Grinch Sugar Cookie Bars Recipe

Introduction

Celebrate the holiday season with these festive Grinch Sugar Cookie Bars. Soft, buttery, and topped with cheerful green frosting and red heart accents, they’re perfect for sharing joy with family and friends.

Ingredients

• 4 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened (for cookie dough)
• 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• ½ cup green jimmie sprinkles
• ½ cup unsalted butter, softened (for frosting)
• 2 ½ cups powdered sugar
• Pinch of fine sea salt (for frosting)
• 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract (for frosting)
• 1 ½ tablespoons whole milk
• Green gel food coloring
• Yellow gel food coloring
• Red gel food coloring

Instructions

1. Step 1: Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line a 9×13-inch baking dish with parchment paper or foil and spray it with cooking spray.
2. Step 2: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
3. Step 3: In another large bowl, use an electric hand mixer to cream the butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
4. Step 4: Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
5. Step 5: Mix in the vanilla extract until combined.
6. Step 6: Gradually add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients, stirring until fully incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix a few more times to ensure everything is combined.
7. Step 7: Stir in the green jimmie sprinkles.
8. Step 8: Press the cookie dough evenly into the prepared baking dish.
9. Step 9: Bake for 25 to 28 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
10. Step 10: Remove from the oven and cool completely on a wire rack.
11. Step 11: To make the frosting, place the softened butter in a large bowl and gradually add the powdered sugar, mixing with an electric hand mixer until smooth.
12. Step 12: Add the salt, vanilla extract, and milk, then mix on medium-high speed for 3 minutes until light and fluffy.
13. Step 13: Scoop about ½ cup of frosting into a small bowl. Tint the larger portion with green and yellow gel food coloring until you reach the desired shade of green. Add red gel food coloring to the small bowl of frosting.
14. Step 14: Once the cookie bars are fully cooled, remove them from the baking dish and spread the green frosting evenly over the top.
15. Step 15: Transfer the red frosting to a piping bag fitted with a number 12 round tip and pipe small hearts or decorations on top.
16. Step 16: Serve and enjoy your festive Grinch Sugar Cookie Bars!

Tips & Variations

• For extra flavor, try adding ½ teaspoon of almond extract along with the vanilla in the cookie dough.
• Use different colored sprinkles to customize the bars for other occasions.
• If you don’t have gel food coloring, use natural color powders or liquid food coloring, but gel offers the best vibrancy without thinning the frosting.
• Press down on the dough gently when spreading in the pan to ensure even baking.

Storage

Store the cookie bars covered tightly at room temperature for up to 3 days. For longer storage, refrigerate in an airtight container for up to one week. Before serving, bring them to room temperature for softer texture. Leftovers can also be gently reheated in the microwave for a few seconds to refresh.

How to Serve

Serve this delicious recipe with your favorite sides.

FAQs

Can I use salted butter instead of unsalted?

Yes, you can use salted butter, but reduce or omit additional salt in the recipe to avoid over-salting.

How do I prevent the frosting from being too runny?

If your frosting is too soft, add a little more powdered sugar gradually until it reaches the desired consistency. Avoid adding too much liquid at once when coloring.

Grinch Sugar Cookie Bars Recipe

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★★★★★

4.6 from 64 reviews

These Grinch Sugar Cookie Bars combine soft, buttery cookie bars with festive green frosting and red heart decorations, perfect for holiday celebrations. The cookie bars are tender with a slight crunch from green sprinkles, topped with a fluffy, colorful buttercream frosting that brings the whimsical Grinch theme to life.

• Author: Elena
• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Cook Time: 25-28 minutes
• Total Time: 55 minutes
• Yield: 12–16 bars 1x
• Category: Dessert
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: American
• Diet: Vegetarian

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

Cookie Bars

• 4 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• ½ cup green jimmie sprinkles

Frosting

• ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
• 2 ½ cups powdered sugar
• Pinch of fine sea salt
• 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 ½ tablespoons whole milk
• Green gel food coloring
• Yellow gel food coloring
• Red gel food coloring

Instructions

1. Preheat and Prepare Pan. Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Line a 9×13 inch baking dish with parchment paper or aluminum foil, then spray it with cooking spray to prevent sticking.
2. Mix Dry Ingredients. In a large bowl, stir together the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and sea salt. Set this mixture aside for later use.
3. Cream Butter and Sugar. In a separate large bowl, use an electric hand mixer to cream the softened butter and granulated sugar together until the mixture is light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
4. Add Eggs and Flavoring. Add the eggs one at a time to the creamed butter mixture, mixing well after each addition. Then add the vanilla extract and blend until combined.
5. Incorporate Dry Ingredients. Gradually add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients. Stir until just combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl and mixing a few extra times to fully incorporate.
6. Add Sprinkles. Fold in the green jimmie sprinkles evenly throughout the cookie dough.
7. Press and Bake. Press the cookie dough evenly into the prepared baking dish. Bake in the preheated oven for 25-28 minutes or until the edges are lightly golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
8. Cool Completely. Remove the baked cookie bars from the oven and place on a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.
9. Make Frosting. To prepare the frosting, place the softened butter in a large bowl. Using an electric hand mixer, gradually add powdered sugar a little at a time while mixing until fully combined.
10. Add Flavor and Whip. Add the salt, vanilla extract, and milk to the frosting. Stir to combine, then beat on medium-high speed for 3 minutes until the frosting is light, fluffy, and spreadable.
11. Color the Frosting. Divide the frosting into two portions. Color the larger portion with green and yellow gel food coloring until it reaches your desired green shade. Leave the smaller portion plain and add red gel food coloring to it, mixing well.
12. Frost the Bars. Once the cookie bars are completely cooled, remove them from the baking dish. Spread the green frosting evenly over the top of the bars.
13. Decorate with Red Frosting. Fill a piping bag fitted with a #12 round tip with the red frosting. Pipe small hearts onto the green-frosted surface to create festive decorations.
14. Serve and Enjoy. Allow the frosting to set slightly before slicing the bars into squares. Serve and enjoy your Grinch-themed sugar cookie bars!

Notes

• You can store the cookie bars in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or refrigerate for up to a week.
• To make slicing easier, chill the frosted bars for 30 minutes before cutting.
• If desired, substitute unsalted butter with salted butter and reduce the additional salt accordingly.
• For a more intense green color, adjust the amount of green and yellow gel food coloring gradually.
• Use gel food coloring rather than liquid for brighter colors and to avoid thinning the frosting consistency.

Keywords: Grinch sugar cookie bars, holiday cookie bars, festive cookie bars, green sugar cookie bars, Christmas desserts