These Harvest Sugar Cookie Bars fits right in with the Fall Season of baking! Whether it be Thanksgiving, Halloween or Harvest! We baked up soft, chewy sugar cookies and transformed them into cookie bar form.
Then we iced them with a tempting orange cream cheese frosting with lots of fall festive candy sprinkles!
Now all we need is a hayride, a bonfire and a party to take them too! Along with these 3 Fa'BOO'lous Halloween Jello Shots, these Double Chocolate Orange Cookies, these Orange Butter'Scream' Oreo Brownies and this gorgeous Orange Creamsicle Cake!
And of course, it would be remiss not to mention that these cookie bars are pretty much awesome for any afternoon treat!
Helpful Cookie Bar Tips
- The bars are totally delicious, easy to prepare! 2 great tips for you! Do not overmix the cookie dough and do not over-bake your cookie bars, so check them at 20 minutes and go from there.
- When testing for doneness, you want a few moist crumbs to cling to the toothpick.
- The creamy frosting is a cream cheese frosting, tinted a pretty orange color and definitely fall inspiring. I've added in the recipe notes, what to do if you want to flavor it with orange, but you should still add the food coloring.
- I love using Americolor Gel Paste when I color my frostings. It has coloring strength superior to any other food color I've used.
- By mixing and measuring using "drops" of gel paste, you can achieve precise, easy-to-repeat colors every time. Also, a little paste goes a long way.
- So my recommendation to you is, add a little gel into your frosting, mix and add more as needed to get the color you are going for.
For a super easy shortcut, you can cheat and use ready-made frosting in a pinch and add food gel to it.
But these are really amazing with home-made cream cheese frosting if you ask me. Besides vanilla extract, you could add in different flavor extracts, like lemon
The kids will love these and these would also be fun for them to help decorate with the sprinkling of the sprinkles, right?
If you're on the fence of trying to figure out something to make on a whim or just didn't have time to plan, these must be calling your name! They are easy to make, you probably have all the staple ingredients and they taste delicious!
Other Cookie Bars?
- Sheet Pan Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars
- Sheet Pan Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars
- Brookie Bars
- Home-made Snickerdoodle Cookie Bars!
- Patriotic M&M Party Cookie Bars
- Super Easy Gluten Free Sugar Cookie Bars (Sugar-free)
- Sheet Pan Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars
- Hocus Pocus Brownie Bites
Harvest Frosted Sugar Cookie Bars
Ingredients
Harvest Sugar Cookie Bars
- ½ cup unsalted butter room temperature
- ⅔ cup white sugar
- 1 egg room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 ¾ cup all purpose flour
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 4 ounces cream cheese softened
- ½ cup unsalted butter softened
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 –3 tablespoons of milk
- Optional: orange gel sprinkles
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Line a 8 x 8 baking pan with parchment paper and set aside.
Harvest Sugar Cookie Bars
- Using a mixer, beat the butter and sugar together until just combined. Add in the egg and vanilla and beat well.
- Add the salt and flour, and continue beating for about 1 minute.
- Transfer the cookie dough to prepared pan, spreading all the way to the edges and smoothing out the top. Bake the bars for 20 to 30 minutes. You’ll want to take them out when the edges are golden brown, but the center of the bar is still gooey.
Cream Cheese Frosting
- Once cookies are cooled, in a medium sized bowl, using a mixer, beat the butter and cream cheese together well. Add the powdered sugar, milk, vanilla extract and salt and beat until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
- Using an offset spatula, spread the frosting in an even layer over the cooled bars. Sprinkle with your favorite sprinkles, cut into 16 squares and enjoy!
Notes
- 1 ½ teaspoons orange zest (from 1 small orange)
- 2 teaspoons fresh orange juice
Valentina says
These are so much fun for fall! So festive and pretty. 🙂 ~Valentina
Kim Lange says
Thank you Valentina! xo
Laura says
I always tell people I don’t love things that are super-sweet, but I can never turn down frosted sugar cookies. Does that make me a liar? Shhhh. These are so festive and pretty, Kim!
Kim Lange says
NO, it does not! Thank you so much Laura!! xo
mary anderson says
This looks delicious.This looks like dinner to me this weekend.You always make little delicacies look so easy Perfect to serve. Thanks for another great recipe!
Kim Lange says
That's one of the things I try to strive for...EASY and tasting good. I thank you so much for your comment! You are the sweetest! xo
Katherine | Love In My Oven says
These harvest bars are beautiful, Kim! The colors are perfection. Sugar cookie bars would be a complete hit with everyone!
Kim Lange says
Thank you so much Katherine! I have never known anyone to turn them down! 🙂
Mimi says
Pretty! I’m not much of a baker, at all, but I think I could make these! The grandkids would love them!
Kim Lange says
Exactly! These are definitely easy and so yummy. I hope you enjoy and thank you!! xo
Kelsie | the itsy-bitsy kitchen says
I LOVE sugar cookie bars! Especially with plenty of frosting. These look awesome, Kim!
Kim Lange says
Me too and these are really good. Thanks Kelsie!! xo
Kelly @ Kelly Lynns Sweets and Treats says
Mmmm sugar cookies are my favorite but bars are even better because I’m going to steal that middle slice with no edges!! Plus frosting on top?! Love it! Pinning!
Kim Lange says
OMG...you and I are way too alike! I love the middle ones too, but I don't have a problem with devouring the side ones either. Thank you sweet Kelly! xo