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Lemon Sugar Cookie Bars

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Lemon Sugar Cookie Bars topped with fluffy lemon frosting and sprinkles are a fun dessert that everyone will love.  Easy treat to make for potlucks, picnics, and parties!!!

Lemon Sugar Cookie Bars - these easy lemon bars have lemon in the cookie layer and in the frosting making them so light and refreshing. Make this easy recipe for parties and events! #sugarcookiebars #lemonbars #lemoncookies #lemonfrosting #homemade #easydessert

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Recently I started using a sugar cookie body butter and boy, does it smell amazing!

Let’s just say that’s not the best idea when you are watching what you are eating and trying to stay on track with healthy food to coat yourself in cookie smelling lotions. Why?  

Because the smell of the lotion slathered on your body will cause you to want to gnaw your arm off, instead of eating more broccoli. Ok, maybe that’s a little drastic, but seriously, this lotion is amazing smelling stuff!!

Although, I really do not recommend using it before working out.  I was running one day, and I kept smelling marshmallows.  It took me a while to realize that the marshmallow smell was actually coming from me.   

Lemon Sugar Cookie Bars - bake and frost these easy lemon bars in one pan. Make this recipe for parties and events! #sugarcookiebars #lemonbars #lemoncookies #lemonfrosting #homemade #easydessert

Do you know what else is pretty amazing? Being able to make and frost sugar cookies in less than an hour!

Do you love making sugar cookies, but feel like you do not have enough time to roll, cut, bake, and frost every single cookie?  I know the struggle. Or I just know how lazy I am about having to roll out cookie dough…

Maybe one of these days I be inspired to cut out these Cinnabon Sugar Cookies again.  Until I get that urge for cute shapes, I will be making sugar cookie bars in a pan every.single.time.  

They are so much easier and faster! Plus, they are so easy to change up and customize your flavors.

Lemon Sugar Cookie Bars - lemon frosting and sprinkles adds a bright and cheery flavor to these easy lemon bar cookies! Easy recipe for parties and picnics! #sugarcookiebars #lemonbars #lemoncookies #lemonfrosting #homemade #easydessert

Sugar Cookie Bars

Since we are not spending time rolling out dough, cutting cookies, baking, frosting, and then cleaning up a big mess, we have time to think up new and fun cookie bar flavors.

Over the years we have added different flavors to different frosted cookie bars.

Pineapple and coconut adds a fun twist to these Pina Colada Sugar Cookie Bars!

Use your favorite color of sprinkles to make these Funfetti Sugar Cookie Bars.  Lots of sprinkles make these easy traditional cookie bars so fun

Trust me when I say these Salted Caramel Chocolate Sugar Cookie Bars are amazing.  Soft chocolate cookie bars topped with a homemade salted caramel frosting will disappear in a hurry

I’m a fan of s’mores all year long. So these S’mores Sugar Cookie Bars  with gooey marshmallow frosting and chocolate candy bars always make me smile.

These Vanilla Unicorn Sugar Cookie Bars have been a fan favorite ever since we shared them. Swirls of colorful frosting and lots of bright sprinkles make these an easy treat to share

Have you thought of any other flavors that would be delicious in an easy cookie bar?  I have a few other versions here on the blog and also swirling in my head.

Lemon Sugar Cookie Bars - easy lemon cookies topped with a fluffy lemon frosting. Make this easy recipe when you need a fun dessert! #sugarcookiebars #lemonbars #lemoncookies #lemonfrosting #homemade #easydessert

This time I decided to make a pan of easy lemon bars using my sugar cookie method. Since The Best Lemon Bars always get rave reviews, I knew another lemon bar recipe would be a hit.

How to make Lemon Sugar Cookie Bars:

Make sure to set out the butter out ahead of time, so it is soft when you start to make your cookie dough.

Spray a 9×13 pan with with nonstick spray.  Set aside.

Beat the butter and sugars until light and creamy.  Add the lemon juice and egg and beat again.

Stir together the flour, baking powder, and salt and slowly mix it into the butter mixture.

Spread the cookie batter into the greased pan with a spatula and bake for 14 minutes.  Let them cool completely.

Lemon Sugar Cookie Bars - fluffy lemon frosting and colorful sprinkles make these easy lemon bars disappear in a hurry! Try this easy recipe the next time you need a dessert in a hurry! #sugarcookiebars #lemonbars #lemoncookies #lemonfrosting #homemade #easydessert

Now the lemon cookie bars are completely delicious as is, so if you are anti-frosting and sprinkles, go ahead and dig in.

But if you want to add even more lemon flavor to these easy lemon cookies, I suggest a batch of this fluffy lemon frosting!!!

Homemade Lemon Frosting on Lemon Bars:

  • Beat the butter, lemon juice, and salt until creamy.  Slowly beat in the powdered sugar and heavy whipping cream until light and fluffy.
  • Spread the homemade frosting on the cooled bars.
  • Next add lots of colorful sprinkles and yellow sanding sugar to the top.

Adding lemon juice to the dough and the frosting is the perfect way to add a little bit of cheery goodness to these lemon sugar cookies.

Lemon Sugar Cookie Bars - these easy lemon cookie bars are topped with lemon frosting and sprinkles. Easy dessert to make and frost in one pan! #sugarcookiebars #lemonbars #lemoncookies #lemonfrosting #homemade #easydessert

Other easy cookie bars you may like:

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Yield: 24 cookie bars

Lemon Sugar Cookie Bars

Lemon Sugar Cookie Bars

Lemon Sugar Cookie Bars topped with fluffy lemon frosting and sprinkles are a fun dessert that everyone will love.  Easy treat to make for potlucks, picnics, and parties!!!

Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 14 minutes
Total Time 29 minutes

Ingredients

For the Cookie Bars

  • 1/2 cup butter, softened
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1/4 cup lemon juice
  • 2 1/2 cups flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

For the Frosting

  • 1/2 cup butter, softened
  • 2 Tablespoons lemon juice
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 4 cups powdered sugar
  • 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
  • colored sprinkles
  • yellow sanding sugar

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Spray a 9x13 pan with nonstick baking spray.
  2. Beat the butter and sugars until creamy. Add the egg and lemon juice and beat again.
  3. Stir together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Slowly mix this into the butter mixture until a soft dough forms.
  4. Spread the dough into the prepared pan. Bake for 14 minutes. Let cool completely.
  5. Beat together the frosting ingredients until creamy. Spread on the top of the cooled bars.
  6. Top with desired amount of sprinkles and sanding sugar. Cut into 24 squares. Store in a sealed container on the counter.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

24

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 231Total Fat: 9gSaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 31mgSodium: 154mgCarbohydrates: 37gFiber: 0gSugar: 26gProtein: 2g

Did you make this recipe?

Please leave a comment on the blog or share a photo on Instagram

© Jocelyn @ Inside BruCrew Life
Cuisine: American / Category: Brownies & Bars

Lemon Sugar Cookie Bars - bake and frost these easy lemon bars in one pan. Fluffy lemon frosting and sprinkles make them disappear in a hurry! Great recipe for parties and picnics! #sugarcookiebars #lemonbars #lemoncookies #lemonfrosting #homemade #easydessert

 

*The post for these Lemon Sugar Cookie Bars was originally published on March 27, 2015. It has been updated and republished on February 4, 2019.

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Comments

  1. Erin @ Miss Scrambled Egg says

    Jocelyn – I’m all about the bar cookie life. One pan is such an easier way to clean up. The lemon flavor matches perfectly with the sugar cookies. And frosting?! Who can say no to cookies covered in frosting? Not me! Your comment about smelling like marshmallows at the gym is hilarious. I’d totally do the same thing.

    Reply

  2. Mir says

    I love lemon, and putting them in these amazing cookie bars just made my happy self jump up and down. Especially with frosting!

    Reply

    • Jocelyn says

      These bars are definitely the best of both worlds!!! I have to admit that I dove in and didn’t look back until they were gone. So good!!

      Reply

  13. Cyndi @ My Kitchen Craze says

    These look so good! I am obsessed with bars and this just looks out of this world! I think I need to look into that lotion. You made me giggle about gnawing at your arm! It reminded me I have some episodes of Walking Dead to watch haha!! So making these for Easter! Pinned! 😉

    Reply

    • Jocelyn says

      LOL! My husband and son watch The Walking Dead, so I hear all about those kind of things! I hope you enjoy these bars! Thanks for pinning!

      Reply

  14. Elle @ Only Taste Matters says

    Lol on the body butter. I totally get it. I’ve been using a vanilla-scented lotion and for a long time kept craving white chocolate, 🙂

    I LOVE the idea of a sugar cookie that doesn’t need rolling! I live in NYC and our kitchens are so small there is just no room. I am always looking for ways to avoid rolling dough! Thank you for sharing. Pinned!

    Reply

    • Jocelyn says

      It was hilarious because I seriously couldn’t figure out why the gym smelled so good that day…then it hit me! These bar cookies are perfect for small kitchens. Less prep and less work always win!

      Reply

    • Jocelyn says

      Strawberry Cheesecake lotion??? Oh, my word! I seriously have to find some! That sounds amazing! I totally want to smell like that 😉

      Reply

    • Jocelyn says

      Yeah, I still keep slathering the food smelling lotion on because I just love how good I smell. At least that day it masked the nasty gym smell 😉

      Reply

    • Jocelyn says

      Thank you so much for sharing!!! And unfortunately you will be waiting a long time for the mail order option. Sharing recipes is so much easier to do 🙂

      Reply

  23. Cyndi says

    Found this on pinterest and tried it for a 4th of july pot luck……..these are absolutely perfect. I would suggest chilling the dough before getting it into the pan, because I found my dough to be a bit sticky and hard to spread, but it worked out.

    For my batch, I reversed the amounts of milk and lemon juice in the frosting to make it a little more lemony and everyone raved about it.

    I’m thinking it would be really good with a cream cheese frosting, too. Gonna try that next.

    The sugar cookie batter is just absolutely my all time favorite type, it came out perfectly and this was such a perfect easy desert. Thanks!

    Reply

    • Jocelyn says

      Yay! I’m glad to hear that you loved the cookie bars. A tip for spreading the dough in the pan is to spray your hands with non-stick baking spray. It keeps the dough from sticking to you….but chilling works too! Love that you added more lemon to the frosting too!!! And I think cream cheese frosting sounds amazing!

      Reply

  27. Kristyn says

    Sugar cookie bars are the best & I bet the hint of lemon makes them even tastier! Can’t wait to try them out!!

    Reply

  28. Pam says

    I’ve been craving warmer weather and Spring, so I decided a lemon dessert was needed to lift my mood! This was such a good recipe and my entire family enjoyed it! Thank you!

    Reply

  30. Victoria says

    Love this and can’t wait to try! Do you think these would be ok still after mailing them 2 day delivery or not advisable? I’m trying to send something sweet to my wonderful friend and nothing beats sweets 🙂

    Reply

    • Jocelyn says

      Sugar cookie bars are a great treat to make and mail. I would advise waiting until it isn’t so hot outside. The frosting is made with butter, and I do leave the cookie bars out on our counter for a few days, but if the frosting is going to be exposed to high heats it may go bad. I hope that helps and that your friend loves the sweet treats!

      Reply

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