Soft & Fudgy Chocolate Sugar Cookie Bars
Thick, soft, and intensely chocolatey, these Chocolate Sugar Cookie Bars are the ultimate crowd-pleasing dessert. Think of a classic sugar cookie bar but with a rich, fudgy twist and a silky cream cheese cocoa frosting!
- Prep Time: 15
- Cook Time: 20
- Total Time: 35
- Yield: 24 bars
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups (333g) salted butter, softened
3/4 cup (173g) granulated sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
3 cups (456g) all-purpose flour
1/2 cup (60g) cocoa powder
1 cup (107g) powdered sugar (heaping)
1 1/2 Tbsp corn starch
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
Fudge Frosting:
1/2 cup (111g) salted butter, softened
3 oz cream cheese, softened
2/3 cup (79g) dutch processed cocoa powder
2 2/3 cups (284g) powdered sugar
3 tsp vanilla extract
milk to thin, if needed
Colored sprinkles
Instructions
1. Preheat the oven to 350° F. Line a 9×13 pan with parchment paper or spray with nonstick spray.
2. Cream together the butter and granulated sugar until completely combined.
3. Add the eggs and vanilla. Mix until well combined.
4. Add the flour, cocoa powder, powdered sugar, corn starch, baking powder, and salt. Mix until a soft dough forms.
5. Press the dough into the prepared 9×13 pan in an even layer.
6. Bake at 350° F for 18-23 minutes until the top is no longer wet and the center passes the toothpick test.
7. Allow to cool completely before frosting.
8. To make the frosting: Whip butter and cream cheese until smooth.
9. Add powdered sugar one cup at a time, mixing well between additions.
10. Add cocoa powder and vanilla.
11. Add milk 1 tsp at a time until desired consistency is reached.
12. Frost the cooled bars, add sprinkles, and chill before cutting.
Notes
Don’t overbake! These should be soft and fudgy, not crunchy.
Using Dutch-processed cocoa in the frosting gives it a darker, richer chocolate flavor.
Chill the bars for at least 30 minutes before cutting to get those perfectly clean edges.