If you love thick, tender sugar cookies topped with creamy frosting, these peppermint sugar cookie bars are for you. They’re easy to make, lightly peppermint-flavored, finished with a smooth peppermint frosting and sprinkled with crushed candy canes. 
Cookie bars are my go-to at the holidays — they’re faster and less fussy than shaping individual cookies but still deliver a thick, tender bite. These peppermint sugar cookie bars have a Lofthouse-style texture: soft and buttery with a hint of peppermint. They’re finished with a generous layer of peppermint buttercream and a dusting of crushed candy canes for a festive touch.
I like serving them as large dessert squares, but they also work beautifully cut into smaller pieces for a cookie tray. 
Making Peppermint Sugar Cookie Bars
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Use a 9×13 inch (23×33 cm) baking pan; either line it with parchment paper or lightly grease it.
- In a large bowl, beat the softened butter, room-temperature cream cheese and granulated sugar until smooth. The cream cheese keeps the bars extra soft and lends a subtle creaminess.
- Beat in the egg, the additional egg yolk, and the peppermint extract. Use room-temperature eggs to prevent the batter from curdling.
- Sift the dry ingredients — all-purpose flour, baking powder and salt — into the butter mixture. Mix on low speed just until combined. Sifting helps remove lumps and reduces the chance of overmixing, which can make bars tough.
- Spoon the dough into the prepared pan and press or smooth it into an even layer.
- Bake for 22–25 minutes, until the top looks set and the edges begin to turn golden.
Allow the bars to cool completely before frosting. The frosting is made with real butter and cream for a silky texture and more pronounced richness. I use whipping cream (about 33–35% milk fat) but heavy cream, table cream or half-and-half will also work. Sifting powdered sugar before adding it to the frosting helps prevent lumps and creates a smoother finish. 
A Note About Peppermint Extract
Peppermint extract is typically found in the baking aisle next to vanilla extract. Do not substitute peppermint oil for extract — peppermint oil is much stronger and not always intended for culinary use. Adjust the amount of peppermint extract to your taste: I usually add a modest amount to the dough and fine-tune the frosting by tasting as I go, since the frosting can be sampled as you mix.
These peppermint sugar cookie bars are a favorite because of their soft, tender crumb and creamy frosting. A sprinkle of crushed candy canes makes them visually festive and gives an unmistakable holiday flavor. 
For reference, the recipe yields about 15 large bars. Prep time is roughly 30 minutes, baking about 22 minutes, plus about 1 hour cooling — total time around 2 hours including cooling.
Equipment
- 9×13 inch (23 x 33 cm) baking pan
Ingredients
Peppermint Sugar Cookie Bars
- 3/4 cup (168 g) unsalted butter, softened
- 4 oz (112 g) full-fat cream cheese, room temperature
- 1 1/4 cup (250 g) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 large egg yolk (in addition to the egg)
- 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract
- 2 1/3 cups (292 g) all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Peppermint Frosting
- 3/4 cup (168 g) unsalted butter, softened
- 3–4 cups (330–440 g) powdered sugar (icing sugar)
- 1/2–1 teaspoon peppermint extract, to taste
- 3–4 tablespoons whipping cream (45–60 ml) or equivalent
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1–3 drops red food coloring (optional)
- 2–3 candy canes, crushed, for topping
Instructions
Peppermint Cookie Bars
- Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Lightly grease a 9×13 inch pan or line it with parchment with an overhang for easy removal.
- In a large bowl, beat the butter, cream cheese and granulated sugar until smooth and lump-free.
- Add the egg, extra yolk, and peppermint extract and beat until incorporated.
- Sift the flour, baking powder and salt into the wet ingredients. Mix on low speed just until combined; avoid overmixing.
- Press the dough evenly into the prepared pan.
- Bake 22–25 minutes, until the top is set and edges are beginning to turn golden. Cool completely before frosting.
Peppermint Frosting
- Beat the softened butter until smooth.
- Add 2 cups of powdered sugar, 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract and the salt. Mix on low until incorporated (sift powdered sugar first if lumpy).
- Gradually add the remaining powdered sugar about 1/2 cup at a time, alternating with tablespoons of cream, until you reach the desired consistency and sweetness. Taste and adjust peppermint, and add red food coloring if desired.
- If you used parchment, lift the cooled bars from the pan using the overhang. Otherwise, leave them in the pan.
- Spread the frosting with a flat-edge knife and sprinkle with crushed candy canes.
- Slice with a sharp thin knife and lift bars out with a metal spatula.
Notes
- Room temperature: Make sure butter, cream cheese and eggs are at room temperature for best texture. Butter should be soft but not melting.
- Eggs: The recipe uses one whole egg plus one additional yolk.
- Measuring flour: Spoon and level or weigh flour for accurate measurement. Do not pack flour into the measuring cup.
- Storage: Store frosted bars in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days or refrigerated for up to 5 days.
- Nutrition: Nutritional figures are estimates per bar, assuming 15 even pieces.
