Funfetti Sugar Cookie Bars
Festive Funfetti Sugar Cookie Bars are perfect for any kind of celebration! Elevated with colorful sprinkles, these gooey, buttery cookie bars are beloved by kids and adults. Makes 24 cookie bars.
Happy blogoversary, The Speckled Palate!
On this day nine years ago, I published my first blog post on this ‘ol blog after breaking away from the personal blog I’d written on since 2007. (HI, blog friends from way back when! Love you!)
In years past, we’ve celebrated with sprinkles—because that’s how we roll around these parts: Funfettini Birthday Cake Martinis. Funfetti Cookies. Funfetti Cupcakes. And now Sugar Cookie Bars… with rainbow sprinkles!
We made these to celebrate our daughter’s fifth birthday with friends at school, and they were a smashing success.
Why I love this recipe:
These Funfetti Cookie Bars are perfect for any celebration, whether it’s for a birthday party, a holiday or any ‘ol day that you want a cookie bar in your life.
These cookie bars are completely from scratch, so there’s no reason to run out to the store to buy some Funfetti cake mix, either.
The sugar cookie base could not be easier to pull together and calls for easy-to-find ingredients. Also, the end result has delightful chewiness.
Plus, you get to add your own flair with the sprinkles you choose to add. We decided to go with all the bright colors we could manage, but you can use colors for specific holidays and more.
More treats that are perfect for any type of celebration: Mint Smores Bars | Dark Chocolate Chip Cookies | Boozy Bacon Pretzel Peanut Butter Bars | Ooey Gooey Bars | Dr Pepper Chocolate Cherry Brownies | Funfetti Dip
Looking for sweet inspiration? Check out my Desserts Recipe Index!
What you need to make this recipe:
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- Stand mixer (or a hand mixer and large mixing bowl)
- Nonstick cooking spray
- Kitchen scale and/or measuring cups
- A rubber spatula
- A 9″ x 13″ rectangular cake pan (or a Jelly Roll Pan)
Let’s talk ingredients!
In addition to the tools above, you’re going to need some ingredients to make this recipe, too! Chances are, you might already have some of them in your fridge or pantry. Scroll down to the recipe card for the full measurements and instructions.
Here’s what you need to grab at the store:
- Unsalted butter — this needs to be at room temperature so we can easily cream it with the sugars. If you need to make this recipe dairy free, I recommend using your favorite softened vegan butter or vegetable shortening. While the texture will be slightly different, the swap works.
- Granulated sugar — also known as white sugar, this gives our bars a lovely sweetness. There is no substitute.
- Brown sugar — you may use light brown or dark brown sugar here. The dark brown sugar will give more molasses flavors than the lighter one, but both work.
- Eggs — these provide structure, as well as some leavening for our cookie bars.
- Pure vanilla extract — we use a lot of it, but trust me on this. It adds such loveliness to the batter and final cookie bars.
- All-purpose flour — we keep unbleached AP flour at our house, but you can use whatever you’ve got at your house. I have not tried to make this recipe with a gluten free substitute flour, so I do not recommend doing that.
- Kosher salt — I like to use a medium grain kosher salt for this recipe. Medium grain sea salt would also be OK.
- Baking soda — this is our leavening agent, and it helps these bars rise a little! Please do not replace it with baking powder. That will make for a fluffier end product, which is not what we are going for.
- Your favorite sprinkles — personally, I like ‘em colorful, but you do you!
You could also mix in a handful of white chocolate chips or your favorite chocolate chips to add some additional flavors to this mixture, though I love these bar cookies as they are.
How To Make Funfetti Sugar Cookie Bars
Measure the softened butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar into the base of your stand mixer. (You can also do this in a big bowl and with a hand mixer if you don’t have a stand mixer.)
Use paddle attachment to cream these ingredients together until light and fluffy.
DID YOU KNOW?
Creaming the sugar and butter makes for a fluffy, light sugar cookie bar. The process adds air into the batter, which creates air pockets so the dough can rise when it is placed in the oven.
Scrape down the sides of the bowl using a silicone spatula, then add the eggs and vanilla to the mixture.
Once they’re in the bowl, beat until combined, and scrape down the sides again to ensure all the ingredients are actually mixing into the batter.
Gently spoon the flour, salt and soda into the mixing bowl. You could do half of this, mix it together, then add the other half, but I let my stand mixer do the heavy lifting for me.
Also, this part is super fun for our older daughter.
Be sure to turn on the stand mixer at the lowest speed at first so you don’t get covered in flour. Been there, done that, won’t make that mistake again.
And once the flour has been added, add the sprinkles, and gently mix ‘em in with a silicone spatula.
Bake the bar cookies!
Unlike traditional cookies, you don’t need this cookie bar dough to chill in the fridge — because we don’t have to worry if the batter spreads. In fact, it has nowhere to go but up when it bakes, so it’s all good.
Instead, simply spray a 9”x13” baking pan (or a jelly roll pan) with nonstick baking spray, and then press the bar cookie dough into it with your hands.
If you’re concerned that the dough will stick to your hands, simply spritz one hand with the nonstick baking spray and rub your hands together before spreading the cookie dough in an even layer in the pan.
Once the dough is evenly spread in the pan, pop it in the oven and bake until golden brown and delicious.
Erin’s Easy Entertaining Tips
Did you know that sugar cookie bars are awesome for entertaining?
If you were unaware, let me explain:
- You can decorate them for any occasion. (Think: Red and green sprinkles for Christmas! Rainbow sprinkles for a birthday! Red, white and blue ones for July 4th! The possibilities are endless.)
- These beauties can be made in advance, so you don’t have to worry about ‘em baking as you’re prepping for your gathering.
- They feed a crowd and are easily handheld!
- Kids love ‘em, and so do adults.
I love making bar cookies for celebrations of all kinds.
These beautiful Sprinkle Sugar Cookie Bars were originally made for our 5-year-old’s birthday celebration at school… all because one of her besties doesn’t like chocolate, so she didn’t want me to send our traditional Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars. (How sweet is that?)
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! We’ve made this bar cookie recipe 1-2 days before our daughter’s birthday. It stores well, and that way, it’s cool enough for friends and guests to hold in their hands.
Follow the instructions laid out in the recipe card below, and then allow them a few hours to cool completely. Cover with plastic wrap, or slice, transfer to a plate, then cover with plastic wrap, and you’re good to go!
Absolutely! A jelly roll pan would work perfectly for these. Just be sure it’s sprayed well with the nonstick baking spray before baking and make sure that the cookie dough isn’t higher than the lips of the baking sheet.
Quick Tips For Making Easy Funfetti Sugar Cookie Bars
- Make them dairy free by substituting equal parts coconut oil and applesauce for the butter. You can also use vegetable shortening. The texture, obviously, will change, but they’re still delicious!
- Store the cookie bars on a plate with plastic wrap secured over it or in their original baking dish, covered, for a few days.
- Add a frosting, like Cream Cheese Frosting, if you want them to be even more decadent!
- Switch out your sprinkles based on your mood and the time of year!
More sprinkle-filled desserts to try:
If you’re looking for a no bake dessert, try Funfetti Dip! It’s like old school Dunkaroo dip.
Cookie lover? These Rainbow Biscotti are so fun!
If you’re in the market for a fun breakfast, my entire family adores these Funfetti Pancakes.
Want to make these sugar cookie bars? Scroll on down…
Funfetti Sugar Cookie Bars
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter at room temperature (2 sticks)
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 cup assorted sprinkles plus 2 additional tablespoons for sprinkling the top
As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray a 9”x13” baking pan with nonstick baking spray, and set aside.
- In a the bowl of a stand mixer using the flat beater attachment, whip the softened butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar until the butter is light yellow and the sugars are well incorporated. Use a rubber spatula to scrape down the sides.
- Add in the egg and vanilla extract, beating until combined. Scrape down the sides using the rubber spatula, ensuring all ingredients are getting mixed.
- Measure the flour, salt and soda into the mixing bowl before turning on the mixer at a low speed. Continue mixing until the batter has come together and is nice and sticky.
- Measure in the sprinkles, and gently fold them into the batter with a rubber spatula.
- Scoop the cookie dough out of the bowl and into the prepared baking pan. Use your hands to press the batter out evenly throughout the pan.
- Sprinkle additional sprinkles on top of the cookie bars, if desired.
- Bake for 30 minutes, or until golden brown and cooked through.
- Let cool completely on a wire cooling rack before cutting into 24 cookie squares.
- Enjoy with a glass of your favorite kind of milk!
Notes
Nutrition
About the Author:
Erin Parker is a Southern gal living in Texas with her husband and two daughters. She started The Speckled Palate to share what she was cooking as a newlywed… and over the years, it’s evolved to capture her love for hosting. Specifically, the EASIEST, lowest key entertaining because everyone deserves to see their people and connect over good food. Learn more about her…
Happy blogiversary! I need more flour, but I will DEFINITELY be making these this weekend!
Thank you, dear friend! Let me know what you think about these cookie bars. Some girls in our house could NOT get enough!