These lemon sugar cookie bars are soft and thick cookie bars, bursting with a light, fresh, and tangy lemon flavor in the cookie bar and the frosting.
I’ve already shared two sugar cookie bars with you plain old sugar cookie bars and chocolate mint sugar cookie bars and these lemon sugar cookie bars are a a perfect lemon version to add to the collection. They’re the perfect dessert for a lemon lover. Lemon lovers should also try these candied lemon slices, I think they’d be delicious on top of these bars too.
I’ve fallen in love with sugar cookie bars, because they have the delicious taste of sugar cookies, in an easy, quick to make bar form. That means no chilling the cookie dough, no rolling out the dough, no cutting it into shapes.
These bars have a soft, sweet, lemon flavored sugar cookie dough base topped with a creamy lemon buttercream frosting. They’re one of my favorite recipes to make in the spring and summer, because the fresh lemon flavor reminds me of warm weather.
These cookie bars have the perfect refreshing lemony taste in both the cookie dough and the frosting. The tart lemon is the perfect contrast to the sweet cookie and sweet frosting and these bars aren’t one you’ll want to miss!
Ingredients Needed:
This is a quick overview of the ingredients you’ll need for this Lemon Sugar Cookie Bar Recipe. Specific measurements and full recipe instructions are in the printable recipe card below.
- unsalted butter – to help hold everything together in the cookie dough, give them a little chew, and a delicious buttery flavor
- granulated sugar – to sweeten the cookies
- egg – to give structure and lift to the bars
- fresh lemon juice and lemon zest – for that perfect lemon flavor
- vanilla extract – for flavor
- cream cheese – to make these cookie bars extra soft
- all purpose flour – the majority of the dough, holding it all together
- baking powder – gives the bars a little lift so they aren’t too dense
- salt – helps add flavor and balance the sweetness
- powdered sugar – to hold the frosting together and make it nice and sweet
How to make Lemon Sugar Cookie Bars?
- Mix together your butter and sugar in a large bowl (the bowl of a stand mixer works well) until light and fluffy. Add in the egg, cream cheese, lemon juice, and vanilla extract and stir until just combined.
- In another medium bowl, combine the dry ingredients; flour, baking powder, salt, and lemon zest.
- Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients slowly, while mixing at medium speed until everything is combined and you will have a crumbly dough.
- Press the dough into a greased baking pan and spread it out evenly to the edges and corners of the pan.
- Bake the bars in the preheated oven until they are just set, and the edges just start to turn golden brown. Then let them cool completely before frosting.
- Mix all the lemon frosting ingredients together in a medium sized bowl, then spread the frosting evenly over the top of the bars if desired. Slice them up and enjoy!
Tips and Tricks:
- Bring your ingredients to room temperature before mixing them up. The butter, egg, and cream cheese. This will help them mix up better in the dough.
- You don’t want to overbake these bars, as they’ll keep cooking in the pan as they cool. Bring them out of the oven when the edges just look barely golden, the middle may even look under baked when you bring them out.
- You can add 1 teaspoon of lemon extract if you want an even stronger lemon flavor.
How to store sugar cookie bars?
These sugar cookie bars can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 or 4 days.
These frosted lemon cookie bars are the perfect spring or summer time dessert. They would be the perfect treat for a summer party or potluck! They have such a great fresh, sweet flavor in every bite.
More Lemon Recipes:
- Lemon Loaf
- Lemon Cream Cheese Pound Cake
- Lemon Cream Pie
- Lemon Icebox Cake
- Lemon Sugar Cookies
- Lemon Cream Wafers
- Traditional Lemon Bars
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Lemon Sugar Cookie Bars
Ingredients
For the Lemon Sugar Cookies:
- 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
- 1/2 TBS lemon zest
- 3/4 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter (softened)
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 4 oz cream cheese (softened)
- 1 large egg
- 1 TBS lemon juice
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
For The Lemon Frosting:
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter (softened)
- 2 TBS fresh lemon juice
- 1 TBS heavy cream
- 1 TBS lemon zest (optional)
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 2 drops yellow food coloring
Equipment
- Large Mixing Bowl
Instructions
For the Lemon Sugar Cookies:
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line a 9x13 pan with parchment paper, and spray with nonstick spray, set it aside.
- In a medium sized bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, salt and lemon zest. Set the bowl aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter and sugar for about 3 minutes until light and fluffy.
- Add in the cream cheese, egg, lemon juice, and vanilla and mix till combined.
- Slowly add in the flour mixture while stirring until everything is combined.
- Press the batter into a greased 9x13 dish and spread it out evenly with your hands or a rubber spatula.
- Bake the sugar cookie bars for 12-16 minutes in the preheated oven, or until the edges have just started to turn golden.
- Allow cookie bars to cool completely.
For the Lemon Frosting:
- Mix all the ingredients together for the frosting until creamy. Add more powdered sugar or milk if needed for the texture.
- Spread the frosting evenly over the cooled cookie bars.
- Cut into squares and serve.
Nutrition
These lemon sugar cookie bars were first posted on May 9, 2015. The photos and blog text were updated for clarity on March 15, 2023.
S. Houseman says
The measurements didn’t work for this recipe. (I am a veteran cookie baker, btw) I had to add more than 15 minutes to the cook time. (I triple checked each ingredient, times, etc.) I tasted the edge before they even finished cooling, and the flavor was great. I thought everything was okay, and iced them, but when I started cutting the bars, I realized the middle of the baked pan of cookie was still raw cookie dough. I had to throw the whole batch away. Huge waste of butter, sugar, flour, etc.
Aimee says
Did you use a smaller baking pan than the 9×13? I accidentally baked mine for 20 the first time and they were dry so I’m not sure how yours could bake so differently.
Harriet says
Could u do this with orange
Aimee says
I think it would work great.
Katherine says
Thank you! They are in the oven and smell delicious.
Aimee Berrett says
Hope they turn out great for ya!
Katherine says
The ingredients say baking powder, but the directions indicate baking soda. Is it actually powder?!
Aimee Berrett says
Thanks for catching that. It is in fact baking powder. I corrected the instructions accordingly
Maureen says
The lemon sugar cookie bars are amazing! I really love lemons and with your sugar cookies, I want to make these now. These would really be perfect as summer dessert!
Amber @ Dessert Now, Dinner Later! says
You’ve got me wanting sugar cookie bars galore! And you know how much I love lemons!
Ellen Garrett says
I know we may have perfection here, right!?!