Soft Cream Cheese Sugar Cookie Bars

Pure Heaven + Sprinkles!

These Soft Cream Cheese Sugar Cookie Bars are thick, soft, chewy and have just enough tang from the cream cheese to offset some of the sweetness in the cookie and the buttercream frosting.

This recipe is the bar cookie version of my Soft Cream Cheese Sugar Cookies! They’re so good too!

These cookie bars are a crowd pleaser for sure! I always seem to make them for our gatherings on Memorial Day and the Fourth of July! You can easily make them ahead of time – they seem to even get better after a day or so! They freeze really well too! You can freeze the cookie part and frost them later or freeze them frosted. Yummy possibilities!!

Add sprinkles for any occasion!

Perfect Picture for Pinterest: ⬇️

Print Recipe

Soft Cream Cheese Sugar Cookies

These Soft Cream Cheese Sugar Cookies are thick, soft, chewy and have just enough tang from the cream cheese to offset some of the sweetness in the cookie and the buttercream frosting.

Votes: 40
Rating: 3.9
You:

Rate this recipe!

Course

Dessert

Keyword

cookie, Dessert, frosting

Prep Time

20 minutes

Cook Time

20 minutes

Servings

24 cookie bars

Ingredients

Cookies:

• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup (1-stick) butter, softened
• 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 large egg
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Buttercream Frosting:

• 1/2 cup (1-stick) butter, softened
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 1/2 cups powdered sugar
• 3-4 tablespoons milk
• food coloring & sprinkles if desired

Course Dessert Keyword cookie, Dessert, frosting Prep Time 20 minutes Cook Time 20 minutes Servings 24 cookie bars Ingredients Cookies: 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 cup (1-stick) butter, softened 4 ounces cream cheese, softened 1 cup granulated sugar 1 large egg 2 teaspoons vanilla extract Buttercream Frosting: 1/2 cup (1-stick) butter, softened 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 3 1/2 cups powdered sugar 3-4 tablespoons milk food coloring & sprinkles if desired

Votes: 40 Rating: 3.9 You: Rate this recipe!

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 13 x 9 x 2" Baking Pan or line with greased parchment or foil sling. (2 layers of greased foil or parchment that overhang the long sides of the baking pan, helps with removal of cookie bars when cool.)
2. In medium bowl, mix together flour, baking powder and salt.
3. (I use my stand mixer with flex edge beater to mix these up, you could also use a hand mixer with (regular) turbo beaters to mix them as well.)
4. In large bowl, cream together butter, cream cheese and sugar. This will take several minutes - it should be fluffy and lighter in color. Beat in egg and vanilla.
5. Mix the flour mixture into the butter mixture until just combined. Press the dough into the prepared baking pan with greased spatula or damp hands.
6. Bake the cookie bars for about 20 minutes or until cookie bars are just golden on the edges. Time may vary depending on oven.
7. Let cool completely in pan before frosting.

Buttercream Frosting:

1. In large bowl, beat together butter, vanilla, 2 cups of powdered sugar and a tablespoon milk until smooth and creamy.
2. Gradually add the rest of the sugar and as much milk as needed to reach desired consistency. Use food coloring to color the frosting if desired.
3. Frost the cookie bars and add sprinkles if desired.
4. Then you can store for up to 3 days in an airtight container or freeze.

Recipe Notes

Baking Tips:

• If you use a darker colored baking pan you may want to drop your oven temperature by 25 degrees. Darker baking pans get hotter.
• Ovens are often not accurate in their temperature...
  • I always keep an inexpensive oven thermometer in my oven to make sure it reaches the correct temperature.