These pretty and delicious Winter Sugar Cookie Bars are fun to make and perfect for skating parties, a day of tobogganing or just any reason for a sweet treat!! They have a lovely peppermint flavor that is refreshing and warming at the same time.
Want more winter treats? Then try our Polar Bear Cookies or a Peppermint Mocha Latte.
Why I Like This Recipe
- Absolutely delicious
- Love peppermint flavor
- Pretty for winter
- Great for Après-ski, tobogganing, skating, etc.
- Fun for the holidays too!
Helpful Items for This Recipe
This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn a small portion from qualifying purchases at no extra charge for you.
Nonstick Bakeware Baking Pan With Lid, Rectangle – 9 Inch x 13 Inch, Gray
Pure Peppermint Extract for Baking and Cooking, 2 Ounce Bottle
Ingredients Needed to Make Sugar Cookie Bars
Ingredients
Cookie Dough
Unsalted Butter – You can also use salted butter, but adjust the salt that you are putting into the recipe. Have this at room temperature also.
Granulated Sugar – Use granulated sugar for this recipe, as you want to keep them nice and white looking.
Greek Yogurt and Milk (2 or 3 %) – Leave this out to get to room temperature. Use full-fat plain Greek yogurt. The yogurt adds a nice tang and moisture to the cookie base.
Large Eggs – Also have these at room temperature, along with the yogurt and eggs. This will give you a batter that is easy to spread.
Vanilla extract and Peppermint extract – For this recipe, clear vanilla is best; if you leave out the peppermint, you can up the amount of vanilla.
Cream Cheese – You can use full-fat or light, but it also needs to be at room temperature.
All-purpose Flour – Having it sifted is best. I have not tested this recipe with other flours.
Baking Powder and Cornstarch – These ingredients help with the rise, chew, and give the bars a more tender, softer texture.
Salt – You can use Kosher salt, but keep in mind if you use salted or unsalted butter.
Favorite winter-themed sprinkles – I like just plain blue sprinkles for inside the cookie bar.
Frosting
Confectioners’ Sugar – This is also called icing sugar or powdered sugar, depending on where you live.
Unsalted Butter and Cream Cheese – These make a great combination for an excellent frosting. Both need to be at room temperature, also.
Vanilla extract – Again, the clear is best, and we left out the peppermint so it won’t be overwhelming.
Whole Milk – This is as needed so that you get the right spreadability you like.
Food Coloring – This is optional, as we left ours white.
Favorite winter-themed sprinkles – I love these with the snowman and snowflakes. Link for these are above from Amazon.
How to Make Frosted Sugar Cookie Bars
Cookie Dough
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 9×13 baking pan with parchment paper or foil, extending the sides over the edges of the pan. Spray lightly with cooking spray; set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, cream together butter and sugar for a minute or two, until light and fluffy, scraping the sides of the bowl.
Add in Greek yogurt, milk, eggs, vanilla, peppermint extract and cream cheese, and mix until combined.
In a medium-size bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, cornstarch and salt.
Slowly add the flour mixture into the wet mixture until everything is combined. Fold winter-themed sprinkles into the batter.
Press the batter into the baking dish and spread it out evenly with a rubber spatula.
Bake for 16-20 minutes, or until edges barely turn golden.
Remove from oven and allow to cool on a rack, then chill in the fridge or freezer until cooled.
Frosting
Place confectioners’ sugar, butter, softened cream cheese and vanilla into a mixing bowl, and cream together. If the frosting is too thick, add small amounts of milk until it has reached the desired consistency. It should be fluffy and creamy, yet set.
If you wish to color the frosting, add in desired amount of food coloring a few drops at a time, and mix completely.
Spread frosting evenly over cooled cookie bar layer. Top with winter-themed sprinkles, as desired.
Trim edges and cut into squares. Serve and enjoy!
Recipe Pro Tips
Storing Serving Frosted Sugar Cookie Bars
These sugar cookie bars store well in the refrigerator in an airtight container for at least a week. They freeze well for up to 3 months.
Easy to Customize
You can change this recipe up easily by changing the sprinkles for any occasion you like. There is an unimaginable wealth of sprinkles out there for any occasion!!
Change the peppermint flavor to any other extract you like, or just remove it from the bar, and it will be a delightful vanilla flavor.
Instead of sprinkles, you can add dried fruits or nuts. This recipe is really endless in its variations.
They are great for school parties because they are easily portable, nut-free (as long as your ingredients are).
Winter Sugar Cookie Bars Recipe
Ingredients
Cookie Dough
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup Greek yogurt room temperature
- 2 tablespoons milk 2 or 3%
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract clear is best
- 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract
- 2 oz cream cheese room temperature
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour sifted
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup favorite winter-themed sprinkles
Frosting
- 4 cups confectioners’ sugar
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter room temperature
- 2 oz cream cheese room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract clear is best
- 2-3 tablespoons whole milk as needed
- 3-5 drops food coloring optional
- 1/4 cup favorite winter-themed sprinkles
Instructions
Cookie Dough
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 9×13 baking pan with parchment paper or foil, extending the sides over the edges of the pan. Spray lightly with cooking spray; set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, cream together butter and sugar for a minute or two, until light and fluffy, scraping the sides of the bowl.
- Add in Greek yogurt, milk, eggs, vanilla, peppermint extract and cream cheese, and mix until combined.
- In a medium-size bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, cornstarch and salt.
- Slowly add the flour mixture into the wet mixture until everything is combined. Fold winter-themed sprinkles into the batter.
- Press the batter into the baking dish and spread it out evenly with a rubber spatula.
- Bake for 16-20 minutes, or until edges barely turn golden.
- Remove from oven and allow to cool on a rack, then chill in the fridge or freezer until cooled.
Frosting
- Place confectioners’ sugar, butter, softened cream cheese and vanilla into a mixing bowl, and cream together. If the frosting is too thick, add small amounts of milk until it has reached the desired consistency. It should be fluffy and creamy, yet set.
- If you wish to color the frosting, add in desired amount of food coloring, a few drops at a time, and mix completely.
- Spread frosting evenly over cooled cookie bar layer.
- Top with winter-themed Sprinkles, as desired.
- Trim edges and cut into squares. Serve and enjoy!
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