. While I prefer these dessert bars as is, you can fold through some chocolate chips, chopped nuts, or even homemade candy to amp up the flavor.
• Use a cream cheese frosting. Swap out the frosting for a cream cheese frosting instread.

Storage instructions

To store. Place leftover cookie bars in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to a week. 

To freeze. Wrap them tightly in plastic wrap or foil then place them in an airtight container and store them in the freezer for up to 6 months.

Frequently Asked Questions 

More cookie recipes to try

• Chocolate chip cookie bars– Always a classic and ZERO flour needed.
• Cookie dough bars– Your excuse to eat edible cookie dough.
• Peanut butter chocolate chip cookie bars– For all the peanut butter lovers out there.
• Oatmeal chocolate chip bars– 5 ingredients and wholesome ingredients.
• Raisin bars– Almost like an oatmeal raisin cookie!

Recipe originally published November 2018 but updated to include new information, new photos, and a recipe video for your benefit.