These gluten-free sugar cookie bars have a tender chewy crumb thanks to almond flour and a not-too-sweet cream cheese frosting slathered on top. They're melt in your mouth delicious.
This post is sponsored by Andronico's Community Markets, a long-term partner of Snixy Kitchen, but the opinions are all my own.
While acts of service is up there, I truly think sharing treats is my love language. When my bestie is having a hard day, I offer her food, and she does the same for me. If either of us turns down the food offering, the other inevitably replies, "JUST LET ME LOVE YOU!" So, dear readers, I made you these gluten-free sugar cookie bars because I love you.
These gluten-free sugar cookie bars are melt-in-your-mouth delicious. They're tender with a moist chewy crumb thanks to almond flour and a not-too-sweet cream cheese frosting slathered on top. With a buttery texture and a delicate sweetness, these sugar cookie bars taste just like your favorite childhood sugar cookies without compromising flavor or texture.
Now you can have the sweet nostalgia of sugar cookies in a fraction of the time. Without the hassle of rolling out or scooping and frosting a billion individual sugar cookies, gluten-free sugar cookie bars are the perfect treat to bake for a crowd. Just bake the dough as a single sheet and cut it into bars for easy serving.
Chewy versus cakey gluten-free sugar cookie bars
The difference between a super chewy and a soft & cakey sugar cookie bar is 4-5 minutes in the oven. For reference, the bars pictured here were pulled out at 22 minutes and are on the moist and chewy side.
Why I use almond flour for these bars:
I heavily debated what flour to use for these gluten-free sugar cookie bars. I prefer almond flour as a base for sugar cookie recipes - it has a neutral taste that brings out the vanilla flavor. However, I also developed a nut-free version with oat flour that's also quite delicious, in case you are bringing these bars to a nut-free event (like school).
How to make gluten-free Sugar Cookie Bars
Without the need to scoop and frost individual cookies, sugar cookie bars are so much quicker to make than batches of sugar cookies.
Here are the basic steps:
- Sift together dry ingredients
- Cream the butter and sugar.
- Mix in eggs, egg yolk, and vanilla very well.
- Slowly mix in dry ingredients until just combined.
- Press into a parchment-lined metal baking pan and bake. Let cool completely before frosting.
- Make the frosting. Cream butter then add the cream cheese in chunks, mixing until combined.
- Mix in food coloring.
- Slowly add the powdered sugar and vanilla, scraping down the sides as needed.
- Frost the cooled sugar cookie bars, topping with sprinkles. Slice and serve.
Recipe
Tender, Chewy Gluten-Free Sugar Cookie Bars
Ingredients
- 238 g (2 cups + 2 tablespoons) super-fine blanched almond flour
- 168 g (1½ cups) Bob's Red Mill tapioca flour
- 160 g (1 cup) sweet rice flour , also called "mochiko" - distinctly different from white rice flour or brown rice flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 300 g (1½ cups) granulated sugar
- 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 large egg yolk, room temperature
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- ¾ cup (12 tablespoons) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 6 ounces full-fat cream cheese (blocked), cut into 1 ounce pieces, room temperature
- 287 g (2½ cups) powdered sugar, sifted
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- Pinch kosher salt
- Optional: 1-2 drops gel food coloring
- Optional: Festive sprinkles
INSTRUCTIONS
- Preheat oven to 350°F and line a 9x13 metal baking pan with parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl, sift together the almond flour, tapioca flour, sweet rice flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside. (See note for half batch).
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or a mixing bowl with a hand mixer, cream the butter and sugar together on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, 3-5 minutes.
- Add the eggs and egg yolk, one at a time, followed by the vanilla. Mixing just until combined, scraping down the sides after each addition.
- With the mixer on low, slowly add the dry ingredients. Increase the speed to medium and mix until just combined, scraping down the sides as needed.
- Dump the dough into the prepared baking pan and spread and press it down into an even layer. Bake for 22 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool completely in the pan, about 1 hour. Optional: use the parchment paper to remove the bars from the pan before frosting.
- Once the bars are cool prepare the frosting. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or a mixing bowl with a hand mixer, cream the butter on medium speed until smooth, scraping the sides as you go.
- With the mixer on medium, add the cream cheese, 1 ounce at a time. Once all the cream cheese has been incorporated, scrape down the sides and mix until completely combined. If using, add the gel food coloring drops now and mix until mostly incorporated.
- With the mixer on low, slowly add the powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and salt. Beat until just combined, scraping down the sides as needed.
- Spread the frosting on the cooled bars and top with sprinkles if desired. Cut into 24 bars and serve! Store any leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Notes
How to store:
Sugar cookie bars will last for three days in an airtight container on the counter. The frosting will keep them moist and soft so they don't dry out. For longer storage, you can store them frosted or unfrosted in the freezer for up to 3 months. Place them in a single layer on a baking sheet in the freezer until solid, then transfer to an airtight container for longer storage. Bring to room temperature on the counter before serving. If you need a nut-free version to bring to your kid's school for a special occasion, don't worry I've got you covered. Replace the almond flour with oat flour and use the following flour measurements for all three flours:-
- 108g (1 cup) gluten-free oat flour
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- 140g (¾ cup + 2 tablespoons) sweet rice flour
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- 140g (1¼ cups) tapioca flour
Small Batch
Use an 8x8 baking pan and the following measurements for the bars. Halve the frosting as well.- 119g (1 cup + 1 tablespoon) superfine blanched almond flour
- 84g (¾ cup) Bob's Red Mill tapioca flour
- 80g (½ cup) sweet rice flour (also called "mochiko" - distinctly different from white rice flour or brown rice flour)
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 150g (¾ cup) granulated sugar
- ½ cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 1 large egg yolk, room temperature
- 1½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Cream Cheese Frosting for Sugar Cookie Bars
Most sugar cookie bars call for American buttercream. I found that adding cream cheese to the frosting, created a tangier frosting that isn't cloyingly sweet like buttercream. It also made all of my taste testers say "Oh my, I love the frosting."
Rather than a traditional cream cheese, this recipe uses a higher ratio of butter to cream cheese, so the frosting stays more firm to create cleaner slices.
If you're going to dye the frosting, add the dye before adding the sugar, because if you overmix cream cheese frosting once you add the sugar, you risk it becoming too thin to spread nicely.
Sarah -
Phenomenal! I don't need to be GF, but I made these for my celiac friend, and they're amazing!! I can't wait to make more of your recipes
Jade -
If i do the 8x8 inch amount, would I also halve the frosting ingredients?
Thanks.
Sarah Menanix -
Great question - Yes! Use half the frosting ingredients for the 8x8 pan.
Amy -
These were amazing. My husband said it may be the best dessert I’ve ever made.