Peppermint Sugar Cookie Bars are a festive twist on a classic sugar cookie, baked into soft, chewy bars and topped with a smooth peppermint frosting and crushed candy topping. These bars deliver the perfect balance of buttery sweetness and cool peppermint flavor, making them ideal for holiday gatherings, dessert trays, or make-ahead treats. The bar format makes them easy to prepare, slice, and serve while maintaining the tender texture of traditional sugar cookies.
Ingredients
For the Cookie Bars:
- 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp peppermint extract
For the Frosting:
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 1/4 cup heavy cream (or milk)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp peppermint extract
- Crushed peppermint candies (for topping)
Instructions
- Preheat the Oven:
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9×13-inch baking pan thoroughly with butter or nonstick spray, or line it with parchment paper, allowing the excess to hang over the sides for easy removal after baking. Proper preparation ensures the cookie bars release cleanly without sticking. - Make the Cookie Dough:
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until evenly combined. This step ensures even distribution of the leavening agents for consistent texture throughout the bars. Set the dry mixture aside.In a large mixing bowl, cream together the softened butter, granulated sugar, and powdered sugar using a mixer until the mixture becomes light, pale, and fluffy, about 2–3 minutes. Proper creaming incorporates air into the dough, which helps create tender, soft cookie bars.Beat in the egg, vanilla extract, and peppermint extract until fully incorporated and the mixture appears smooth and cohesive. Gradually add the dry ingredient mixture to the wet ingredients, mixing on low speed just until combined. Avoid overmixing, as this can result in dense or tough bars.
- Bake the Cookie Bars:
Spread the cookie dough evenly into the prepared baking pan, smoothing the surface with a spatula to ensure uniform thickness for even baking. Place the pan in the preheated oven and bake for 20–25 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with only a few moist crumbs.Remove the pan from the oven and allow the bars to cool completely in the pan. Cooling fully is essential before frosting to prevent the frosting from melting and sliding off the surface.
