The Best Almond Flavored Frosted Sugar Cookie Bars

Frosted sugar cookie bars are never out of style. They belong at every holiday event, and even if there isn’t an event, they’re welcomed! The best part about sugar cookies is that you can decorate them to fit the occasion, and it’s super simple to change up the flavors. 

Today, I’m sharing a delicious recipe for frosted almond sugar cookie bars. They have been getting gobbled up here faster than I can make them! I’m already on my third batch. I’m a huge almond lover, so these are like heaven in a dessert to me! I can’t wait to make a few other versions like lemon, key lime, hazelnut, carrot cake, and more! I am planting edible flowers in my vegetable garden this year, and I look forward to decorating a summer batch with those. 

The Best Almond Flavored Frosted Sugar Cookie Recipe that will melt in your mouth!

If you’re looking for an easy, absolutely delicious, melt-in-your-mouth frosted sugar cookie recipe, this one is it!
I always get the baking bug in January. I start daydreaming of all the Valentine’s Day, Easter, and summery desserts I can make. I turn up the heat, let the sunshine through the windows, and imagine that it’s warm outside. It just puts me in a good mood. Although, who am I kidding? I always have the urge to bake. This weekend, we have a 60% chance of snow, which is rare in South Carolina! My plans are to bundle up, see the dogs play together in the snow, and then come inside and bake something! I guess baking is my form of relaxation.

I have wanted to make sugar cookie bars for the past week. My gingerbread bars were such a hit, and now I’m going to try to make that a new theme around here. So hold on during this cookie bar wave I’m about to take you on. Did I mention I’m going to try to make carrot cake cookie bars? Did that keep you from leaving? I hope so! 
 
One of the reasons I love sugar cookie bars so much is that they are less time-consuming than baking individual cookies and separately decorating them. It’s like a crossover between a sheet cake and a cookie. Even the texture is 50% cake texture and 50% sugar cookie texture, which is ideal for the dessert lovers like me! Plus, you don’t have to wait on the cookie dough to chill before rolling. You combine all the ingredients, and they go straight into the oven! Have you ever made a cookie recipe when you’re in a time pinch, and then get down to the fine line that says, “let the cookie dough chill in the fridge overnight.” It’s so frustrating, so cookie bars are the way to go in any last-minute situation!

Colorful Frosted Sugar Cookie Bars

I know these pink cookies are not for everyone, but you can make them any color you want or leave them white! Pink reminds me of Valentine’s Day followed by spring. I love it and always correlate it with sugar cookies.

You’re either an almond flavor lover or not! It’s kind of like the coconut flavor scenario. People either love it or hate it. The good thing is that you can leave the almond flavor out of this recipe and use any flavoring you prefer, or just stick to vanilla! I usually want my cookie bars to scream the word “ALMOND” as soon as it hits the mouth. Lemon, orange, or even strawberry would be so delicious added into this recipe.

Flavoring Frosted Sugar Cookie Bars

I would love to hear what flavors of frosted sugar cookie bars you’d like for me to make! 
Let me tell you a little secret, I’m not the biggest cream cheese frosting fan. I know many people LOVE it, but I use a secret ingredient to replace cream cheese that makes buttercream frosting unique and unbelievably decadent. It’s marshmallow fluff! I use it in all of my buttercream frostings when making cakes, and it pairs with any flavor! Many people ask what’s in the frosting because they can’t pinpoint the ingredient, but all it’s just marshmallow fluff. I keep jars of it in my pantry at all times because it’s a MUST when making frosting.

This recipe can be easily adjusted to fit your dietary needs (unless we’re talking sugar-free)

Sugar Cookie Ingredient Swaps

All-Purpose Flour – Yes, you can use all-purpose gluten-free flour, but this recipe will not work with almond flour or other alternatives.

Milk – Use any milk of your choice in this recipe! I used almond milk for the frosting. 

Butter – You butter believe it! Vegan baking butter does work for this recipe. I find that Earth Balance is the best brand to use as a replacement. 

Cream Cheese – There are so many dairy-free cream cheese options, and they work great in this recipe. 

Sugar – If you’re going to replace the granulated sugar to reduce sugar intake, I recommend 1:1 monk fruit granulated baking sugar. You won’t want to replace the powdered sugar, or it’ll change the consistency of these bars completely.

Eggs – Unfortunately, egg substitutes do not work for this recipe. 

Food Coloring – If you want, use fruits and vegetables that are rich in color to change up the frosting color without adding artificial coloring. Passionfruit, raspberries, blueberries, beets, spinach, and purple sweet potato!

I love these bars because you can store them in the fridge or keep them out on the counter. I do have to warn you, though! If you keep them out on the counter, you’ll have a hard time stopping yourself from taking bites each time you walk by. These bars had the baby kicking like crazy last night. Was it a sugar high, or did they just love them? I’ll let you know what they think in a few years 😉

There are two types of people: frosting lovers or frosting scrapers. I am a frosting LOVER!  I used to get so sick when I was a kid while decorating cookies with my mom at Christmas time because I couldn’t keep my fingers out of the frosting jar. Some things never change 😉 

I added a thick layer of frosting over the bars! I sped up the cooling process by placing them into the freezer for 30-minutes.
These frosted sugar cookie bars are so easy to cut into. This recipe made 24 perfect squares!  I topped them with simple white crystal sprinkles, but they would look fabulous with any sprinkles you choose! How fun would unicorn sprinkles be on these pink cookies?
I cannot wait to hear what you think of these frosted sugar cookie bars! I hope you love them as much as we do!

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Questions for you!

1. What flavor of sugar cookie bars should I make next?
2. Are you growing any fruits or vegetables this summer?
3. What holiday do sugar cookie bars remind you of?