Lets celebrate America with these yummy, patriotic sugar cookie bars! These 4th of July bars are frosted with lots of delicious buttercream, and decorated with simple gel frosting. One of the best red white and blue desserts you’ll find on the internet!
Summer always brings many opportunities for back yard BBQ’s, cookouts, pot-lucks and get-togethers. For the last several years our neighborhood does a July 4th cookout that is always top-notch! Each family brings a dish or two to share, along with lots of burgers and dogs on the grill.
We always have plenty of food, friends, beer, yard games, kids running around, and at the end of the night we light our own fireworks. It’s an all-American neighborhood cookout at its best! The perfect way to end this day is with some amazing Stars and Stripes Sugar Cookie Bars.
Here’s how these patriotic, 4th of July dessert comes together
Step 1: Start with the Sugar Cookie Dough and pressing into a 9×13″ Pan
The recipe starts with my easy Sugar Cookie recipe. To add a patriotic flare, I’ve added these pretty red, white and blue star sprinkles to the batter.
Instead of spending time rolling out the dough, and cutting with cookie cutters, this cookie dough is pressed into a 9×13″ pan and baked. The dough is so simple, it’s typically ready to go before the oven is done preheating!
Lining your pan: A helpful tool in making sugar cookie bars is lining your pan with either non-stick aluminum foil or parchment paper. This is helpful not only with clean-up, but also to lift the bars out of the pan for easy slicing.
FAQ’s about making sugar cookie bars:
Dry sugar cookie bars are typically the result of baking for too long. Ideally, the sugar cookie bars should bake for just 19-22 minutes or until golden brown. Any longer and the bars will become very dry and hard.
It’s likely because your butter was not at room temperature, and still too cold. The butter MUST be soft and at room temperature in order to make a smooth, lump free frosting.
Step 2: Let the sugar cookie bars cool to room temperature
Once the cookie bars are done baking, let them cool to room temperature. A cool, room temperature cookie bar is necessary before frosting. If you frost the bars while they are still hot/warm, the frosting will melt and not set properly.
What do I need to make frosting for sugar cookie bars?
While the bars are cooling, use this time to mix the frosting. Here’s what you’ll need:
- Butter, room temperature
- Vanilla extract
- Almond extract
- Powdered Sugar
Using a hand or stand mixer, cream together the butter, vanilla and almond extracts. Next, gradually add in the powdered sugar one cup at a time, stopping the mixer to scrape down the sides of the bowl. The consistency of the frosting should be smooth and slightly thick.
Evenly spread onto the cooled sugar cookie bars.
Step 3: Decorating the sugar cookie bars using gel frosting
Once the frosting has been evenly frosted over the bars, the next step is to make the decorative herringbone stripes using red and blue decorating gel. You can find almost any color of decorating gel at your local supermarket or discount stores near the cake decorating supplies.
Start with alternating the red and blue gels in evenly placed lines all the way across the pan. Next, using a toothpick drag a line in the opposite direction, going back and forth evenly over the gel lines. You’ll achieve this pretty red and blue stripe on top of the white frosting.
The bars are now ready to slice into squares. To cut the bars, use a clean knife and clean the knife in hot water and wipe with a paper towel after each cut.
These bars are really hard to resist! The cookie layer is soft and chewy and the thick layer of frosting makes them amazing!
I really love the addition of almond extract to my sugar cookies, which many people love. However, if you don’t prefer the almond extract flavor, simply omit, and replace with vanilla extract.
Here’s a quick-reference shopping list for the ingredients you’ll need to make these fantastic sugar cookie bars:
- Butter – 1 lb.
- Sugar
- Eggs
- Vanilla
- Almond Extract
- Flour
- Baking Powder
- Salt
- Sprinkles – red white and blue
- Powdered Sugar
- Milk
- Gel Frosting – red and blue
For exact amounts and complete directions, be sure to reference the recipe card below.
If you loved these delicious Stars and Stripes Sugar Cookie Bars, be sure to check out some of my other delicious cookie and bar recipes:
- M&M Oatmeal Cookie Bars
- Red White and Blue Sugar Cookie Cake
- Chocolate Chip Cake Mix Cookies
- Pumpkin Spice Sugar Cookie Bars
- Funfetti Frosted Sugar Cookie Bars
- Chocolate Chip Pudding Cookies Cookies
- Funfetti Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Birthday Cake Milkshake
Here’s the recipe for these amazing Stars and Stripes Sugar Cookie Bars:
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Stars and Stripes Sugar Cookie Bars
Equipment
- 9 x 13" Pan This Anolon non-stick 9 x 13" cake pan comes with a lid for easy storage. Great for cakes, brownies and bars!
- Stand Mixer This KitchenAid Stand Mixer is a must-have tool for any home baker!
- Mixing Bowls These stainless steel mixing bowls are an essential cooking tool for every kitchen.
- Icing Spatula This 3-piece Icing spatula set by Wilton is great for frosting cakes, cookies and more!
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter room temperature
- 1 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
- 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
- 3 cups all purpose flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup sprinkles or jimmies red white and blue, or any other color to suit the celebration
For Frosting:
- 1 cup butter room temperature
- 1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
- 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 2-3 Tablespoons milk
- Red Sparkle Gel frosting in a tube like Wilton Brand
- Blue Sparkle Gel frosting in a tube like Wilton Brand
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9 x 13" with non-stick baking spray. Set aside.
For the Cookie Dough:
- With a stand or hand mixer, cream together the butter and granulated sugar until creamy and fluffy. Add the eggs, vanilla and almond extract and mix until combined.
- In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Gradually add the dry ingredients (about 1 cup at a time) to the wet ingredients, stopping the mixer to scrape down the sides of the bowl. Dough will be thick and slightly stiff. Fold in the sprinkles to the dough.
- Using your hands, press the dough evenly into the prepared pan. Bake at 350 for 19-23 minutes until just golden brown. Do your best not to overcook, as the bars will become hard and overly crisp. (20 minutes seems to be the ideal time.) Remove from oven and let cool completely before frosting.
For the Frosting:
- With a hand or stand mixer, cream the room temperature butter along with the vanilla and almond extract. Gradually begin adding the powdered sugar one cup at a time, stopping the mixer to scrape down the sides of the bowl. As the frosting gets stiffer, add the milk one Tbsp. at a time as needed. Spread the frosting over the cooled bars. Add alternating lines of the red and blue gel frosting, about 1/2" apart. Using a toothpick, drag through the lines of gen to create a herringbone design.
- For easy cutting, refrigerate the bars until just before serving.
Notes
Nutrition
These are so fun and they look so yummy!! Absolutely perfect for 4th of July! Pinned!
Hi, Erin! These cookies look beautiful and fun! 🙂
Thanks so much, Lauren!
What is the secret to the clean cut?
Refrigerating the bars so the frosting is more firm. A big, sharp knife is key. Once you make one slice, wipe the knife clean with some hot water and paper towel. This will help ensure you get a nice clean cut each time. Enjoy! ~Erin
Do they need to be refrigerated because of the icing?
It looks unbelievably yummy!
Not necessarily. I do keep mine in the fridge prior to cutting, as it makes it easy to cut. However, you don’t need to store in the fridge. Room temp is fine. Enjoy! ~Erin
A friend made these for our 4th celebration. They were an unmitigated hit. Everyone loved them and I will be making them again soon.
Awesome!! So glad everyone loved them. You really can’t go wrong with a delicious treat on July 4th. Enjoy the rest of your summer! ~Erin
I made these yesterday for a Memorial Day picnic. They’re awesome and great for any patriotic holiday.
To make for the next day should I wait to frost it or frost it and then refrigerate over night or store on counter?
These are so cute! They also look delicious to boot 🙂
Oh Erin – these are so pretty and festive! Thanks for sharing on the What’s for Dinner link up!
Very cute. They look yummy!!
These look ALMOST too good to eat. Thanks for sharing on #TurnItUpTuesday.
Those cookie bars look delicious!
Looks yummy and patriotic! If I didn’t need to resist cookie baking right now then I’d be making these in a heart beat. Thanks for sharing on Inspire Me Monday. Would love for you to hit the dance floor with me! This week’s theme is mewsic to honor your brothers and sisters. 😉 Have a tunetastic week!
Love that they’re fun for the 4th of July and easy-to-make (my favorite kind!). Congrats, you’re featured this week at the This Is How We Roll Link Party.
I have company coming this weekend – pinning to make!
These perfectly cut bars are picture perfect and look delicious!
These sugar cookies bars look so patriotic and fun. I love the idea of sugar cookie bars instead of sugar cookies because of the time that it can save. I can’t wait to try these. Thank you for sharing on Sugar and Spice link party. Shared and pinned.
Oh my goodness! These look amazing! Thanks for linking up for Friday Favorites. I’m featuring you this week.
These cookie bars look so pretty. They also look like they have about the right amount of frosting for me. I love frosting. Thank you for sharing at Happiness is Homemade.
I’m stopping by from the melt in your mouth monday blog hop. These look amazing! I think I’ll give them a try 🙂
I love all the red white and blue food! Thanks for sharing at the What’s for Dinner party – hope the rest of your week is great!
Those look tasty and festive! I am having a Patriotic Party link up over on my blog and you are welcome to link up any of your Fourth of July recipes! The party is open now through July 4th. Hope you can join us!
https://followtheyellowbrickhome.com/its-a-patriotic-party/
Wow, these sugar bars are just perfect for the 4th. Pinned and they are my feature at Over The Moon Linky party today.
Hugs,
Bev
These are seriously the best! My friend asked me to make “cookies” for her daughter’s grad party. Since I was short on time I found this bar recipe…it was a HUGE hit! I used her school colors instead of the red and blue.Then, I made them for a 4th of July party last weekend….again I had many requests for the recipe. This is a keeper!Thank you for sharing this recipe 🙂
Hi Erin!
These cookies are beautiful and so patriotic! Thanks for sharing at Homestyle Gathering! I hope you’re having a wonderful week.
>>> Kim
These look so perfect for the 4th! Pinning! Thanks for sharing it with us at Tuesday Turn About!
I love sugar cookie bars! We will be making these, for sure!
These look so yummy! Thank you for sharing! You are one of the features at the Make it Pretty Monday party at The Dedicated House. Here is the link to this week’s party: http://www.thededicatedhouse.com/make-it-pretty-monday-week-298/ Hope to see you at the bash! Happy week to you! Toodles, Kathryn @TheDedicatedHouse
Hi Erin!
I’m letting you know that you are one of my features this week at Homestyle Gathering. Thank you so much for joining us and linking up to HG! I hope you see you again at the parties to come! Have a wonderful week!
>>> Kim