4th Of July Sugar Cookie Bars (Printable)

Soft and chewy sugar cookie bars topped with creamy vanilla frosting and festive red, white, and blue sprinkles. Ideal for 4th of July celebrations.

# What You'll Need:

→ Cookie Base

01 - 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
03 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
04 - 3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
05 - 1 cup granulated sugar
06 - 1 large egg
07 - 1 large egg yolk
08 - 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
09 - 1/4 teaspoon almond extract

→ Vanilla Frosting

10 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
11 - 2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
12 - 2-3 tablespoons milk
13 - 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
14 - Pinch of salt
15 - Red, white, and blue sprinkles

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 9×13-inch baking pan with parchment paper, allowing overhang for easy removal.
02 - Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside.
03 - Beat softened butter and granulated sugar in a large bowl until light and fluffy, approximately 2-3 minutes.
04 - Mix in egg, egg yolk, vanilla extract, and almond extract until fully incorporated.
05 - Gradually add dry ingredients to wet mixture, mixing just until combined.
06 - Press dough evenly into prepared baking pan using spatula or fingers.
07 - Bake for 18-20 minutes until edges are lightly golden and center remains soft.
08 - Let bars cool in pan on wire rack to room temperature.
09 - Beat butter until creamy. Gradually blend in powdered sugar, milk, vanilla, and salt until fluffy and spreadable.
10 - Spread frosting evenly over cooled bars. Top with red, white, and blue sprinkles.
11 - Lift bars from pan using parchment overhang. Cut into 16 squares.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • These bars strike that perfect balance between soft, cookie-like texture and the kind of sweetness that makes kids ask for seconds
  • The frosting sets up beautifully without being rock hard, so they stack easily for transport
  • They're genuinely forgiving—overbake by two minutes and they're still delicious
02 -
  • These keep beautifully for three days in an airtight container, but the texture's best within the first 24 hours
  • Adding food coloring to the frosting creates those layered red and white stripes if you want extra flair
  • A 1:1 gluten-free flour blend works here, though the bars may spread slightly more
03 -
  • Room temperature ingredients make all the difference—cold butter creates stubborn lumps in the frosting
  • If your dough feels impossibly sticky, chill it for 10 minutes before spreading—still works perfectly

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