Peppermint Sugar Cookie Bars: The Ultimate Chewy & Frosted Holiday Treat

As the festive season approaches, the air fills with the delightful aroma of holiday baking, and nothing captures the spirit quite like peppermint. These Peppermint Sugar Cookie Bars are a truly irresistible holiday dessert, transforming the classic sugar cookie into a thick, wonderfully chewy bar loaded with vibrant peppermint crunch. Topped with a luscious, creamy buttercream frosting and adorned with even more festive peppermint shavings, they are the perfect treat for Christmas gatherings, cozy winter evenings, or simply to satisfy your sweet tooth.

Peppermint is synonymous with December, and for good reason. While some enjoy mint year-round, the crisp, cool flavor of peppermint takes center stage during the holidays, making it a beloved staple in many festive recipes. These bars offer that quintessential holiday taste without being overly strong, striking a perfect balance between sweet and minty. They are designed for ease and deliciousness, delivering all the familiar joy of a sugar cookie with the added convenience of a bar format, making them a less fussy alternative to traditional cut-out cookies.

stacked peppermint sugar cookie bars on a plate — Beautifully stacked Peppermint Sugar Cookie Bars, ready to brighten any holiday table.

Why These Peppermint Sugar Cookie Bars Are a Must-Bake This Season

Traditional frosted sugar cookies are a beloved holiday classic, but they often require rolling out dough, cutting intricate shapes, and meticulous decorating, which can be quite time-consuming. Peppermint Sugar Cookie Bars offer a fantastic, time-saving alternative that delivers all the delightful flavor and texture with significantly less fuss. Imagine a thick, soft, and buttery sugar cookie base, baked in a single pan, and then effortlessly cut into convenient squares. This makes them an ideal choice for holiday parties, potlucks, bake sales, or simply for feeding a crowd during your festive celebrations.

The true charm of these bars lies in their combination of simplicity and incredible flavor. The cookie base itself is infused with crunchy peppermint chips, which provide both a delightful texture and a burst of refreshing mintiness in every bite. This is perfectly complemented by the smooth, rich buttercream frosting, creating a harmonious blend of sweetness and cool mint. An additional sprinkle of peppermint crunch on top not only enhances the flavor but also adds a stunning, festive visual appeal that’s sure to impress your guests.

In crafting this recipe, we deliberately chose not to use peppermint extract in the main cookie dough or frosting. Our goal was to achieve a balanced mint flavor that is present but not overwhelming, allowing the natural sweetness and buttery notes of the sugar cookie to truly shine. However, if you are a true peppermint aficionado and desire a bolder, more intense mint kick, a small addition of extract can easily be incorporated to elevate the peppermint intensity to your liking. And if you happen to have any leftover peppermint chips after making these amazing bars, they are incredibly versatile! Consider using them in other festive treats like Peppermint Oreo Truffles, stirring them into hot chocolate, or sprinkling them over ice cream for an extra dose of holiday cheer.

peppermint sugar cookie bars ingredients — All the simple, wholesome ingredients you’ll need to create these festive Peppermint Sugar Cookie Bars.

Key Ingredients for Your Delicious Peppermint Cookie Bars

Before you dive into baking these delightful holiday bars, ensure you have these essential ingredients on hand. Each component plays a vital role in achieving the perfect texture and flavor. A complete, printable recipe card with exact measurements is provided at the very bottom of this post for your convenience.

Unsalted Butter: For consistent results in baking, always opt for unsalted butter. This allows you to control the exact amount of salt in your recipe. Ensure your butter is truly softened to room temperature before you begin; this is crucial for creaming it properly with the sugar, which creates a light and airy cookie dough base.
Granulated Sugar: This provides the primary sweetness for the cookie bars and contributes to their tender crumb.
Large Eggs: Eggs serve as a vital binder, providing structure and adding richness and moisture to the cookie bars. Like butter, it’s best if they are at room temperature for optimal incorporation into the batter.
Vanilla Extract: A cornerstone flavor enhancer in nearly all sweet baked goods. Pure vanilla extract beautifully complements the cool peppermint and adds a warm depth to the overall taste profile.
All-Purpose Flour: The structural backbone of our cookie bars. Measure it correctly by spooning it into a measuring cup and leveling off with a knife.
Baking Soda: This leavening agent helps the cookie bars rise slightly during baking, contributing to their soft, tender, and perfectly chewy texture.
Salt: A small amount of salt is essential to balance the sweetness, highlight the other flavors, and prevent the cookies from tasting flat.
Andes Peppermint Crunch Chips: These are the undeniable stars that infuse our bars with that signature peppermint flavor and a delightful crunch. If Andes chips are hard to find in your area, don’t despair! You can easily substitute them by finely chopping Hershey’s Kiss Peppermint Kisses. Alternatively, crushed candy canes also work wonderfully, adding a vibrant red speckle and crisp minty flavor. Just ensure whatever you use is chopped into small, even pieces for uniform distribution throughout the dough.

These Peppermint Sugar Cookie Bars are fundamentally a giant, thick sugar cookie baked conveniently in a single pan. They aren’t designed to be rolled out and meticulously cut like traditional Frosted Sugar Cookies. Instead, they embrace simplicity while delivering that same soft, buttery sugar cookie texture you know and love, enhanced with a festive peppermint twist.

baked peppermint sugar cookie bars in pan — Our peppermint sugar cookie bars, baked to golden perfection and cooling in the pan.

Step-by-Step Guide: Crafting Your Peppermint Sugar Cookie Bars

Creating these festive peppermint sugar cookie bars is a remarkably straightforward process, making them accessible and enjoyable for bakers of all skill levels. By following these clear, simple steps, you’ll achieve a batch of delicious, chewy, and beautifully frosted holiday treats:

Step 1: Prepare Your Baking Pan. Begin by preheating your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit (190°C). This ensures the oven is at the correct temperature when your dough is ready. Next, prepare an 8-inch square baking pan by lining it with parchment paper. Allow the parchment to overhang on two sides; this creates “handles” that will make lifting the cooled bars out of the pan incredibly easy. If parchment paper isn’t available, you can thoroughly grease and flour the pan with a non-stick baking spray, but parchment is highly recommended for cleaner removal.
Step 2: Cream Wet Ingredients for Dough. In a large mixing bowl, preferably using an electric stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or a hand mixer), cream together the softened unsalted butter and granulated sugar for approximately 2 minutes. Beat until the mixture is visibly lightened in color, fluffy, and well aerated. This creaming process is vital for achieving a tender cookie texture. Then, add the large eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition until fully incorporated. Stir in the vanilla extract until just combined.
Step 3: Combine Dry Ingredients. In a separate, medium-sized bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, and salt. Whisking these dry ingredients together ensures that the leavening agent and salt are evenly distributed throughout the flour, which is crucial for uniform rising and flavor in the final product.
Step 4: Mix Dough and Add Peppermint Chips. With your electric mixer on a low speed, gradually add the dry flour mixture to the wet butter-sugar mixture. Mix only until the flour is just combined and a soft, cohesive dough forms, and no dry streaks of flour remain. It’s very important not to overmix the dough, as overmixing can develop too much gluten, leading to tough and less tender cookie bars. Finally, gently fold in the Andes Peppermint Crunch baking chips using a rubber spatula, ensuring they are evenly distributed throughout the dough.
Step 5: Bake the Cookie Bars. Press the prepared dough evenly into the bottom of your lined 8-inch baking pan. You can use your hands, lightly floured, or the back of a spatula to ensure a smooth, uniform layer. Bake for approximately 25-28 minutes. The bars are ready when the edges appear lightly golden brown and set, and a wooden skewer or toothpick inserted into the center comes out mostly clean, with a few moist crumbs attached – but no wet batter. Avoiding overbaking is key to keeping these bars wonderfully chewy and moist.
Step 6: Cool Completely. This is a critical step that requires patience! Allow the baked cookie bars to cool completely in the pan, set on a wire rack. Attempting to frost warm or even slightly warm bars will cause the buttercream frosting to melt and slide right off. Full cooling ensures your frosting will set beautifully.
Step 7: Prepare the Creamy Frosting. While the bars are cooling, prepare your delightful buttercream frosting. In a clean mixing bowl, cream the softened butter until it is light and fluffy. Gradually add the vanilla extract, 2-3 tablespoons of milk, and about half of the powdered sugar. Beat until smooth. Continue adding the remaining powdered sugar, adjusting the consistency as needed. If the frosting is too thick, add more milk (half a teaspoon at a time); if it’s too thin, gradually mix in more powdered sugar until you achieve a perfectly smooth and spreadable texture.
Step 8: Frost and Decorate. Once the cookie bars are completely cool, spread the prepared buttercream frosting evenly over the top using an offset spatula or knife for a smooth finish. Finally, generously sprinkle the reserved 1/4 cup of Andes Peppermint Crunch baking chips over the frosted bars for a beautiful, festive, and extra minty decoration. Slice into individual squares and serve your magnificent Peppermint Sugar Cookie Bars!

frosted peppermint sugar cookie bars in baking pan — Our creamy, frosted peppermint sugar cookie bars, a truly delightful holiday indulgence.

Expert Tips & Tricks for Perfect Peppermint Sugar Cookie Bars

Achieving bakery-quality peppermint sugar cookie bars is easier than you think with these expert tips and tricks. These pointers will help you fine-tune your baking process for the most delicious results:

Consider Your Pan Size: This recipe is designed for an 8-inch square pan, which yields wonderfully thick, substantial, and chewy bars – exactly how we prefer them! If you prefer your bars to be a little thinner, you can easily use a 9-inch square baking pan instead. Just remember that a thinner bar might require a slightly shorter baking time, so keep a closer eye on them towards the end of the baking cycle.
Scaling for a Crowd: Anticipating a large holiday gathering or simply want more to share? This recipe doubles beautifully! If you need to feed a crowd, simply double all the ingredients listed in the recipe card and bake the batch in a 13×9 inch baking pan. The baking time will be roughly similar to the 8-inch pan, but as always, rely on the visual cues and a tester for accurate doneness.
Alternative Peppermint Chips: If you’re having trouble locating Andes Peppermint Crunch baking chips at your local grocery store, don’t let that stop you! A fantastic substitute is finely chopped Hershey’s Kiss Peppermint Kisses. You can also crush candy canes into small pieces for a similar minty crunch and an extra festive red pop of color. Ensure whatever substitute you use is chopped into small, even pieces for optimal distribution within the dough and on top of the frosting.
Boosting Peppermint Flavor: While our recipe offers a subtle and balanced peppermint flavor, if you are a dedicated peppermint lover and crave a more intense minty kick, you can easily adjust it. Add 1/2 teaspoon of pure peppermint extract to the cookie dough along with the vanilla extract. For an even bolder flavor in the frosting, consider adding an additional 1/4 teaspoon of peppermint extract to your buttercream. Always taste as you go to achieve your preferred intensity.
Prevent Overbaking for Chewy Perfection: This is arguably the most critical tip for ensuring your cookie bars remain soft, moist, and delightfully chewy. Because these bars are quite thick, it’s easy to accidentally overbake them, which can result in dry and crumbly bars. Keep a close watch on your oven. The bars are done when the edges are lightly golden brown and set, and a wooden skewer or toothpick inserted into the center comes out with moist crumbs attached, but no wet batter. A slightly underbaked center will lead to that wonderfully soft and chewy texture once they cool completely.
Patience is a Virtue (Especially with Cooling): Resist the temptation to frost the bars before they are completely cool. This is absolutely crucial! Warm or even slightly warm bars will cause your beautiful buttercream frosting to melt and create a messy situation. Allowing them to cool fully in the pan on a wire rack ensures your frosting will stay firm, hold its shape, and adhere perfectly.
Mastering Frosting Consistency: The amounts of powdered sugar and milk in the frosting can be adjusted to achieve your ideal spreadable consistency. If your frosting seems too thick to spread smoothly, add milk a teaspoon at a time until it reaches the desired texture. Conversely, if it’s too thin, gradually mix in more powdered sugar until it thickens up.
Creative Topping Ideas: Beyond the suggested extra peppermint chips, feel free to get creative with your decorations. A drizzle of melted white or dark chocolate, a dusting of edible glitter, or a sprinkle of festive red and green holiday sprinkles can elevate the visual appeal of your bars even further.

sliced peppermint sugar cookie bars on a board — Our perfectly sliced Peppermint Sugar Cookie Bars, showcasing their thick, chewy texture and festive topping.

Storage and Freezing Instructions for Maximum Freshness

To ensure your delightful peppermint sugar cookie bars remain fresh, moist, and delicious for as long as possible, proper storage is key. Here’s a comprehensive guide on how to best store them, whether for a few days or for future enjoyment:

Room Temperature Storage: Once your cookie bars are completely cooled and generously frosted, the ideal way to store them for short-term enjoyment is in an airtight container at room temperature. Placed on your countertop, they will maintain their deliciousness and soft texture for about 3 to 4 days. After this period, while still safe to eat, you may notice their texture beginning to dry out slightly.
Refrigeration: If your home is particularly warm, or if you simply prefer a firmer frosting, you can store these bars in the refrigerator. Place them in an airtight container to prevent them from absorbing any odors from other foods. Be aware that refrigeration can sometimes alter the texture of the cookie, making it a bit denser or firmer. For the best eating experience, allow them to come closer to room temperature for about 15-30 minutes before serving.
Freezing for Longer Freshness: These peppermint sugar cookie bars freeze exceptionally well, making them a fantastic make-ahead option for holiday entertaining or simply to stock your freezer with a delightful treat. You can successfully freeze them for up to 3 months.

Freezing Unfrosted Bars (Recommended): For optimal results, especially if you plan to freeze them for an extended period, we highly recommend freezing the cookie bars before applying the frosting. Once the baked bars have cooled completely in their pan, lift them out using the parchment paper handles. You can freeze the entire slab or cut them into individual squares. Wrap them tightly first in several layers of plastic wrap, then again in a layer of heavy-duty aluminum foil. Place the wrapped bars in an airtight freezer-safe bag or container to prevent freezer burn. When you’re ready to serve, thaw the unfrosted bars at room temperature for a few hours (or overnight in the refrigerator), and then prepare and apply fresh buttercream frosting just before serving. This method ensures the best possible texture for both the cookie and the frosting.
Freezing Frosted Bars: If you need to freeze the bars already frosted, it’s certainly possible. To prevent the frosting from getting smushed or sticking, first place the frosted bars on a baking sheet (not touching each other) and flash freeze them for about 1 to 2 hours until the frosting is completely firm. Once firm, you can wrap each bar individually in plastic wrap, then place them in a single layer in an airtight freezer-safe container. This method helps maintain the integrity of the frosting. To thaw, simply transfer them to the refrigerator overnight or allow them to come to room temperature for a few hours. While the frosting will still be good, freshly applied frosting generally yields a superior, creamier texture and appearance.

More Festive Christmas Cookie Recipes to Try

If you’ve enjoyed making and tasting these Peppermint Sugar Cookie Bars, you’re likely in the mood for more holiday baking! The Christmas season is the perfect time to explore a variety of delightful treats. Here are some other fantastic Christmas Cookies from our collection that you and your loved ones are sure to adore. Each recipe brings its own unique flavor and charm to your festive spread:

Peanut Butter Stuffed Cookies: A delightful surprise awaits inside these rich, chocolatey cookies – a creamy peanut butter truffle center that’s simply irresistible.
Mint Chocolate Pudding Cookies: These cookies are incredibly soft, wonderfully chewy, and bursting with a refreshing mint chocolate flavor, making them another perfect companion to your peppermint favorites.
White Chocolate Gingerbread Cookies: Take a classic holiday spiced gingerbread cookie and elevate it with a luxurious drizzle of sweet white chocolate for a truly elegant treat.
Christmas Magic Cookie Bars: Layered with all your favorite holiday flavors and textures, from coconut and nuts to chocolate chips, these bars are indeed magical and incredibly easy to make.
Chewy Molasses Cookies: A timeless, warmly spiced cookie that embodies comfort and tradition. Their rich, deep flavor and soft, chewy texture make them a holiday staple.

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Peppermint Sugar Cookie Bars

By Erin Sellin

Peppermint Sugar Cookie Bars – These easy and festive bars are a delightful twist on classic sugar cookies. They’re thick, incredibly chewy, and loaded with crunchy peppermint chips. Each bar is generously topped with a luscious buttercream frosting and a final sprinkle of more peppermint shavings, making them the perfect holiday treat for sharing!

Prep: 10 minutes

Cook: 15 minutes

Total: 25 minutes

Servings: 12

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Ingredients

Bars

▢ 1/2 cup butter, softened
▢ 1 cups granulated sugar
▢ 2 large eggs
▢ 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
▢ 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
▢ 1/2 teaspoon salt
▢ 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
▢ 1 cup Andes Peppermint Crunch baking chips

Frosting

▢ 1/2 cup butter, softened
▢ 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
▢ 3 cups powdered sugar, (approximately)
▢ 2-3 Tablespoons milk, (approximately)

Topping

▢ 1/4 cup Andes Peppermint Crunch baking chips

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190°C). Line an 8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the sides to easily lift the bars out, or spray well with non-stick spray.
In an electric mixer, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each, then beat in vanilla extract until everything is very well incorporated and smooth.
In another bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, and baking soda. With the mixer on low, slowly add in the flour mixture to the wet ingredients, mixing just until a dough forms and no dry streaks remain. Be careful not to overmix. Gently fold in the peppermint crunch baking chips until well combined.
Spread the dough evenly into the prepared baking pan. Bake for 25-28 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden brown and a toothpick or skewer inserted into the center comes out mostly clean (with moist crumbs, not wet batter). Avoid overbaking to keep the bars chewy.
Allow the bars to cool completely in the pan on a wire rack before frosting. This is crucial for the frosting to set properly.
To make the frosting, cream the softened butter until fluffy. Add vanilla, milk (start with 2 tablespoons), and half of the powdered sugar. Beat until smooth. Continue adding the remaining powdered sugar, adjusting the milk or powdered sugar as necessary to achieve a smooth, spreadable consistency.
Spread the prepared frosting evenly over the completely cooled bars. Sprinkle with the reserved 1/4 cup of peppermint chips to decorate. Slice into squares and serve!

Nutrition

Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should only be used as an approximation.

Additional Info

Author: Erin Sellin

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes

Course: Dessert Recipes

Cuisine: American

Servings: 12

Calories: 552

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