These frosted Lemon Sugar Cookie Bars are a light, sweet, and refreshing dessert that everyone will love. A fluffy lemon frosting makes these lemon cookie bars perfect for spring or summer parties and picnics.
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Do you love making sugar cookies? The struggle with making these cookies is how much time it takes to roll, cut, bake, and frost every single cookie.
Cookie bars are so much easier and faster to make! No need to make a floury mess in your kitchen rolling out dough and cutting multiple shapes.
Plus, they are so easy to change up and customize to your taste. You can add different extracts to the dough and the frosting to make a different flavor every time you bake a pan of cookies.
Some of our favorites are these funfetti cookie bars and these salted caramel cookie bars.
Why This Recipe Works
These sweet and tangy lemon sugar cookie bars are the perfect dessert for any occasion. They are so easy to make and always a hit with friends and family.
Plus, no cookie cutters needed! All you need is a 9x13 pan and a knife to cut them into squares.
The lemon frosting is light and refreshing, and the sprinkles add a fun touch. You will love how delicious these bars are.
Lemon cookie bars will be the perfect addition to your Easter dinner or any summer picnic or potluck. Add a little bit of sunshine to your day with these cookie bars.
Key Ingredients Needed
These lemon cookie bars are easy to make with simple ingredients, and the dough comes together in minutes. The best part about these sugar cookies is that you bake it all in one pan.
- Butter - Set out 1 stick of unsalted butter ahead of time, so it is ready to cream into the sugar later.
- Sugar - A mixture of granulated sugar and brown sugar makes the cookie dough sweet and helps it stay soft.
- Egg - Helps to add moisture and hold the ingredients together.
- Lemon Juice - You can use freshly squeezed or bottled juice in this recipe.
- All Purpose Flour - Adding too much flour can ruin your cookie bars. Make sure you know how to measure flour correctly, so every recipe turns out every time.
- Baking Powder - Helps the cookies rise while baking.
- Frosting and Sprinkles - Adds a fun touch to the lemon bars.
How to make Lemon Cookie Bars
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.
- Prep the pan. Spray a 9x13 pan with with nonstick baking spray. Set aside.
- Make the cookie dough. Beat the butter and sugars in a large bowl until light and creamy. Add the lemon juice and egg and beat again. Stir together the dry ingredients and slowly mix them into the butter mixture.
- Bake and cool. Spread the cookie dough into the prepared pan with a spatula or your fingers and bake for 14 minutes. Place on a wire rack to cool completely.
- Make lemon frosting. Beat the butter, lemon juice, and salt until creamy. Slowly beat in the powdered sugar and heavy whipping cream until light and fluffy.
- Decorate and serve. Spread the homemade frosting on the cooled bars. Add colorful sprinkles and yellow sanding sugar to the top. Cut into squares.
Storage Recommendations
Keep the frosted cookie bars in a tightly sealed container on the counter for 4-5 days. The frosting helps to keep the cookies soft and tender for days.
Want to save the cookies for later? Wrap them tightly in plastic wrap and foil, then place in a freezer safe bag or container. Freeze for 1-2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge, then bring to room temperature before serving.
Tips and Tricks
- Want a bigger lemon flavor? Add 1 tablespoon lemon zest to the dough and to the frosting.
- Let the cookies cool completely before adding the frosting. Even slightly warm bars will make the frosting melt.
- Use an offset spatula to spread the lemon frosting on the bars.
- Want to use a different frosting? This creamy vanilla frosting or this marshmallow buttercream would be delicious too.
- Tint the frosting yellow and change up the sprinkles based on the holiday or theme.
Recipe FAQ'S
Did you let the butter come to room temperature before mixing it in? Using a hand mixer may take longer for the dough to come together. Keep mixing until you get a soft pliable dough.
Yes, in fact they really do taste better after they sit for a day. The flavors deepen and the frosting makes the cookies so soft and delicious.
Run a long sharp knife under hot water. Dry it off and make cuts. Wipe it off in between cuts. After a few cuts, run it under the hot water again.
Other Easy Cookie Bars
- Congo Bars
- Oreo Cookie Bars
- Butterscotch Bars
- Chewy Snickerdoodle Cookie Bars
- Peanut Butter S'mores Bars
- Unicorn Sugar Cookies
- Pina Colada Bars
- S'mores Sugar Cookie Recipe
- Lemon Bars with Crust
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Recipe
Lemon Sugar Cookie Bars Recipe
These frosted Lemon Sugar Cookie Bars are a light, sweet, and refreshing dessert that everyone will love. A fluffy lemon frosting makes these lemon cookie bars perfect for spring or summer parties and picnics.
Ingredients
For the Cookie Bars
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
- ½ cup packed brown sugar
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- ¼ cup lemon juice
- 2 ½ cups all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon table salt
For the Lemon Frosting
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- ¼ teaspoon table salt
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- ¼ cup heavy whipping cream
- colored sprinkles
- yellow sanding sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Spray a 9x13 pan with nonstick baking spray.
- Beat the butter and sugars until creamy. Add the egg and lemon juice and beat again.
- Stir together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Slowly mix this into the butter mixture until a soft dough forms.
- Spread the dough into the prepared pan. Bake for 14 minutes. Let cool completely.
- Beat together the frosting ingredients until creamy. Spread on the top of the cooled bars.
- Top with desired amount of sprinkles and sanding sugar. Store in a sealed container on the counter.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 24 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 231Total Fat: 9gSaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 31mgSodium: 94mgCarbohydrates: 37gFiber: 0gSugar: 26gProtein: 2g
Nutrition facts are an estimate and are not guaranteed to be accurate. If you need special diet advice, please see a registered dietician.
*The post for these Lemon Sugar Cookie Bars was originally published March 2015. It was updated February 2019 and March 2022.
LuAnn Braley
Shared to Pinterest and FB. Mouth watering. Waiting for your baked goodies to be available by mail order! :O)
Jocelyn
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 🙂
Trish+-+Mom+On+Timeout
My new favorite bars. These look perfect Jocelyn!
Jocelyn
Thank you Trish!!!!
Hayley @ The Domestic Rebel
My love for lemon desserts is never-ending! These sugar cookie bars look so soft and chewy, girl! Love them. And I also adore yummy-scented body lotions and sprays but I TOTALLY know where you're coming from! Lol!
Jocelyn
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 😉
Amanda
Love this! Bar cookies are so much easier and every bit as good!!!
Jocelyn
I don't know if I will ever go back to the regular sugar cookie bars...I may be converted for life 🙂
amanda @ fake ginger
I've got a Strawberry Cheesecake lotion that smells SO GOOD but I can't wear it because it makes me hungry!
These bars look so delicious! I want to go make them now!
Jocelyn
Strawberry Cheesecake lotion??? Oh, my word! I seriously have to find some! That sounds amazing! I totally want to smell like that 😉
Chels+R.
Those look absolutely perfect! I love anything with a sugar cookie body 😉
Jocelyn
I'm right there with you!!!
Elle @ Only Taste Matters
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!
Jocelyn
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!
Cyndi @ My Kitchen Craze
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! 😉
Jocelyn
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!
Julianne @ Beyond Frosting
I love sugar cookie bars! The lemon is a perfect flavor for spring!
Jocelyn
Thank you so much!! It is such a perfect spring flavor!!!
Averie @ Averie Cooks
The best of all worlds rolled into one! The ease of bars, the flavor of lemon, meets sugar cookies...and that frosting! I would dive right in!!
Jocelyn
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!!
Medha @ Whisk & Shout
These look amazing! No one has time every day for roll out cookies, and these are even faster than slice and bake! Love that frosting, too 🙂
Jocelyn
Thank you!!!
Dorothy @ Crazy for Crust
I wonder if the lotion would have less calories? LOL Love these, obviously. Is there anything better than a lemon sugar cookie???
Jocelyn
Haha! Yes, but it probably wouldn't taste the same! I knew you would love these lemon bars 🙂
Jenny Flake
These are so fun and perfect for Spring! Love!!
Jocelyn
Thank you 🙂
Marye
Love these! I agree, bar cookies are perfect most of the time because they are just so easy! These are gorgeous. Pinning.
Jocelyn
Thank you so much Marye!!! Easy bars always win out!!
Christie
I just love these cookie bars. There are sprinkles and frosting on top of a cookie. What is not to absolutely adore.
Jocelyn
I agree...what's not to love 🙂
Gayle @ Pumpkin 'N Spice
These sugar cookie bars look gorgeous, Jocelyn! Just what I need on this snowy Friday morning. Spring is on the way, right? 🙂 Pinning these cuties!
Jocelyn
This week it looks like spring is here. I hope you get some spring weather soon too! Thanks for sharing!!!
Meg @ The Housewife in Training Files
NOW this is my kinda sugar cookie! I always say I love cookie bars because I can make a whole batch much quicker! Plus they are more forgiving they don't all turn up the same size 😉 And sugar cookies are my weakness.....
Jocelyn
Yes!!! This way every single cookie looks the same...and in so much less time 🙂
Taylor @ Food Faith Fitness
Sugar cookie body butter?! Where can I get my mitts on that?!
And I LOVE making sugar cookie bars....this girl aint got no time for a rolling pin. That lemon touch is perfection for Spring munchin'! Pinned!
Jocelyn
That body butter is the bomb. Check out the link above to get it through amazon 🙂 And thank you so much for the pin love!
Mir
I love lemon, and putting them in these amazing cookie bars just made my happy self jump up and down. Especially with frosting!
Jocelyn
Yay for happy jumping 🙂
Erin @ Miss Scrambled Egg
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.
Jocelyn
I am all about the easy one pan treats these days. Less time prepping and decorating is always a win win!!!