Description
Delight in the festive cheer with these Christmas Tree Sugar Cookie Bars, featuring a soft, buttery sugar cookie base topped with creamy, vibrant green vanilla-almond frosting and sprinkles. Perfect for holiday celebrations, these bars combine the classic flavors of vanilla and almond with an easy, one-pan baking method for a fun and delicious treat everyone will love.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Sugar Cookie Bars
- 1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks), softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder (not baking soda)
- ½ teaspoon salt (omit if using salted butter)
- 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
For the Frosting
- ½ cup unsalted butter (1 stick), softened
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon almond extract
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1–2 tablespoons milk
- Green food coloring
- Sprinkles
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F. To soften butter quickly, place it in the microwave for about 10 seconds, but only until slightly softened.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: In a large bowl, cream together 1 cup unsalted butter and 1 cup granulated sugar on medium speed for 20-30 seconds. Keep mixer on medium and add 1 large egg, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, and 1 teaspoon almond extract.
- Add Dry Ingredients: Mix in 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder, ½ teaspoon salt, and 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour gradually—add flour ½ cup at a time on low speed. Use the spoon and level method to measure flour for correct texture.
- Mix Dough: Stir just until the flour disappears, around 20-30 seconds. The dough should have a playdoh-like consistency, not sticky.
- Prepare Pan: Spray a light-colored 9×13 metal pan with cooking spray, then line it with parchment paper leaving a 2-inch overhang on the long sides for easy lifting.
- Form Dough in Pan: Drop 1-tablespoon sized chunks of dough into the pan. Press evenly to cover the pan. If sticky, press using another parchment sheet on top for clean edges.
- Bake: Bake at 350°F for 14-16 minutes. Remove when just a tiny hint of browning appears around edges. The center may look slightly underdone, which is perfect for soft bars.
- Cool: Allow bars to cool completely; place in fridge on a cooling rack to speed up if desired.
- Make Frosting: Beat ½ cup unsalted butter on medium speed until light and creamy, about 1-2 minutes.
- Add Flavors and Sugar: Slowly add 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, ½ teaspoon almond extract, and 2 cups powdered sugar while mixer runs at medium speed.
- Whip Frosting: Increase mixer to high and beat for 2 minutes until fluffy. Add 1 tablespoon milk and beat 30 seconds; add another tablespoon if too thick.
- Color Frosting: Mix in green food coloring; reserve 2 tablespoons white frosting if making decorative stars in yellow.
- Decorate: Spread frosting on cooled bars and immediately add sprinkles so they stick well. Chill or freeze bars 30-60 minutes before cutting to prevent smearing.
- Cut and Store: Cut bars as desired following tips for perfect tree shapes. Store in an airtight container at room temperature up to a few days or chill/freeze up to 1-2 months for best freshness.
Notes
- Use the spoon and level method when measuring flour to avoid dry bars.
- Softened butter is crucial for creaming; do not melt.
- The center of the bars will look slightly underdone after baking—this ensures softness.
- Press dough using parchment paper on top for cleaner edges and less sticky hands.
- Chilling the bars before cutting helps prevent frosting from smearing.
- Bars can be stored at room temperature for a few days or frozen up to 2 months; longer freezing may dry them out.
- Reserve some white frosting if making additional colored decorations.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 16 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: Christmas sugar cookie bars, holiday cookie bars, soft sugar cookies, vanilla almond frosting, festive cookie recipe
