Description
Christmas Tree Sugar Cookie Bars are soft, buttery holiday cookie bars baked in one pan, chilled, cut into festive Christmas tree shapes, and decorated with green icing and colorful sprinkles. They are an easy and fun Christmas dessert for parties, cookie exchanges, gifting, and family baking.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 sticks (1 cup) salted butter, room temperature
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips, optional
- Green decorating icing, as needed
- Holiday sprinkles or sugar pearls, as needed
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Prepare a 9×13-inch baking pan, preferably lining it with parchment paper for easy removal.
- Add the room-temperature salted butter to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat for 3 to 4 minutes until creamy.
- Add the brown sugar and granulated sugar. Beat until smooth and well combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Add the eggs and vanilla extract and mix for about 1 minute until incorporated.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, kosher salt, and cornstarch.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix for about 30 seconds, or just until combined. Avoid overmixing.
- Fold in the semi-sweet chocolate chips with a spatula, if using.
- Transfer the cookie dough to the prepared 9×13-inch pan and spread it into an even layer.
- Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the center is set and the cookie bars are baked through.
- Remove from the oven and allow the cookie slab to cool completely.
- Place the cooled cookie slab in the freezer for 20 to 30 minutes to firm it up for cleaner cutting.
- Remove the chilled cookie slab from the pan and place it on a flat cutting surface. Use a Christmas tree cookie cutter to cut out individual tree-shaped bars.
- Pipe green decorating icing over each Christmas tree cookie bar to create branches or festive patterns.
- Decorate with holiday sprinkles, sugar pearls, or other edible decorations. Allow the icing to set before serving or storing.
Notes
- For classic Christmas Tree Sugar Cookie Bars, omit the chocolate chips for a smoother, more traditional sugar cookie flavor.
- Make sure the cookie slab is completely cool before chilling and cutting to prevent the trees from crumbling.
- Do not overmix the dough after adding the flour, as this can make the cookie bars tougher.
- White chocolate chips or mini chocolate chips can be substituted for semi-sweet chocolate chips.
- Royal icing, ready-made decorating icing, or buttercream can be used for decorating.
- Press the cookie cutter straight down into the chilled slab for cleaner Christmas tree shapes.
- Allow decorated bars to set completely before stacking or packaging them.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container, separating layers with parchment or wax paper.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 25-30 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie bar
- Calories: 380
- Sugar: 30g
- Sodium: 260mg
- Fat: 20g
- Saturated Fat: 12g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 48g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 5g
- Cholesterol: 55mg