Valentine’s Day Sugar Cookie Bars

Let’s Chat About These Valentine’s Day Sugar Cookie Bars

Hey there! So, every February, I find myself elbow-deep in flour, butter smudged across my face (classic look, really), attempting to impress my crew with something sweet for Valentine’s Day. A couple years ago, I gave up on fussy cut-out cookies (because, honestly, who has the patience for all that chilling and rolling?) and landed squarely on these sugar Cookie Bars. Now? They’re the crowd-pleaser. My kids call them “love slabs”—which sounds a bit odd, but you get the gist. Oh, and if you’re worried about uniform squares, let’s just agree: rustic edges show “character!”

Why You’ll Love Making These (Seriously)

I whip up these bars when I want that sugar cookie fix without the hours of finicky rolling—or sneaking bites of raw dough (not that I’m admitting to anything!). They come together super fast, which makes them my “oh, oops, did I forget Valentine’s Day is THIS week?” solution. My family basically lines up for them, and not just the little ones—my partner keeps finding excuses to “even out the edges.” I used to dread sugar cookie decorating, but slathering on a thick layer of pink buttercream is almost therapeutic. (Except that one time I dyed my hands hot pink, but the less said about that, the better…)

Ingredients (And Swaps I’ve Made)

• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour (but I’ll be honest—whole wheat in a pinch works, it just isn’t quite as tender)
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt (you can skip if you’re using salted butter, though my grandma would not approve)
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened (I know some folks prefer margarine, but it’s not my jam)
• 1 cup granulated sugar (seen brown sugar sneak in once when I ran out—was not bad at all!)
• 1 large egg
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract (or, if you’re feeling wild, almond extract swaps in nicely, or even a mix of both)
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract (optional, but delicious)
• Pink or red food coloring (gel gives stronger color, but I’ve used the liquid stuff from the back of the cupboard plenty of times)

Buttercream Frosting:

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 2 cups powdered sugar (I once used 1 3/4 cups, didn’t notice much difference—so do what you want!)
• 2 tablespoons milk or heavy cream (more or less to get the texture you like)
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Pinch of salt
• More food coloring for a festive touch
• Valentine’s sprinkles (not required, but highly encouraged—little hearts are always a hit)

How To Make ‘Em (Even If You’re Distracted)

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (that’s about 175°C for my metric pals). Line a 9×13-inch pan with parchment, or just grease it well. I’ve forgotten the parchment before, and yeah, it stuck a bit—but you can scrape, no harm.
2. Mix dry ingredients: In one bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. Nothing fancy here.
3. Beat the butter and sugar: Another bowl—ideally with an electric mixer, but strong arms work too. Cream until it’s light and fluffy. This is the part where I usually lose track of time and just let it run while I make coffee.
4. Add the egg, vanilla, and (maybe) almond extract. Beat until it looks creamy. If the egg decides to separate a bit, don’t panic. It sorts itself out once the flour joins the party.
5. Gradually mix in the dry ingredients. Do this slowly; otherwise, you’ll get the great flour cloud of doom. It’ll look a bit thick—almost too thick. That’s right. (I always worry it’s too dry, but it’s perfect in the oven.)
6. Stir in a few drops of food coloring. Start cautiously; you can always add more if you want it brighter. I let the kids do this once, and well, we learned less is more.
7. Press dough evenly into your pan. It doesn’t have to be picture-perfect. Damp hands make it easier to smush into the corners. And yes, I sneak a taste here, shh.
8. Bake for about 14-17 minutes, until the edges are just golden and the middle’s set. Don’t overbake—err on the slightly soft side (they firm up as they cool, promise).
9. Cool completely. I am known for impatience, but for frosting, you really do have to wait.
10. For the frosting: Beat butter until it’s sort of fluffy, then add powdered sugar, milk, vanilla, and a pinch of salt. Whip it up and toss in your food coloring. Spread generously over your cooled bars. Add those sprinkles—go wild, live your life!
11. Cut into squares. In theory, this makes 24 but… in practice, it depends who’s doing the cutting.

Little Notes (From the Messy Trenches)

• If your dough seems too sticky, stick it in the fridge for 10 minutes. Though, honestly, I rarely wait.
• The frosting is very forgiving. Too thick? Add a few drops of milk. Too thin? More powdered sugar—blam.
• I like them thicker, so I’ve made this in an 8×8-inch pan before for stubby bars. Bake a few minutes longer.

Variations I’ve Tried (And One Flop)

• Swapped the vanilla for orange extract—surprisingly good, would do again.
• Added mini white chocolate chips once; everyone loved it but me (just couldn’t get on board with the texture).
• Tried making them gluten-free with almond flour—yikes, too crumbly, ended up as Valentine’s Day “cookie crumbles” instead of bars. Wouldn’t rush back to that one.

Equipment (And What To Do If You Forgot Something)

• 9×13-inch baking pan (if you only have a square tin, go for it, just watch the bake time)
• Mixing bowls (size doesn’t matter much, just something big enough to stir enthusiastically)
• Electric mixer (or a wooden spoon and a bit of elbow grease—it’s a workout, but doable)
• If you don’t have parchment, just generously grease your pan. Or line with foil, which I once did—works alright, if you don’t mind a few tears

How To Store (If You Have Any Left, Ha!)

Honestly, these rarely survive the next day (I suspect midnight snackers). But, if you’re less greedy: cover tightly and keep at room temp for up to 3 days. They keep in the fridge, too, but I think the texture takes a bit of a hit. Freezer? Sure, pop ‘em in airtight for up to a month. Just defrost at room temp before eating. Or, eat them frozen—I may have done this.

How I Like To Serve Valentino’s (And Other Ideas)

I love stacking these on a heart-shaped plate, mostly for the cheese factor. Sometimes we drizzle with a little melted chocolate (just because it’s fancy). If it’s just for me, honestly, I’ll nibble one with coffee in the morning—don’t judge. My sister tried serving them in cupcake liners once at a party—pretty cute, actually.

My “Learned The Hard Way” Pro Tips

• I once tried to frost while the bars were still warm and it all slid right off—wait until they’re totally cool.
• If you rush the mixing, the texture is a bit boring, so take a minute to whip that butter and sugar properly.
• Don’t skip the salt in the frosting. Once I forgot, and the taste was just off (too sweet, almost cloying).

Some Questions I Actually Get (Or Ask Myself…)

• Q: Can I make these ahead?
  A: Absolutely; actually, I think they taste better the next day, weirdly enough. If you can hide them!
• Q: Do I have to use food coloring?
  A: Nope. Leave them plain, or try a natural tint with beet juice—worked once, but the color was more “muddy romance” than hot pink.
• Q: Can I halve the recipe?
  A: For sure—use an 8×8-inch pan, just watch the baking time; might be a smidge quicker.
• Q: What if I’m out of vanilla?
  A: Improvise! Almond extract, a tiny splash of maple, or skip entirely (but, on second thought, maybe write it on your next grocery list).
• Q: Does the butter really need to be room temp?
  A: Yup, otherwise it doesn’t cream right. If you forget, just zap it in the microwave for like 10 seconds—just don’t melt it, learned that lesson the, uh, runny way.

Anyway, give these a shot for your Valentine (or for yourself, no judgment). If you find a substitution or accidental brilliance, let me know—I’m always up for tinkering. Keep it sweet, pals!

★★★★★ 4.40 from 40 ratings

Valentine’s Day Sugar Cookie Bars

yield: 16 bars

prep: 25 mins

cook: 20 mins

total: 45 mins

These festive sugar cookie bars are soft, chewy, and topped with sweet pink frosting and sprinkles—perfect for celebrating Valentine’s Day with loved ones.

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Ingredients

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 large egg
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar (for frosting)
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened (for frosting)
• 2-3 tablespoons milk (for frosting)
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract (for frosting)
• Pink food coloring
• Valentine’s Day sprinkles

Instructions

1. 1
   Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a 9×13-inch baking pan with parchment paper.
2. 2
   In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside.
3. 3
   In a large bowl, cream the softened butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg and vanilla extract.
4. 4
   Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, alternating with milk, and mix until a soft dough forms. Spread the dough evenly in the prepared pan.
5. 5
   Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden. Let cool completely in the pan.
6. 6
   For the frosting, beat together powdered sugar, softened butter, milk, and vanilla until smooth. Add pink food coloring and mix. Spread frosting over cooled bars, decorate with Valentine’s Day sprinkles, then cut into squares and serve.

CLICK FOR NUTRITION INFO ↑

Approximate Information for One Serving

Serving Size: 1 serving

Calories: 220 caloriescal

Protein: 2 gg

Fat: 8 gg

Saturated Fat: 0g

Trans Fat: 0g

Cholesterol: 0mg

Sodium: 0mg

Potassium: 0mg

Total Carbs: 35 gg

Fiber: 0g

Sugar: 0g

Net Carbs: 0g

Vitamin A: 0

Vitamin C: 0mg

Calcium: 0mg

Iron: 0mg

Nutrition Disclaimers

Number of total servings shown is approximate. Actual number of servings will depend on your preferred portion sizes.

Nutritional values shown are general guidelines and reflect information for 1 serving using the ingredients listed, not including any optional ingredients. Actual macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands and types of ingredients used.

To determine the weight of one serving, prepare the recipe as instructed. Weigh the finished recipe, then divide the weight of the finished recipe (not including the weight of the container the food is in) by the desired number of servings. Result will be the weight of one serving.

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