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Three frosted sugar cookie bars stacked on a white plate sit on a woven placemat with a whisk, plant, glass of milk, and more cookie bars on a plate in the background.
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Peppermint Sugar Cookie Bars

One thick, soft sugar cookie bar beats rolling out a whole batch of cutouts, and this one's studded with crushed peppermint and topped with a creamy peppermint frosting. It's the shortcut version of a Christmas classic: same flavor, one pan, no chilling or cutting required. Whether it's for a cookie tray or a random Tuesday craving, these bars disappear fast.
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword Peppermint Cookies, Peppermint Sugar Cookie Bars
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings 16 Bars
Author Heidi Bruaw

Equipment

Ingredients

  • ¾ Cup Sugar
  • ½ Cup Butter unsalted, room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
  • 1 Egg
  • 1¾ Cup Flour
  • 1 teaspoon Baking Powder
  • ¼ teaspoon Salt
  • ½ Cup Peppermints crushed

Frosting

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350℉.
  • Spray a 9x9-inch baking dish with non-stick cooking spray or line with parchment paper. Set aside.
  • In a large mixing bowl, combine the sugar and butter. Beat with a mixer until it is light and fluffy.
  • Add the egg and vanilla and beat again.
  • Add the salt, baking powder, and about half the flour. Beat until combined.
  • Add the rest of the flour and beat until a batter forms.
  • Stir in the crushed peppermints until combined.
  • Pour and scrape the batter into the prepared 9x9 baking dish.
  • Spread the batter around evenly. If it's really thick, you might need to use your hand to spread it.
  • Bake at 350℉ for 20-25 minutes.
  • Let the bars cool completely in the baking dish on a wire rack.
  • Once cooled completely, spread with peppermint frosting (see below).

Frosting

  • In a large mixing bowl, mix the powdered sugar, butter, peppermint extract, vanilla extract, and milk until a frosting forms.
  • Spread the frosting on top of the cookie bars evenly.
  • Let the frosting set (at least 30 minutes) before cutting into squares.

Notes

Helpful Tips
  • Soften the butter all the way, but don't melt it. Room-temperature butter creams properly with the sugar; butter that's too cold won't blend smoothly, and butter that's too warm makes the dough spread too thin. It should feel slightly firm but give easily when you press it.
  • Line the pan before you start. Parchment paper with a little overhang lets you lift the whole batch of bars out cleanly instead of digging them out square by square. A quick spray of non-stick cooking spray works too if you don't have parchment on hand.
  • Let the bars cool completely before frosting. Frosting warm bars melts the frosting and makes it slide right off. Give them time to come fully to room temperature in the pan first.
  • Adjust the frosting one teaspoon at a time. Too thick, add milk a teaspoon at a time. Too thin, add powdered sugar a little at a time. Small adjustments keep you from overcorrecting.
  • Let the frosting set before cutting. Thirty minutes to an hour firms up the frosting enough that it won't smear when you slice the bars into squares.