These Soft and Chewy Sugar Cookie Bars are so good, and they taste better than the popular store-bought sugar cookies. They’re easy to make, and this recipe makes a ton!
Disclosure: This Soft and Chewy Sugar Cookie Bars recipe includes affiliate links, this means I make a few cents if you buy an item after clicking my link. This costs you nothing, but it helps keep this blog running on butter…lots of butter! See the rest of Food Folks and Fun’s disclosure policy here.
You know those sugar cookies from the grocery store; the soft, chewy, circular ones with the pink frosting? Yea, those Lofthouse ones. Well, I have a bit of a confession. Hi, my name is Jillian… and I’m a soft, chewy sugar cookie addict. Please tell me I’m not alone in this!
These cookies bring back fond memories for me. You see, during my senior year of high school I’d often hang out on Friday nights with my brother and his wife (something I’m sure the newlyweds really appreciated). My friends were off at parties and I just wasn’t into that scene. So, a typical Friday night would include a trip to the video store (when there were video stores) and the grocery store to pick up treats. My treat of choice was always Lofthouse sugar cookies.
This sugar cookie bars recipe produces the same great taste and chewy-soft texture as the ones from the grocery store. I LOVE that these sugar cookie bars can be customizable for any party, occasion, or holiday. How cute would these be for Easter Sunday?! Or Christmas, or glitz-ed up with edible glitter for New Years?!
If you’re looking for a true Lofthouse Sugar Cookie Copycat recipe, then check out mine here!
Cook’s Note – Soft & Chewy Sugar Cookie Bars:
- When I made these I cut them into 24 honkin’ huge bars and they can easily be cut into 48 bars and still be decent-sized. These would be great for holidays, potlucks, parties, and bake sales! Just tint the frosting to the cold of the holiday/party/school/event, etc!
- These sugar cookie bars will keep, in an air-tight container in the refrigerator, for up to 5 days. Just bring them to room temperature before serving.
Cook’s Tools – Soft & Chewy Sugar Cookie Bars:
- baking sheet
- mixing bowl
- stand mixer
- wire rack
- offset spatula– for spreading dough and frosting evenly
- rainbow sprinkles OR rainbow nonpareils
Soft & Chewy Sugar Cookie Bars
Ingredients
- COOKIE BARS:
- 1 cup butter
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 4 large eggs at room temperature
- 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
- 2 Tablespoons lemon zest optional
- 5 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- FROSTING:
- 1 cup butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- pinch salt
- 4 cup powdered sugar sifted
- 5 Tablespoons milk
- pink food coloring optional
- sprinkles or rainbow nonpareils
Instructions
- COOKIE BARS: Move oven rack to middle position and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray 13 x 18″ rimmed baking sheet (a standard-sized cookie sheet) with nonstick cooking spray; set aside. In a medium bowl whisk together flour, salt and baking soda; set aside.
- In bowl of stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, beat butter and sugar together on medium-high speed until smooth, about 2 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Mix in vanilla and lemon zest (if using). Add dry ingredients to mixer bowl and pulse on low until just combined.
- Transfer cookie dough to the prepared baking sheet and smooth into even layer. Bake 10-15 minutes, until light golden brown and toothpick inserted into center comes out clean. Move pan to a wire rack and cool completely before frosting.
- FROSTING: Add butter to clean bowl of stand mixer and beat on medium-high until smooth, about 1 minute. Add vanilla, salt, and powdered sugar and pulse on low until blended and smooth, 1-2 minutes. Pour in milk and mix until smooth and combined. Tint as desired with food coloring. Spread frosting evenly over cooled cookie bars in the pan, cover evenly with sprinkles and cut into bars.
As you can see, I updated all of the pictures recently for this Sugar Cookie Bars recipe. Below is my original shot. Man, has my photography come a long way!
Jillian
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Jamie
Oh my I have to try these out =) Look awesome!
Jillian
Thanks, Jamie. 🙂
Chelsea
I made these for my co-workers for nurses week but they are so good I just might eat them all myself! I was surprised that they are just like those “darn sugar cookies”. Amazing!
Jillian
Chelsea, I am SO glad you loved the bars! And they are SO dangerous to have on hand…
Donna
Just made these with green frosting and Xmas sprinkles..cut them into squares and then triangles… probably the BEST sugar cookie I’ve come across. The frosting is the best and it will be my go-to frosting from here on ….! Thanks for sharing.
Jillian
Yay! So glad you like them. Merry Christmas. 🙂
christina p
I will have to try these cookies. I am not in the mood for cookie cutter cookies, so these would be perfect! Thanks for the recipe!
Shannon
These look so yummy. Thank you for sharing with us.
katrina c.
Oh yes… I must make these! I too an addiction to those soft cookies. I’d love to try making them on my own! Thanks for the recipe!
alicia szemon
I am obsessed with the sugar cookies at the store but these look even better!!! I am going to make these asap!
alicia szemon
I am obsessed with the sugar cookies from the store but these look even better! I am going to make these asap!!!
Jillian
Make sure you bring some to the neighbors…this recipe makes a ton! Enjoy!
Nicole Godard
These are awesome! I haven’t even iced them yet and they are sooo good. I will make these whenever I’m craving a sugar cookie. I had a little trouble spreading the dough in the pan, so I used a rolling pin to smooth the dough out. Perfect! Thanks for the recipe!
Jillian
You’re so welcome, enjoy! 🙂
Kelly
How would you recommend storing these? In the fridge? Thanks
Jillian
I would say at room temperature for up to 3 days then in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to another 3 days. Anything beyond that and they will have probably dried out.
Elizabeth
I made these to take to a church event. Really good recipe! However, As I made the frosting I wish I would’ve tasted before putting on bars because it’s way too much butter. All my other buttercream frostings call for 1/2 stick per 4 cups powdered sugar. They still taste great but next time I will only use half the butter.
Jillian
Thanks for the feedback, and thanks for stopping by!