King Cake Sugar Cookie Bars (Print Version)

Colorful sugar cookie bars with festive icing and sprinkles, ideal for celebrations or parties.

# What You'll Need:

→ Sugar Cookie Base

01 - 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
02 - 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
03 - 2 large eggs
04 - 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
05 - 1/2 teaspoon almond extract, optional
06 - 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
07 - 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
08 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
09 - 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
10 - Zest of 1 lemon

→ Icing

11 - 2 cups powdered sugar
12 - 2 to 3 tablespoons milk
13 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

→ Decoration

14 - Purple, green, and gold sanding sugar or sprinkles

# How To:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 9x13-inch baking pan with parchment paper, allowing overhang for easy removal.
02 - In a large bowl, cream together softened butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy, approximately 2 to 3 minutes.
03 - Beat in eggs one at a time, then add vanilla extract, almond extract if using, and lemon zest. Mix until well combined.
04 - In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon.
05 - Gradually add dry ingredients to wet ingredients, stirring just until combined. Avoid overmixing.
06 - Transfer dough evenly into prepared baking pan using a spatula, pressing gently to create uniform thickness.
07 - Bake for 22 to 25 minutes until edges are lightly golden and center is set. Do not overbake.
08 - Allow cookie base to cool completely in the pan on a wire rack.
09 - Whisk together powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla extract until smooth and pourable.
10 - Spread icing evenly over cooled cookie base using a spatula.
11 - Immediately sprinkle purple, green, and gold sanding sugar over icing in sections or decorative pattern.
12 - Allow icing to set for approximately 30 minutes before slicing into 24 bars.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • They taste like celebration in bar form, which means less stress and more actual fun at your gathering.
  • The lemon zest sneaks in a brightness that keeps these from feeling heavy, even after eating three in a row.
02 -
  • Don't overbake these bars, the residual heat in the pan continues cooking them as they cool, and dried-out sugar cookies are nobody's favorite.
  • If you're hiding the traditional plastic baby or almond, absolutely tell your guests before they eat, unless you enjoy emergency dental visits and lawsuits.
03 -
  • Use a chef's knife to slice these bars while the icing is set, a serrated knife drags and tears the frosting.
  • If you're making these for a crowd, bake two pans at once using two oven racks, rotating them halfway through for even baking.
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