Perfect soft and chewy sugar cookie bars, topped off with creamy peppermint buttercream frosting and a sprinkle of crushed peppermint candy canes. An easy and flavorful dessert to whip up for the holidays!

We’re officially in peppermint season! Which means it’s safe to indulge in all things peppermint flavor. I know that’s not everyone’s cup of tea but for those that love peppermint, rejoice!

I’m a huge fan of peppermint treats around the holidays. There’s something about the cooler temps and holiday lights that make me want a classic peppermint candy cane or a big mug of hot chocolate with peppermint whipped cream. It’s a classic flavor that is irresistible this time of year.

Whether you’re full swing into your holiday baking or just beginning, be sure to make room for these perfect soft and chewy sugar cookie bars with creamy peppermint buttercream frosting this busy holiday baking season! They’re ridiculously good. Any peppermint lover will be going back for seconds and thirds!

The sugar cookie base has the absolute perfect texture and classic vanilla flavor you’d expect. The creamy peppermint buttercream frosting adds the perfect pop of flavor to this fun holiday dessert. Add a sprinkle of crushed candy canes or your favorite red and white sprinkles for an extra special pop of color!

Not only are these sugar cookie bars with peppermint frosting flavorful, they’re ridiculously easy to make! One bowl for the cookie bar batter. And one bowl for the frosting! Easy peasy. Barely a mess. You can reuse the same bowl… after washing, of course! But this will 100% minimise the amount of bowls you need for this sweet treat.

If you’re a fan of peppermint desserts, this needs to be on your holiday baking list!

Check below for troubleshooting tips, advice and how to make these easy sugar cookie bars with peppermint frosting!

How to make the Sugar Cookie Bars with Peppermint Frosting

These sugar cookie bars are exactly what you’d expect, great sugar cookie flavor but in a soft and chewy bar! They’re topped off with creamy peppermint buttercream frosting and sprinkled with crushed candy canes.

  1. Prepare a 9×13-inch cake pan with parchment paper, leaving overhang on all four sides. Overhang can be kept in place with binder clips until ready to bake. This will also help hold the parchment paper in place while spreading the batter. Set aside your prepared pan.
  2. Preheat your oven to 350°F.
  3. In a large bowl or stand mixer, cream together butter and granulated sugar on low speed. Add one egg in at a time, followed by vanilla, salt and baking powder. Add flour in spoonfuls. Increase mixer speed, mixing until fully combined and no streaks remain.
  4. Grease your hands or a rubber spatula with baking spray or butter (not olive oil) and carefully spread the cookie bar dough evenly in your prepared 9×13-inch pan.
  5. Bake at 350°F for 25-30 minutes. Leaving the bars in the pan, cool on a wire rack.
  6. When the bars are fully cooled, prepare your frosting as directed below. Remove your cookie bars from the pan and parchment paper. Cookie bars can be placed on a cutting board or serving platter prior to frosting.
  7. Frost the cookie bars and sprinkle with crushed candy canes, if desired.
  8. Store in an airtight container for up to a week.

Check below this post for even more recipes to make this holiday season!

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Recipe tips and troubleshooting

How many will this recipe serve?

This recipe can serve a wide range! You can cut the sugar cookie bars into larger pieces serving closer to 12 or you can cut it even smaller and serve up to 24 or more. This can be sliced into squares, triangles or rectangles – giving you a huge amount of flexibility on serving size.

Can this be made in a square pan?

This has been specifically written and tested as a 9×13-inch cookie bar recipe. The amounts and baking time would not be ideal for a smaller pan. For best results, follow the recipe as written.

Can this be frozen?

Once baked and cooled, the sugar cookie bars can definitely be frosting – with or without the frosting!

How long will these last?

These can easily be stored in an airtight container for up to a week.

Can I skip the peppermint?

Yes! That’s an easy substitute if you’re not a fan or don’t have access to peppermint extract. Slightly increase the amount of vanilla, if not using peppermint.

Can I use a different frosting?

If you’re not a fan of buttercream or peppermint buttercream frosting, I have options for you!
Try cream cheese frosting, chocolate cream cheese frosting or chocolate buttercream frosting.

I’m having trouble spreading the dough.

Grease your hands with butter or baking spray (not olive oil spray) and carefully press and spread the dough out into a thin layer throughout the pan and into the corners. This will take some patience but it will work.

Can I skip the candy canes?

Yes! If you’re looking for a clean look, you can skip them entirely or you can top off with festive sprinkles or any other decoration.

Can I make substitutions to the ingredients?

Yes and no. Baking is a science. This recipe works with the exact measurements listed. Altering one or several of those can cause the recipe to fail. If you’re familiar with baking substitutions, go for it! Outside of any alterations I’ve already mentioned, for specific substitution questions, ask in the comments below.

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Sugar Cookie Bars with Peppermint Frosting

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Cooling Time: 2 hours
Total Time: 2 hours 40 minutes
Yield: 24
Perfect soft and chewy sugar cookie bars, topped off with creamy peppermint buttercream frosting and a sprinkle of crushed peppermint candy canes. An easy and flavorful dessert to whip up for the holidays!
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Ingredients
 

Cookie Bar Dough

  • 3/4 C unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 1/4 C granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 2 1/2 C all purpose flour

Peppermint Frosting

  • 1/2 C unsalted butter, softened
  • 1/2 tsp peppermint extract
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 3 C powdered sugar
  • 4 Tbsp heavy cream
  • 6 candy canes , crushed

Equipment

Instructions
 

  • Prepare a 9×13-inch cake pan with parchment, leaving overhang on all four sides. Preheat oven to 350°F.
  • In a large bowl or stand mixer, cream together butter and granulated sugar. Mix in one egg at a time, followed by vanilla, salt and baking powder. Add spoonfuls of flour at a time, increasing the speed and mixing until no streaks remain.
  • Lightly grease your hands with baking spray or butter. Press and spread cookie dough batter into prepared pan.
  • Bake at 350°F for 25-30 minutes. Cool in the pan, on a wire rack.
  • When the bars have cooled completely, prepare your frosting. In a large bowl or stand mixer, beat butter. Mix in peppermint and vanilla extract, followed by spoonfuls of powdered sugar at a time. Increase speed between additions. Lastly, mix in heavy cream until desired consistency is reached.
  • Remove cookie bars from pan and parchment paper to a cutting board or serving platter. Using a small offset spatula, spread frosting in an even layer over cooled cookie bars. Optionally, sprinkle with crushed candy canes.
  • Store in an airtight container for up to a week.

Notes

Recipe yields: 1: 9×13-inch pan, serving 12-24.
An original recipe from Baked by Rachel

Nutrition

Calories: 246kcal, Carbohydrates: 35g, Protein: 2g, Fat: 11g, Saturated Fat: 7g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 3g, Trans Fat: 0.4g, Cholesterol: 44mg, Sodium: 66mg, Potassium: 26mg, Fiber: 0.4g, Sugar: 25g, Vitamin A: 355IU, Vitamin C: 0.01mg, Calcium: 14mg, Iron: 1mg
Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. Nutrition information can vary for a variety of reasons. For the most accurate data, use your preferred nutrition calculator with the actual ingredients you used to make this recipe.
Did you make this recipe?I’d love to see it! Snap a picture and tag @bakedbyrachel on Instagram!
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keywords: Peppermint

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