These Christmas cookie bars recipe are soft, thick, and topped with a simple cream cheese frosting that makes them look far more intentional than the effort it takes to make them.

If you're looking through Christmas cookie bar recipes and want something reliable-something you can bake, cool, frost, and cut without thinking too hard-this christmas cookie bars recipe is it. The bars are tender without being cake-y, the frosting is smooth and spreadable, and the red stripes give them that unmistakable holiday look without requiring any piping skills beyond "draw a line." They travel well, slice cleanly, and somehow feel festive even though the ingredient list is almost aggressively straightforward.

Straightforward ingredients - everything here is familiar and easy to find.
Minimal effort - no chilling, rolling, or shaping.
Clean slices - the bars hold their shape and look intentionally neat.
Travel-friendly - ideal for cookie exchanges, classrooms, or holiday parties.
Festive without trying too hard - the red stripes do all the heavy lifting.

Ingredients Overview

A short list of standard baking ingredients to help you make these christmas cookie bars recipe, each doing exactly what it needs to:

Unsalted Butter - gets melted (and browned) because it adds more flavor without asking you to do anything complicated.
Brown sugar + white sugar - a mix gives you a bar that's chewy without being too dense; all brown sugar would be too heavy, all white would be too sweet.
Cream cheese - blends right into the batter and keeps the bars soft in that "why are these so good?" way. Make sure it is room temperature, if not you will got massive clumps.
Eggs - nothing fancy; they hold everything together and give the bars some structure.
Vanilla extract- the only flavoring you need here. Simple and clean.
All purpose Flour - just enough to keep the bars from falling apart, not enough to make them cakey.
Cornstarch + baking powder - a tiny lift and a softer texture; not negotiable but not dramatic either.
Cream cheese frosting ingredients - butter, cream cheese, powdered sugar, vanilla, and a splash of cream. The usual lineup that makes a frosting you'll want to eat straight from the bowl.
Sprinkles - totally optional, but i think thats what makes the cutest!

Brown the butter: Melt the butter in a saucepan until it foams and the milk solids turn golden brown, then let it cool slightly.
Add the sugars: Whisk the cooled brown butter with both sugars until smooth and combined.
Mix the cream cheese and eggs: Whisk the cream cheese until smooth, whisk in the eggs, then add this mixture to the butter-sugar bowl and mix until cohesive.
Combine the dry ingredients: Add the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt, folding gently just until no flour streaks remain.
Spread into the baking pan: Press dough into a parchment paper lined 8×8 metal pan and smooth the top.
Bake: Bake at 325°F until the edges are lightly golden and the center is set but still pale.
Cool completely: Let the bars cool in the pan; chill briefly if you need them ready faster.
Make the frosting: Beat the butter and cream cheese until smooth, then mix in the powdered sugar, cream, vanilla, and salt until fluffy.
Frost the bars: Spread the frosting evenly over the cooled bars.
Add the red lines: Tint a small portion of frosting red (a little cocoa deepens the color) and pipe thin stripes across the top.
Chill and slice: Chill to set the frosting before cutting the bars into clean squares.

Tips and Tricks

Use all these tips and tricks when making your christmas cookie bars recipe!

Cool the brown butter fully: Warm butter can seize the cream cheese mixture, so give it a few minutes to come down in temperature.
Whisk the cream cheese separately: Smoothing it out first prevents small lumps in the batter.
Fold gently at the end: Overmixing develops gluten and makes the bars tougher; stop as soon as the flour disappears.
Use a metal pan: It conducts heat better than glass and gives you more even, predictable baking.
Rotate the pan halfway through: Ensures even browning, especially if your oven has hot spots.
Underbake slightly: The bars continue cooking as they cool, and pulling them early keeps the texture soft and chewy.
Frost in the pan, not out: It's easier, cleaner, and gives you that flat, classic snack-cake top.
Chill before slicing: Even five minutes in the freezer makes a big difference for clean edges.
Run your knife under hot water: Wipe between cuts for the sharpest lines and the neat Little Debbie look.
Add a tiny bit of cocoa to the red frosting: It deepens the color, making the stripes look more intentional and less "food coloring bright."
Use an offset spatula for the frosting: It spreads more evenly and keeps the surface smooth.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Overbaking the bars: The edges should be lightly golden, but the center should still look pale; too much color means they'll turn cakey instead of soft.
Using warm brown butter: If it's too hot, it can scramble the eggs or cause the batter to separate.
Not smoothing the batter evenly: Uneven spreading leads to uneven baking, which you'll definitely notice when slicing.
Skipping the parchment overhang: Makes lifting the bars out of the pan harder than it needs to be.
Frosting the bars while warm: The frosting will melt, slide, and soak into the top-cool completely first.
Cold cream cheese in the frosting: It won't whip smooth and will leave tiny lumps that never fully disappear.
Adding too much red food dye at once: Start small-cream cheese frosting takes color quickly.
Cutting before chilling: Warm frosting sticks to the knife and pulls up the top layer of the bar.

These christmas cookie bars recipe keep best stored in the pan, covered tightly or in an airtight container or bag! Where they stay soft for 2-3 days at room temperature or up to 4-5 days in the refrigerator and still taste amazing! If you want to freeze them, slice the bars first, place them on a sheet tray until firm, and then transfer them to a freezer-safe container or bag. They thaw quickly at room temperature and hold their texture surprisingly well, making them a great make-ahead option if you're prepping for a holiday party or working through a long list of Christmas cookie bar recipes.

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Recipe

Christmas Cookie Bar Recipes

Molly Murphy

If you love Christmas Cookie Bar Recipes, these brown butter sugar cookie bars are soft, chewy, and topped with creamy frosting and festive red piping. An easy holiday dessert everyone will love.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings squares

Ingredients

For the Sugar Cookie Bars

¾ cup unsalted butter
½ cup brown sugar packed
½ white sugar packed
2 eggs room temperature
4 ounce cream cheese room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon cornstarch
¾ teaspoon baking powder
¾ teaspoon salt
1 ½ cup all purpose flour

For the cream cheese frosting

½ cup unsalted butter room temperature
4 ounces cream cheese room temperature
3 cups powdered sugar
2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon salt
Optional: red food coloring
Optional: sprinkles
Optional: 1 tablespoon cocoa powder

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 325°F and line an 8x8-inch metal baking dish with parchment paper, leaving an overhang for easy removal. Use metal binder clips to secure the parchment to the pan if needed. Set aside.
In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. As it melts, it will start to bubble and sizzle. After a few minutes, the bubbles will turn foamy, and you'll see small golden brown specks forming at the bottom of the pan. Swirl the pan occasionally and watch closely-once the butter turns a deep amber color and gives off a nutty aroma, it's done. Immediately remove from heat to prevent burning and pour it into a large heatproof bowl. Let it cool to room temperature for about 10 minutes.
¾ cup unsalted butter
Once the butter has cooled, whisk in the brown sugar and white sugar until fully incorporated, about 30-45 seconds.
¾ cup unsalted butter, ½ cup brown sugar packed, ½ white sugar packed
In a small bowl, whisk the eggs and cream cheese together until smooth. Add this mixture to the bowl with the butter and sugar, whisking vigorously until the batter starts to lighten in color, about 1 minute. The mixture may look thick and slightly lumpy at first due to the cream cheese, but that's okay! Once the dry ingredients are added, it will smooth out. Whisk in the vanilla extract until combined.
2 eggs room temperature, 4 ounce cream cheese room temperature, 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or pure vanilla extract
Add the cornstarch, baking powder, salt, and flour to the wet ingredients. Use a spatula to fold everything together until just combined-be careful not to overmix. Overmixing can develop gluten in the flour, leading to a denser texture instead of soft, tender bars. Stop as soon as there are no visible streaks of flour.
1 teaspoon cornstarch, ¾ teaspoon baking powder, ¾ teaspoon salt, 1 ½ cup all purpose flour
Spread the batter evenly into the prepared baking dish, making sure it reaches the edges. Since the batter is thick, use an offset spatula or the back of a spoon to gently press and smooth it out. Spreading it evenly helps ensure an even bake.
Bake for 25 to 28 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. If your oven runs hot, check at 25 minutes to prevent overbaking.
Remove the bars from the oven and let them cool completely in the pan before frosting. If you want to speed up the cooling process, let them cool for 15 minutes at room temperature, then transfer to the freezer for another 15 minutes while making the frosting.

For the Cream Cheese Frosting

In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the butter and cream cheese on medium speed for about 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl, then beat for another 2 minutes until smooth and fluffy.
4 ounces cream cheese room temperature, ½ cup unsalted butter room temperature
With the mixer on low, gradually add the powdered sugar, followed by the heavy cream, vanilla extract, and salt. Mix on low until just combined, then scrape down the sides of the bowl. If adding food coloring, mix it in at this stage.
3 cups powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream, ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract, ¼ teaspoon salt
Increase the speed to medium and beat for about 3 minutes until the frosting is smooth and fluffy.
Use a rubber spatula or wooden spoon to beat out any air pockets by hand for a silky, smooth texture.
If you want to make the red lines reserve about ¼ cup buttercream into a small bowl, add the cocoa powder and the red food dye and let it sit for 10 minutes to make it a nice red! Place in a piping and cut a small hole.
Optional: red food coloring, Optional: sprinkles, Optional: 1 tablespoon cocoa powder
Keep the bars in the pan and evenly spread the frosting over the top. Take the red colored frosting and pipe it across the top. Sprinkle with sprinkles if using. Place the pan in the freezer for 10 minutes to help the frosting set.
Once set, slice into 9 or 16 pieces and enjoy!

Keyword christmas, brown butter, sugar cookie, bar

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