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Soft vegan sugar cookie bars topped with pink frosting and colorful sprinkles, sliced into squares on a wooden board with extra sprinkles and cat-shaped candies scattered around.

Soft Vegan Sugar Cookie Bars | Easy Frosted Cookie Bars Recipe

Prep: 20 mins | Cook: 25 mins | Total: 45 mins | Quantity: 12 cookie squares

Ingredients

Sugar Cookie Bar Ingredients:

  • 1 tablespoon ground flax seeds
  • 45ml (3 tablespoons) cold water
  • 125g (1/2 cup) vegan block butter
  • 110g (1/2 cup) golden caster sugar (sub with white caster sugar)
  • 225g (1.5 cups) plain (all-purpose) flour
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking powder

Buttercream Frosting Ingredients:

  • 125g (1/2 cup) vegan block butter
  • 160g (1 + 1/4 cups) icing (powdered) sugar
  • food colouring
  • sprinkles

Equipment:

8 x 8 inch (20 x 20 cm) square baking tin

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 170 Fan / 190 C / 375 F / Gas 5 and line an 8 x 8 inch (20 x 20 cm) square baking tin with parchment to cover the base and two sides. Grease and flour the uncovered sides
  2. To make the flax 'egg' mix together the ground flax seed and water in a small bowl or mug and set aside
  3. Beat together the vegan butter and sugar. You can do this in a stand mixer with the paddle attachment or by hand but you'll need to soften the butter first. If using a mixer, scrape down the sides of the bowl a couple of times during mixing
  4. Beat in the flax 'egg' and vanilla
  5. Add the flour and baking powder and beat together until just combined and you have a soft dough
  6. Tip the cookie dough into the tin then use your hands to push it out, pressing into the corners and sides. Keep pressing until it's evenly spread and the surface is level. Prick all over with a fork
  7. Bake for 25 minutes until lightly puffed and golden. Leave to cool in the tin or if you want to speed up the cooling, leave for 30 minutes then lift out onto a cooling rack. Don't remove the parchment though, leave that attached!
  8. You'll want to put the base back in the baking tin once it's cooled. Then beat together the butter and icing sugar until very pale and fluffy. Again you can do this in a stand mixer with the paddle attachment or by hand (softening the butter again)
  9. Beat in the food colouring. Add just a drop or two to start then add more as needed until you get the desired colour
  10. Smooth the buttercream frosting over the shortbread cookie base until it's evenly spread and completely covered. Scatter over the sprinkles
  11. Lift the whole thing out of the tin then cut into portions - how big a portion is up to you! I tend to cut it into 12 squares

Notes

  • A very small splash of boiling water while you’re whipping the buttercream frosting makes it super light and fluffy.
  • Store the frosted cookies in an airtight container somewhere cool for 4-5 days. These cookie bars also freeze really well

Recipe by The Cook & Him at https://thecookandhim.com/recipes/soft-vegan-sugar-cookie-bars-easy-frosted-cookie-bars-recipe/