Vanilla Mint Sugar Cookie Bars with Cream Cheese
Soft, buttery sugar cookie bars with cream cheese base and vanilla-mint frosting. These shamrock bars deliver tender cookie texture with bright peppermint notes and creamy frosting. Baked just until edges brown to maintain chewy centers, then topped with whipped vanilla-mint buttercream. Perfect for holidays or any celebration.
Ingredients
- ½ cup unsalted butter, room temperaturesalted butter1:1Full guide →
- 4 ounces cream cheese, room temperatureGreek yogurt3/4 cupconf:2Full guide →
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ¾ cup powdered sugar
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon peppermint extractmint flavoring1:1conf:2Full guide →
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flourcake flour1:1 1/8conf:3
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¾ teaspoon saltsalted butter1:1Full guide →
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- ¾ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon peppermint extractmint flavoring1:1conf:2Full guide →
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream or half and halfwhole milk2:3conf:3Full guide →
Instructions
- 1
Preheat oven to 350°F.
- 2
Line a 9x13 baking pan with parchment paper or aluminum foil, leaving overhang on sides.
- 3
Whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside.
- 4
Cream butter and cream cheese on medium speed until creamy, about 2 minutes.
- 5
Add granulated and powdered sugars and mix until pale and fluffy, about 3-5 minutes.
- 6
Add egg, vanilla extract and peppermint extract and beat until well combined, scraping bowl as needed.
- 7
On low speed, add flour mixture and blend until just combined.
- 8
Press dough into prepared pan using a spatula or lightly moistened fingers.
- 9
Bake for 10-14 minutes until edges are barely browned and bars look underdone.
- 10
Cool completely in pan on a wire rack.
- 11
Beat butter on medium-high speed until smooth and creamy.
- 12
Scrape bowl and add powdered sugar, vanilla extract, peppermint extract and heavy cream.
- 13
Mix on low speed until incorporated, then increase to medium-high and whip until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.
- 14
Add pinch of salt if frosting is too sweet. Add food coloring if desired.
- 15
Lift cooled bars from pan using parchment paper or aluminum foil and frost.
- 16
Cut into desired sizes.
Tips
Do not overbake bars or they will become cake-like rather than soft and chewy. Watch edges carefully at 10-12 minutes.
Use room temperature ingredients for better cream cheese and butter incorporation.
Press dough firmly into pan but do not compress excessively, which creates dense texture.
Good to Know
Cover and refrigerate up to 4 days. Undecorated bars freeze up to 3 months.
Bake bars and frost up to 1 day ahead. Cut just before serving to maintain frosting appearance.
Serve at room temperature or chilled. Pairs with milk, coffee or tea.
Common Mistakes
Do not skip cooling completely before frosting or frosting will melt and slide off.
Do not overmix frosting or it becomes grainy and dense instead of light and fluffy.