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Today’s recipe for Sugar Cookie Bars is one of those recipes to keep on hand as an all-purpose, go-to recipe that can be adapted for many different cookie bar variations! This is a perfectly-sweet sugar cookie bar dough that bakes up soft but still firm enough to cut into bars.
We added Fall-inspired M&M’s (we used the White Chocolate Candy Corn flavored version) and coarsely chopped macadamia nuts here – but you can load your sugar cookie bars up with just about any combination of mix-ins such as nuts, chocolate chips and candies. Just keep the general proportion of about two to three cups of mix-ins to the amount of dough included here in this recipe.
You can also bake these sugar cookie bars plain without mix-ins and add a simple butter cream frosting (recipe below) if you’d prefer!
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Sugar Cookie Bars
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 egg white
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 9.9 ounce bag White Chocolate Candy Corn M&M’s
- 1 cup macadamia nuts, coarsely chopped
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Spray a 13×9” baking dish with non-stick cooking spray and set aside.
- In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat butter and sugar for 3 to 4 minutes – until pale and fluffy. Slowly stir in egg, egg white, cream and vanilla and mix until combined.
- With the mixer on low speed, slowly add in the dry mixture and mix until completely combined. Fold in the M&M’s and nuts and mix evenly throughout.
- Press the mixture into the prepared pan – placing a sheet of plastic wrap over the dough to make it easier to spread the dough without having it stick to your hands.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the edges are lightly golden brown (the center should be soft but not uncooked).
- Cool completely. Cut into squares.
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Notes
Adapted from Cooking Classy
If you’d like to frost these sugar cookie bars instead, leave out the candy and nuts before baking. Once cooled, frost the dough with a mixture of ¼ cup butter, 2 cups powdered sugar, 2-3 tablespoons heavy cream, ½ teaspoon vanilla and a pinch of salt. Combine all ingredients – then feel free to add a drop or two of food coloring if desired.
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Chocolate Chip Caramel Crumble Bars
My kids would go crazy for these bars!
Thanks Tonia!
Never found a sugar cookie I can turn down…and these are no different! YUM!
Thanks Meg!