Ultra‑Thick Lofthouse Cookie Bars (8×8 Pan)
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Thick, pillowy soft, and topped with a swoop of pink frosting and a heavy hand of rainbow sprinkles… these bakery style Lofthouse Cookie Bars taste just like the soft frosted sugar cookies everybody grew up loving, only thicker, fresher, and homemade. They bake up a full inch and a quarter tall in one little 8×8 pan, with a tender crumb that stays soft for days. Perfect for back to school treats!
No rolling, no cookie cutters, no chilling the dough. Press, bake, frost, and shower them with sprinkles. Grab your pan and let’s get baking !
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Why You’ll Love These Ultra-Thick Lofthouse Cookie Bars
- Thick, soft, and bakery-style. A full inch and a quarter of soft sugar cookie under all that frosting.
- No rolling or cutting. The dough presses right into the pan and that’s the whole shaping process.
- That pink frosting. Fluffy, buttery, sweet, and piled on thick the way it should be.
- A small batch. One 8×8 pan gives you nine generous bars, so you’re not stuck with four dozen cookies.
- Sprinkles make everyone happy! Kids go wild for these, and so does every adult who pretends not to.
- Back to School Treats – Perfect for school and meal prep.
What Makes these Back to School Treats So Soft?
Three things, and I’m telling you right now, none of them are optional. First, the sour cream. That 1/3 cup is what gives these bars their tender, almost cake-like softness, and it keeps them that way for days on the counter. Second, the extra egg yolk. It adds richness and a little chew so the bars don’t turn dry. And third, pulling them out of the oven early. When the edges are barely golden and the middle still looks a touch underdone, they’re done. Trust me on this one.
Can we ever have enough frosted cookie bars? Some more of our favorites include these Ultra-Thick Spring Sprinkle Cookie Bars, these Birthday Confetti Frosted Sugar Cookie Bars, and these festive Peppermint Sugar Cookie Bars!
Ingredients for Pink Frosted Lofthouse Cookie Bars
Nine ingredients for the bars, six for the frosting, and one very generous pile of sprinkles.
Cookie Bar Base
- 3/4 cup softened butter
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg + 1 egg yolk
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/3 cup sour cream
- 2 cups + 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
Pink Frosting
- 1/2 cup softened butter
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 2 to 3 tablespoons milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
- 1 to 2 drops pink food coloring
- Sprinkles for topping
A quick note on the butter. Softened means it dents when you press it, not melty and shiny. And use gel food coloring if you have it, because a single drop gives you that classic Lofthouse pink without thinning out your frosting.
How to Make Ultra-Thick Lofthouse Cookie Bars
Make the Soft Baked Sugar Cookie Bars
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and line an 8×8 pan with parchment, leaving an overhang on two sides.
- Cream 3/4 cup softened butter and 3/4 cup granulated sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
- Mix in 1 large egg, 1 egg yolk, and 2 teaspoons vanilla extract until smooth.
- Stir in 1/3 cup sour cream until the batter looks glossy.
- Add 2 cups + 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, 3/4 teaspoon baking powder, 1/4 teaspoon baking soda, and 1/2 teaspoon fine salt. Mix just until a thick dough forms.
- Press the dough evenly into the pan. It’s stiff, so lightly flour your fingertips and push it into the corners.
- Bake 22 to 27 minutes, until the edges are lightly golden and the center is just set.
- Cool the soft baked sugar cookie bars completely, then chill them in the fridge until you’re ready to frost.
Make the Pink Frosting
- Beat 1/2 cup softened butter, 2 cups powdered sugar, 2 to 3 tablespoons milk, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Then add 1 to 2 drops of pink food coloring.
- Spread the frosting over the cooled bars, add all the sprinkles, and chill 10 to 15 minutes before slicing into 9 squares.
Tips for the Best Lofthouse Cookie Bars
- Don’t overbake. My all-time best tip. Pull the pan when the center still looks slightly underdone. It firms up as it cools and stays soft for days.
- Chill before you frost. Cold bars mean the buttercream glides on instead of dragging up crumbs.
- Spoon and level your flour. Scooping straight from the bag packs in too much and you’ll get dry, crumbly bars.
- Beat the frosting longer than you think. A full 3 minutes turns it pale, fluffy, and easy to swoop.
- Don’t skip the pinch of salt in the frosting. All that powdered sugar needs it.
- Sprinkle right away. Sprinkles stick to fresh frosting, not to frosting that’s been sitting for an hour.
Fun Variations
- Any color you want: Swap the pink for pastel purple in spring, orange for Halloween, or red and green for Christmas.
- Cream cheese frosting: Beat 4 ounces softened cream cheese into the buttercream for a tangier topping.
- Almond bakery flavor: Add 1/4 teaspoon almond extract to the frosting. It’s the flavor you can never quite name in bakery cookies.
- Funfetti style: Fold 1/3 cup sprinkles right into the dough. Love that look? These Patriotic M&M Party Cookie Bars do the same thing.
- Round cookies instead: Craving the classic shape? My Soft Sugar Cookies and these Crumbl Sugar Cookies will sort you out.
How to Store Pink Frosted Cookie Bars
- Store frosted Lofthouse cookie bars in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, and let them sit out for about 20 minutes before eating so the frosting softens. Unfrosted bars keep at room temperature for 3 days in an airtight container.
- For longer storage, freeze the unfrosted bars whole or sliced for up to 3 months, wrapped tightly and then bagged. Thaw at room temperature and frost the day you plan to serve them.
Lofthouse Cookie Bars FAQs
Why do my Lofthouse cookie bars taste more like cake?
Too much flour is almost always the reason. Spoon the flour into your measuring cup and level it off with a knife instead of scooping. Overmixing after the flour goes in will do it too, so stop as soon as the dough comes together.
Can I make Lofthouse cookie bars without sour cream?
Yes, plain full-fat Greek yogurt works as a straight swap for the 1/3 cup sour cream. The bars come out just as soft with a slightly tangier flavor that the frosting covers completely.
How thick should the frosting layer be for these soft baked sugar cookie bars?
Thick. Real Lofthouse cookies carry nearly as much frosting as cookie, and this batch of buttercream is sized for exactly that. Spread it edge to edge in a generous layer and swirl the top.
Can I double this Lofthouse cookie bars recipe for a 9×13 pan?
Yes. Double every ingredient and bake in a 9×13 metal pan at 350°F. Start checking at 25 minutes and expect somewhere around 28 to 32 minutes total. The bakery style cookie bars will be a touch thinner than the 8×8 version.
That pink frosting and the sprinkles get all the attention, but it’s the thick, soft cookie underneath that has everyone reaching for a second square. Buttery, tender, sweet, and ready in about an hour from bowl to first bite. Cut these bakery style cookie bars big, hand them out, and watch them disappear before the pan even makes it to the table. Happy baking!
I’d love to see your Pink Frosted Cookie Bars! Follow me on Instagram for more sweet recipes, then share your bakes on Pinterest and Facebook. Happy baking, my sweet friends!
More Sprinkle-Topped Recipes to Love!
- Ultra-Thick Spring Sprinkle Cookie Bars
- Birthday Confetti Frosted Sugar Cookie Bars
- Peppermint Sugar Cookie Bars
- Soft Sugar Cookies
- Crumbl Sugar Cookies
- Brown Butter Sugar Cookies
Ultra-Thick Lofthouse Cookie Bars
Equipment
- 8x8 baking pan
- Parchment paper
- Electric mixer
- Mixing bowls
- Offset spatula
Ingredients
Cookie Bars
- ¾ cup butter, softened
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 large egg yolk
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ⅓ cup sour cream
- 2 cups + 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
- ¾ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon fine salt
Pink Frosting
- ½ cup butter, softened
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 2-3 tablespoons milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
- 1-2 drops pink food coloring, gel preferred
- Sprinkles, for topping
Instructions
Make the Cookie Bars
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and line an 8x8 pan with parchment, leaving an overhang on two sides.
- Cream 3/4 cup softened butter and 3/4 cup granulated sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
- Mix in 1 large egg, 1 egg yolk, and 2 teaspoons vanilla extract until smooth.
- Stir in 1/3 cup sour cream until the batter looks glossy.
- Add 2 cups + 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, 3/4 teaspoon baking powder, 1/4 teaspoon baking soda, and 1/2 teaspoon fine salt. Mix just until a thick dough forms.
- Press the dough evenly into the pan, using lightly floured fingertips to push it into the corners.
- Bake 22 to 27 minutes, until the edges are lightly golden and the center is just set.
- Cool the bars completely, then chill in the refrigerator until ready to frost.
Make the Pink Frosting
- Beat 1/2 cup softened butter, 2 cups powdered sugar, 2 to 3 tablespoons milk, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add 1 to 2 drops pink food coloring and beat to combine.
- Spread the frosting over the cooled bars, top with sprinkles, and chill 10 to 15 minutes before slicing into 9 squares.
Notes
Nutrition
