Description

Forget spending hours rolling and cutting out individual shamrock cookies! These St. Patrick’s Day Sugar Cookie Bars are your pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. This recipe transforms a classic sugar cookie dough into thick, soft-baked bars, topped with a vibrant green almond-flavored buttercream and festive sprinkles. The ultimate easy dessert for your March celebrations!

Ingredients

Units Scale

For the Sugar Cookie Bars

1 cup Unsalted Butter, softened
2 cups Granulated Sugar
4 Large Eggs, room temperature
2 tsp Pure Vanilla Extract
5 cups All-Purpose Flour, spooned and leveled
1/2 tsp Baking Soda
1 tsp Salt

For the Almond Buttercream Frosting

5 cups Powdered Sugar, sifted
1 cup Unsalted Butter, softened
6 Tbsp Milk (Whole milk recommended)
1/4 - 1/2 tsp Almond Extract
A few drops Green Food Coloring (Gel preferred)
Generous amount St. Patrick's Day Sprinkles

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

Preheat Oven and Prepare Pan: Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Generously grease a 12×17 inch rimmed baking sheet or line it with parchment paper.
Cream Butter and Sugar: In a large bowl, beat the softened butter and granulated sugar on medium speed for 2-3 minutes, until light, pale, and fluffy.
Add Eggs and Vanilla: Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each. Beat in the vanilla extract.
Combine Dry Ingredients: In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, and baking soda.
Mix the Dough: On low speed, gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients in three additions. Mix only until just combined. Do not overmix.
Press Dough and Bake: Scrape the thick dough into the prepared baking sheet. Using lightly floured hands or the back of a cup, press the dough evenly across the bottom. Bake for 15 minutes, until edges are just beginning to turn light golden brown (center should look set but pale). Let cool completely in the pan on a wire rack.
Start the Frosting: While bars cool, beat the softened butter in a large bowl until smooth. Add 4 tablespoons of milk, the desired amount of almond extract, and a few drops of green food coloring. Mix until combined.
Finish the Frosting: Gradually add the sifted powdered sugar, mixing on low speed until incorporated. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of milk and beat on medium-high speed until light, fluffy, and smooth. Add more food coloring if needed.
Frost and Decorate: Once the bars are completely cool, spread the green frosting evenly over the top. Immediately cover generously with sprinkles.
Cut and Serve: Cut the cooled and frosted bars into squares (yields about 36-40 bars). Serve and enjoy!

Notes

Proper Creaming: Properly creaming the butter and sugar for 2-3 minutes until light and fluffy is key to the light and tender texture of these bars.
Don’t Overmix: When adding the flour, mix only until it disappears. Overmixing will result in tough, dense bars instead of soft ones.
Don’t Overbake: It’s crucial not to overbake for a soft texture. The bars will continue to set as they cool. Pull them when the edges are just barely golden.
Cool Completely: Ensure the bars are 100% cool before frosting, otherwise the buttercream will melt.
Vibrant Color: Gel food coloring provides the most vibrant green hue without thinning the frosting. Start with just a few drops.

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Category: Dessert, Bars, Cookies
Method: Baking
Cuisine: American

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 bar
Calories: 321 kcal
Sugar: 29 g
Sodium: 80 mg
Fat: 16.1 g
Saturated Fat: 9.9 g
Unsaturated Fat: 6.2 g
Trans Fat: 0.5 g
Carbohydrates: 42.4 g
Fiber: 0.5 g
Protein: 2.7 g
Cholesterol: 40 mg