Gluten Free Sugar Cookie Bars have all the flavor of sweet sugar cookies, in an easy-to-make bar format — no rolling nor cutting required! These soft, dense, and chewy bars are finished with a flourish of homemade buttercream frosting and sprinkles. Perfect for parties, potlucks, and holidays.
You know you’ve got a winning recipe when you wake up wondering when a socially acceptable time is to eat a thickly-frosted Gluten Free Sugar Cookie Bar.
(The answer is whenever you feel like it — YOLO!)
That’s how irresistible these soft, chewy, and sweet frosted sugar cookie bars are. Each bite is gluten free dessert perfection!
Frosted Sugar Cookie Bars — Perfect for Sharing
If you’ve ever tried my Soft and Chewy Gluten Free Sugar Cookies then you know those too are absolutely perfect.
The dough is easy to make, the cookies taste delicious, and you’d never guess they’re gluten free.
The same can be said for these sugar cookies bars, except they’re even easier to make because there’s no scooping, rolling, nor cutting required. Spread gluten free sugar cookie dough into a baking pan then bake, frost with homemade buttercream frosting (OMG!), and devour.
Gluten free cookie bars are a fabulous choice for sharing at a party or potluck, and are a must for a holiday dessert spread!
Why You’ll Love this Recipe
I was not kidding when I said I woke up thinking about these gluten free bars the last time I made them. They are incredible! Here are a few more reasons why you’ll love them too:
- No chilling: in my recipe for cut-out sugar cookies, you need to chill the dough for several hours before rolling then cutting. Not the case with these bars. Whip up the dough then spread it into a pan and bake. Simple.
- Everyday ingredients: both the sugar cookie bars and homemade buttercream frosting are made with fridge and pantry staples. Two of the ingredients are used in both the bars and frosting.
- Perfect for sharing: this recipe makes 24 bars, making it ideal for feeding a crowd. Imagine rolling, cutting, then frosting 24 individual sugar cookies — these bars are such a time saver!
- THE FROSTING: tbh, I typically reach for store-bought frosting when making homemade sugar cookies or cupcakes, but homemade buttercream takes less than 10 minutes to make and is a GAME CHANGER. I’d love for you to give it a try just once — it blows store-bought out of the water!
- Versatile: I’m showing pink frosting with rainbow sprinkles in these photos, though you can color the frosting and use themed sprinkles to fit your needs for any holiday or occasion. I’ll share some ideas below.
Ingredients Needed
Like I said, I always have the everyday ingredients needed to make both the sugar cookie bars and frosting on hand. Raid the fridge and pantry for…
For the Sugar Cookie Bars:
- Butter: I typically bake with salted butter, but you can use unsalted if you’d like.
- Granulated sugar: sweetens the sugar cookie dough.
- Eggs: give the bars a chewy, satisfying texture.
- Vanilla extract: for cozy flavor.
- Gluten free baking flour blend: use the blend you typically use to bake cookies with, ensuring it has a binder like xanthan gum inside. I make these with Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour.
- Baking powder: gives the bars a little lift.
- Salt: to balance out the sweetness.
- Gluten free sprinkles: gluten free sprinkles are typically made GF ingredients (sugar, cornstarch, etc.), but they’re notorious for being manufactured on lines shared with wheat-based products. That said, I recommended Sweetapolita, Supernatural, and Watkins brands for safe, gluten free sprinkles.
For the Buttercream Frosting:
- Butter: again, use what you’ve got on hand.
- Powdered sugar: for a thick and ultra-creamy frosting.
- Milk: use whatever you’ve got on hand for drinking.
- Vanilla extract: I add a truckload for lots of flavor!
- Salt: add a pinch if you’re using unsalted butter.
- Gel food coloring: for vibrantly-colored frosting. I like Nomeca brand, which is gluten free.
Decorate for the Holidays
Gluten Free Sugar Cookie Bars are easy to customize for any holiday or special occasion. Here are some ideas for coloring the buttercream frosting, and sprinkles:
- Christmas: white frosting with red and green sprinkles.
- Valentine’s Day: pink, white, or red frosting with red and white sprinkles.
- St. Patrick’s Day: white frosting with green and yellow sprinkles.
- Easter: yellow frosting with pastel sprinkles.
- 4th of July: white frosting with red and blue sprinkles (maybe a lit sparkler or two?!)
- Halloween: orange frosting with black and orange sprinkles.
- Birthday: pink frosting with rainbow sprinkles.
Alrighty — lets bake!
Try Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Cookies
How to Make GF Sugar Cookie Bars
Step 1: Combine the wet ingredients.
Start by creaming together butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric stand mixer, or large glass bowl if using a handheld mixer, until light and fluffy, 1 minute.
Scrape down the sides of the bowl then incorporate two eggs, one at a time, mixing until the egg has just been incorporated before adding the next one. Add vanilla extract then mix to combine.
Step 2: Combine the dry ingredients.
To a separate mixing bowl, add gluten free flour blend WITH a binder, baking powder, and salt then stir with a fork to combine.
Recipe Tip
You can use the gluten free baking blend you typically use for cookies — these bars are unlike the recipes for Gluten Free Biscuits, Gluten Free Cinnamon Rolls, and Gluten Free Focaccia where the flour blend can really make or break the recipe. I typically use Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour for these bars.
Recipe Tip
Use the “spoon and level” method of measuring flour to ensure you don’t add too much to the recipe, resulting in dry sugar cookie bars. Place a measuring cup on top of wax or parchment paper, or in the bottom of a bowl, then add the flour using a spoon until it heaps over the top. Use a knife to scrape off the excess.
Step 3: Combine the wet and dry ingredients.
Add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients in two batches, mixing until just combined before adding the second batch.
(I know we’re not supposed to talk about eating raw cookie dough on the internet, but my goodness, this dough is SO yummy!)
Step 4: Bake.
Scoop the dough into a nonstick-sprayed or parchment paper-lined 9×13″ baking dish then spread into an even layer with an offset spatula or rubber spatula.
Bake for 20-24 minutes or until the top and sides of the bars are light golden brown. Avoid over baking to ensure the cookie bars stay nice and soft inside.
Recipe Tip
Keep your parchment paper in place by first crumbling it in a ball, then flattening and pressing it into the baking dish.
Let the sugar cookie bars cool COMPLETELY, then frost with homemade buttercream. It is SO worth the little effort it takes to make!
How to Make Homemade Buttercream Frosting
- Beat butter that’s been softened to room temperature until it’s pale and creamy, 1 minute.
- Scrape down the sides of the bowl then add powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla extract. Mix on low until the powdered sugar is mostly wet, then crank the speed and beat the frosting for 2 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl halfway through.
- Add a small amount of gel food coloring then mix until combined.
Like I said, I love Nomeca gel food coloring, not just because it’s gluten free, but also because you only need a tiny bit for bold and vibrant color. Highly recommend!
Step 5: Frost and decorate.
After the gluten free sugar cookie bars are completely cool (if they’re warm, the frosting will melt) scoop the frosting on top then spread into an even layer. Add sprinkles, and you’re set!
I like to let the Gluten Free Sugar Cookie Bars sit uncovered in the refrigerator or on the counter for a couple of hours to give the buttercream time to set on top, making it easier to slice into squares.
That said, I have never waited to cut out a corner for quality control purposes first. 😉
How to Store and Freeze
- To store: store the bars covered on the counter for 2-3 days, or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- To freeze: scoop the buttercream frosting into a gallon Ziplock freezer bag then remove the air and freeze flat. Cover the baked then cooled bars with saran wrap then foil, and then freeze in the baking pan. Thaw the frosting in the refrigerator and the cookie bars on the counter. Snip the corner off the bag of thawed frosting then squeeze it into a mixing bowl. Whip until fluffy then frost the thawed bars and serve.
However you decorate them, and whenever you devour them, I hope you love each and every crumb of these delicious, sweet, and chewy Gluten Free Cookie Bars! Enjoy!
More Gluten Free Cookie Recipes
For the Frosting:
- 1 cup butter, softened to room temperature
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 3 Tablespoons milk, any kind
- 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
- pinch of salt, omit if using salted butter
- gel food coloring, optional
Prevent your screen from going dark
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Preheat the oven to 350 degrees then spray a 9×13” baking pan with nonstick spray and set aside. Alternatively you can line the baking pan with parchment paper, allowing it to hang off the ends for easy removal of the bars from the pan.
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Add the softened butter and sugar to the bowl of an electric mixer, or to a large glass bowl if using a hand-held mixer, then beat on medium speed (6/10) until fluffy and pale yellow, 1 minute. Scrape down the sides of the bowl then add 1 egg and mix on low speed until just combined. Add the second egg then mix until just combined. Add the vanilla extract then mix until combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
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In a separate bowl, whisk together the gluten free baking flour, baking powder, and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients in two batches, mixing on low speed until just combined before adding the next batch.
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Scoop the dough into the prepared baking pan then spread into an even layer with the spatula or an offset spatula — the dough will be sticky, and that’s ok. Bake for 20-24 minutes or until the tops and sides are light golden brown, rotating the baking pan halfway through. Avoid over-baking as we want the bars to be soft. Cool the bars completely.
For the Frosting:
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Add the softened butter to the bowl of an electric mixer, or to a large glass bowl if using a hand-held mixer, then beat on medium-high speed (8/10) until pale and creamy, 1 minute. Scrape down the sides of the bowl then add the powdered sugar, milk, vanilla extract, and salt. Mix on low until the powdered sugar is mostly wet then turn the speed up to medium (6/10) and beat for 2 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl halfway through. Add gel food coloring, if using, then beat to combine.
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Spread the frosting onto the cooled bars then top with sprinkles. I like to let the bars sit uncovered for at least 2 hours to give the frosting time to set on top before slicing into squares and serving. Store for up to 2-3 days covered on the countertop, or up to 5 days in the refrigerator.
- I recommend Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour and King Arthur Gluten-Free Measure for Measure Flour for these bars.
- I recommended Sweetapolita, Supernatural, and Watkins brands for gluten free sprinkles.
- If you don’t want to make homemade frosting, you can swap in 2, 16oz tubs of prepared gluten free frosting.
- To store: store the bars covered on the counter for 2-3 days, or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- To freeze: scoop the buttercream frosting into a gallon Ziplock freezer bag then remove the air and freeze flat. Cover the baked then cooled bars with saran wrap then foil, and then freeze in the baking pan. Thaw the frosting in the refrigerator and the cookie bars on the counter. Snip the corner off the bag of thawed frosting then squeeze it into a mixing bowl. Whip until fluffy then frost the thawed bars and serve.
Calories: 294kcal, Carbohydrates: 42g, Protein: 2g, Fat: 14g, Saturated Fat: 9g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 4g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 49mg, Sodium: 172mg, Potassium: 11mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 33g, Vitamin A: 433IU, Calcium: 22mg, Iron: 1mg
Nutritional values are estimates only. Please read our full nutrition information disclaimer.
Photos by Ashley McLaughlin
