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Soft Sheet Pan Cookies

Featured in Let's Bake Something Wonderful.

If rolling and cutting cookies feels like too much work, these bars are for you. They’re easy, soft, and covered in frosting—ready in half an hour. A great go-to for holiday baking!

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Hannah Author
Updated on Fri, 25 Apr 2025 19:42:52 GMT
Close-up view of colorful frosted dessert bars decorated with red, green, and white sprinkles. Pin it
Close-up view of colorful frosted dessert bars decorated with red, green, and white sprinkles. | recipesbyhannah.com

Holiday Cookie Squares are a must-have festive snack for Christmas season! These tender, rich squares come topped with creamy frosting and colorful red and green sprinkles, making them super simple and crowd-pleasing for any December party.

What Makes These Squares Special

These cookie squares pack all the yummy flavors of traditional sugar cookies without any rolling, cutting or fussy decorating. They're super adaptable for different holidays, can be prepared days ahead, and feed tons of people with barely any work.

Key Ingredients You'll Need

  • Main Mixture:- Unsalted butter: 1 cup (227g) at 65°F (18°C)- Granulated sugar: 1½ cups (300g) pure cane- Large eggs: 2 (100g) at 65°F (18°C)- All-purpose flour: 2¾ cups (330g) at 70°F (21°C)- Baking powder: 1 teaspoon (4g) aluminum-free- Fine sea salt: ½ teaspoon (3g)
  • Flavor Boosters:- Pure vanilla extract: 2 teaspoons (10ml)- Pure almond extract: ¼ teaspoon (1.25ml)
  • Topping Mixture:- Unsalted butter: 1 cup (227g) at 65°F (18°C)- Powdered sugar: 4 cups (480g) sifted- Heavy cream: 3-4 tablespoons (45-60ml) at 40°F (4°C)- Pure vanilla extract: 1 teaspoon (5ml)
  • Finishing Touches:- Holiday sprinkles: ¼ cup (40g)- Size range: 1/16-1/8 inch pieces- Red and green colors (Pantone 185C and 356C)

How To Make These Treats

Getting Ready
Heat your oven to 350°F (175°C), double-check with another thermometer. Put the rack in the middle. Cover a 13x18-inch half sheet pan with parchment paper, leaving 2 inches hanging over the sides.
Making The Base
1. Beat butter for 2 minutes until it lightens up 2. Slowly pour in sugar, mix 3-4 minutes until really fluffy 3. Add eggs one by one, mixing 30 seconds after each 4. Stir in extracts till everything looks the same Mixture should feel about 68-70°F (20-21°C)
Adding Dry Stuff
1. Mix the dry things together well 2. Put them into the wet stuff in three batches 3. Stir just until they come together 4. Dough should feel around 68-72°F (20-22°C)
Filling The Pan
Push the dough out evenly to ½-inch thick. Make sure it's flat with no spots more than 1/16 inch different. Corners should be square.
Baking Time
1. Bake for 16-20 minutes until edges turn light golden (Pantone 7508 C) 2. Inside should reach 190°F (88°C) 3. Middle should be firm but not brown 4. Let it cool completely to 75°F (24°C)
Making The Frosting
1. Whip butter until fluffy (3 minutes) 2. Mix in powdered sugar one cup at a time 3. Add enough cream to make it smooth and flowing 4. Beat another 5 minutes till super light Should be about 68-70°F (20-21°C)
Putting It All Together
1. Spread frosting in a smooth ¼-inch layer 2. Toss sprinkles on right away 3. Cool in fridge for 30 minutes at 40°F (4°C) before slicing 4. Cut into 24 even pieces (2x3 inches each)

Ways To Get Perfect Results

  • Watch your temperatures:- Butter needs to be exactly 65°F (18°C) for best mixing- Room should be 68-72°F (20-22°C)- Keep dough under 72°F (22°C)- Frosting works best at 68-70°F (20-21°C)

How To Keep Them Fresh

Keeping them good:- On counter: good for 4 days at 68-72°F (20-22°C)- In fridge: stays fresh 7 days at 40°F (4°C)- In freezer: lasts 2 months at 0°F (-18°C). Let sit out for 2 hours before eating.

Fun Variations To Try

  • Different holiday looks:- Halloween: Use orange and black sprinkles (Pantone 1505C and Black 6C)- Valentine's: Go with pink and red sprinkles (Pantone 1767C and 185C)- Easter: Try soft pastels (Pantone 7444C, 7415C, 7485C). Don't change any amounts in the base mix.
A close-up image of layered dessert bars topped with red, green, and white sprinkles, set against a blurred festive background. Pin it
A close-up image of layered dessert bars topped with red, green, and white sprinkles, set against a blurred festive background. | recipesbyhannah.com

Delightful Seasonal Squares

  • What you'll end up with:- Each square: 2x3 inches- Total height: ¾ inch- Cookie base: ½ inch thick- Frosting layer: ¼ inch- Feel: Soft but won't fall apart- Makes: 24 squares

Frequently Asked Questions

→ Why did my bars turn out too hard?

Make sure not to bake them too long. About 18 minutes is just right. They should be set in the middle but still soft when taken out. They'll firm up as they cool.

→ Can I leave out almond extract?

You can! Swap it with vanilla extract or skip it completely. Almond brings extra flavor, but it's not required.

→ Why isn’t my frosting smooth?

Start by beating your butter until creamy, then mix in powdered sugar slowly. Adding cream gradually helps get it smooth too.

→ Can I prepare these ahead of time?

Yep, they stay fresh at room temp for 3-4 days. Hold off on sprinkles until serving to avoid colors running.

→ What’s the trick for neat slices?

Make sure the bars cool totally first. Use parchment to lift them out, then cut with a sharp knife and clean it off between cuts.

Easy Sheet Pan Cookies

Soft and chewy cookie bars with vanilla and almond-flavored frosting. All the goodness without rolling or cutting dough.

Prep Time
15 Minutes
Cook Time
18 Minutes
Total Time
33 Minutes

Category: Sweet Kitchen

Difficulty: Intermediate

Cuisine: American

Yield: 24 Servings (24)

Dietary: Vegetarian

Ingredients

01 ½ teaspoon baking powder.
02 2 cups granulated sugar.
03 1 teaspoon almond extract.
04 1½ cups butter, softened.
05 3-4 tablespoons heavy cream.
06 5 cups all-purpose flour.
07 Sprinkles, if you want some extra fun.
08 5 cups powdered sugar.
09 Dash of kosher salt.
10 2 teaspoons kosher salt.
11 1 teaspoon vanilla extract.
12 1 teaspoon almond extract.
13 4 eggs.
14 Food coloring, optional.
15 1 cup butter, softened.

Instructions

Step 01

Preheat your oven to 350°F.

Step 02

Set up a half sheet pan by lining it with parchment paper.

Step 03

Stir together baking powder, salt, and flour in a bowl.

Step 04

Mix the butter and sugar for a few minutes until fluffy. Add in the vanilla, almond extract, and eggs, and mix again. Pour in the dry mix and keep mixing just until it comes together.

Step 05

Push the dough into the lined pan. Smooth the top with a lightly floured rolling pin.

Step 06

Bake it for about 15-20 minutes (18 minutes is usually great). Let it cool all the way before you add frosting.

Step 07

Whip the butter for a few minutes. Blend in powdered sugar, a pinch of salt, extracts, and about 2 tablespoons of cream. Add more cream slowly until it’s fluffy and smooth. You can mix in some color, too, if you like.

Step 08

Spread frosting over your cooled bars and sprinkle on decorations if you want.

Notes

  1. Lifting the bars is simple if you use parchment to pull them out for cutting.
  2. Butter at room temperature should barely give when you press it lightly.
  3. If you’ve got table salt, swap for kosher using 1½ teaspoons for the cookie dough.

Tools You'll Need

  • Half sheet pan.
  • Rolling pin.
  • Parchment paper.
  • An electric mixer.
  • Mixing bowls.

Allergy Information

Please check ingredients for potential allergens and consult a health professional if in doubt.
  • Contains dairy (butter, cream).
  • Wheat flour contains gluten.
  • Includes eggs.

Nutrition Facts (Per Serving)

It is important to consider this information as approximate and not to use it as definitive health advice.
  • Calories: 435
  • Total Fat: 20 g
  • Total Carbohydrate: 62 g
  • Protein: 3 g