St. Patrick’s Day Sugar Cookie Bars – Easy, Crowd-Pleasing in 30 Minutes!

Easy St. Patrick’s Day Sugar Cookie Bars: The No-Roll, Crowd-Feeding Holiday Hero

Tired of rolling out dough and fiddling with cookie cutters? These Easy St. Patrick’s Day Sugar Cookie Bars are your delicious escape from holiday baking stress. This brilliant recipe captures every bit of the soft, buttery, vanilla-kissed magic of a perfect sugar cookie but bakes it all at once in a simple sheet pan. Topped with a cloud of creamy almond buttercream tinted a cheerful shamrock green and a blizzard of festive sprinkles, they transform into the ultimate shareable, party-ready treat. They bake in just 15 minutes, feed a whole crew, and are guaranteed to become your new St. Patrick’s Day tradition. For another fantastically easy and green-themed treat, try our no-bake Easy Shamrock Shake Pudding Cups.

Why You’ll Love This Easy Sugar Cookie Bars Recipe

• No Rolling or Cutting! Press the dough into one pan. That’s it. All the flavor, zero of the tedious work.
• Perfect for a Crowd: One batch makes 36-40 bars, making it the ideal dessert for classroom parties, potlucks, or family gatherings.
• Unbeatable Texture: The bars bake up soft, slightly chewy, and tender with the perfect sugar cookie crumb.
• Make-Ahead Magic: The dough can be made and frozen weeks in advance, and the frosted bars store beautifully for days.
• Totally Festive & Customizable: The green frosting and sprinkles are pure holiday joy. Easily adapt the colors for any occasion.

Your Simple Ingredients for a Festive Dessert

For the Cookie Bars:

• 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened at room temperature
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 4 large eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• 5 cups all-purpose flour

For the Frosting:

• 5 cups powdered sugar
• 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
• ¼ – ½ teaspoon almond extract (see Pro Tip!)
• 6 tablespoons milk
• Green food coloring (gel recommended for vibrant color)
• St. Patrick’s Day sprinkles

Pro Tip: The almond extract in the frosting gives it a classic, bakery-style flavor that pairs beautifully with the sugar cookie. However, if you or your guests are not fans of almond, you can easily substitute it with an equal amount of clear vanilla extract. This will give you a pure, sweet vanilla frosting that everyone will love.

How to Make Perfect St. Patrick’s Day Sugar Cookie Bars in 30 Minutes

Phase 1: Make the Easy Cookie Dough

Cream Butter & Sugar: In a large bowl, cream together the softened butter and granulated sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.
Add Wet Ingredients: Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Scrape down the bowl and mix in the vanilla extract.
Combine Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the salt, baking soda, and flour. Gradually add this dry mixture to the wet ingredients, mixing on low speed until just combined and a soft dough forms.

Phase 2: Press, Bake & Cool

Press into Pan: Grease a standard rimmed baking sheet (approx. 12×17 inches). Press the cookie dough evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan using your hands or the bottom of a measuring cup.
Bake: Bake at 375°F (190°C) for 15-17 minutes, or until the edges are just very lightly golden. The center should be set. Do not overbake.
Cool Completely: Remove from the oven and let the cookie slab cool completely in the pan on a wire rack before frosting.

Phase 3: Frost & Decorate

Make the Frosting: Using an electric mixer, beat the softened butter until smooth. Add 4 tablespoons of milk, a small amount of green food coloring, and the almond extract. Mix to combine.
Add Sugar: Gradually add the powdered sugar, about a half cup at a time, mixing on low speed to avoid a cloud of sugar. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of milk and beat until the frosting is smooth and spreadable. Adjust color with more food coloring if desired.
Frost & Sprinkle: Spread the green frosting evenly over the completely cooled cookie base. Immediately add your St. Patrick’s Day sprinkles so they stick.
Cut & Serve: Once the frosting is set, cut into 36-40 bars. Use a sharp knife and wipe it clean between cuts for neat bars.

Pro Tips & Flavor Variations for Your Cookie Bar Recipe

• For Clean Cuts: For perfectly sharp edges, place the entire pan in the refrigerator for 20-30 minutes after adding the sprinkles to let the frosting firm up before cutting.
• Freeze the Dough: This dough freezes beautifully! Tightly wrap the dough in plastic wrap and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before pressing into the pan and baking.
• Frosting Flavor Swap: As mentioned, use vanilla instead of almond. For a fun twist, try a dash of mint extract for a “mint shamrock” flavor.
• Different Pan Sizes: For a thicker, more brownie-like bar, press the dough into a 9×13 inch pan and add a few minutes to the bake time. For a half-batch, use a 10×15 inch jelly roll pan.
• Color Variations: Change the food coloring and sprinkles to make these for any holiday (pink for Valentine’s, pastels for Easter, etc.).

Serving Suggestions for a Complete Holiday Spread

These bars are a star dessert on their own, served with a cold glass of milk. For a full St. Patrick’s Day party table, pair them with other green treats like our Andes Mint Mini Cheesecakes and a pitcher of vibrant Lime Sherbet Floats. For a savory balance, offer our hearty Slow Cooker Corned Beef and Cabbage or some crispy Loaded Tater Tot Skewers.

Nutrition Information

(Approximate per bar) Calories: 401, Fat: 11g, Carbohydrates: 71g, Protein: 4g. This is a rich, celebratory dessert. Bars can be cut smaller to adjust portion size.

Storage & Reheating Instructions

• Store: Store frosted bars in a single layer (or with parchment between layers) in an airtight container at room temperature for 3-4 days.
• Freeze: You can freeze unfrosted baked cookie slabs or fully frosted and cut bars. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and then foil. Freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
• Make-Ahead: The bars can be baked, frosted, and sprinkled the day before your event. Store covered at room temperature.

Your St. Patrick’s Day Sugar Cookie Bar Questions Answered

• Can I use salted or unsalted butter?
  The recipe is forgiving. You can use either. If using unsalted butter, you may want to add an extra tiny pinch of salt to the dough.
• My frosting is too thin/thick. How do I fix it?
  If too thin, add more powdered sugar, a quarter cup at a time. If too thick to spread, add more milk, one teaspoon at a time, until you reach the desired consistency.
• Why do my bars taste dry?
  The most common cause is overbaking or over-measuring the flour. Be sure to spoon your flour into the measuring cup and level it off—don’t scoop directly from the bag. Bake just until the edges are barely golden.
• Can I make these into shaped cookies?
  Yes! This dough can be used for cut-out cookies. Chill the dough for 1-2 hours, then roll out, cut with cookie cutters, and bake at 375°F for 8-10 minutes.
• My almond extract tasted too strong. What happened?
  Almond extract is potent. Always start with the smaller amount (¼ tsp). You can add more, but you can’t take it out. When in doubt, use vanilla.

More Incredible Easy Holiday Desserts to Try

If you love the simplicity and crowd-feeding power of these cookie bars, you’ll adore our other easy dessert recipes. Our Easy Green Velvet Brownies are another vibrant, one-pan wonder, and our festive Football Themed Brownies are perfect for game day.

The Story Behind This Brilliantly Simple Holiday Dessert

Easy St. Patrick’s Day Sugar Cookie Bars are a masterclass in efficient, joyful holiday baking. They solve the classic problem of wanting a beautiful, themed homemade dessert without dedicating an entire afternoon to the process. By forgoing the individual cookie process, this recipe focuses all the effort on what matters most: incredible flavor and festive presentation. It’s a treat that respects your time while delivering maximum celebration, proving that holiday spirit can come from a sheet pan just as easily as from a carefully cut shamrock. This smart, family-friendly approach to holiday treats is inspired by the recipe shared by Pam on Over the Big Moon.

Pin This Easy Recipe For Your Next Holiday Party or Bake Sale!

This is the stress-free dessert you’ll make for every celebration. Save this image to your “Holiday Baking” or “Easy Desserts” Pinterest board so it’s ready when you need a guaranteed crowd-pleaser. Did you make a perfectly green batch? We’d love to see your festive creation—tag us in your photos!