Craving a soft, chewy, sprinkle-loaded dessert without the dairy or eggs? These soft vegan sugar cookie bars with pink frosting are here to save your sweet tooth.

Baking has always been my happy place. Is self care baking a thing? Sometimes I don’t even bake for the end result but more from the sheer satisfaction of smoothing frosting over soft vegan sugar cookie bars and manically scattering sprinkles like a chaotic deity of sugar. I mean, I DO get to also eat the finished thing, obvs. And these cookie bars are the kind of low-stress, high-reward treat that’s perfect for when life gets a little too loud.

They’re ridiculously easy to make—no rolling pins, cutting, or fussing with cookie shapes. Just press, bake, frost, and devour. They’re the perfect mix of classic sugar cookie vibes, but without the dairy or eggs

AKA the no-stress dessert for birthdays, holidays, or those random days when adulting is overrated and sugar cookies are essential.

Why you’ll love these vegan sugar cookie bars

• Soft, chewy texture with zero dairy or eggs.
• Quick and simple—mix, press into a pan, bake, and frost.
• Completely customisable: switch frosting colours, sprinkle themes, or add flavours.
• Perfect for parties, holidays, or casual indulgence.

Ingredients you’ll need

Flour – plain (all-purpose) flour works best for these cookie bars.

Golden caster sugar – has a subtle caramel flavour and a slightly warmer, richer taste than white caster sugar because it’s unrefined and retains some molasses, a byproduct of sugar processing that gives it its golden hue and caramel-like flavour. The molasses contributes to a moister texture in baked goods. Substitute with white caster sugar if you can’t find golden or it’s too expensive.

Vegan butter – I’ve only made these with the block kind of butter. The soft spread margarine you get in tubs may result in a different texture of the baked cookies.

Flax ‘egg’ – because I wanted the baked sugar cookies to be as melt in the mouth as possible but without actual eggs of course, flax egg (ground flax seed mixed with water) is the perfect substitute.

Baking powder – just a little to give the cookie bars a little bit of rise and make them even more light and melty.

Vanilla – always use the best vanilla you can afford.  Vanilla pods or paste is the ultimate for taste but they’re very expensive.  A more reasonably priced vanilla extract is a good compromise between the expensive pods and the much cheaper vanilla flavouring that, I think, tastes a bit too artificial.  But use what you have or can afford 😉

Icing sugar – also known as powdered sugar, this is the best for creamy smooth vegan buttercream frosting.

Sprinkles – did you know that a lot of sprinkles aren’t vegan?  Check the labels as colourings used often contain animal derivatives including cochineal (made from crushed insects) and shellac (a resin secreted by the female lac bug)

Food colouring – much like sprinkles a lot of food colouring isn’t vegan so check your labels. This is the really affordable food colouring set I use that come in a good range of colours.

How to make vegan sugar cookie bars

Step 1: To make the shortbread cookie base start by making the flax ‘egg’. Mix together the ground flax seed and water in a small bowl or mug and set aside.

Step 2: 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.

Step 3: Beat in the flax and water mixture and vanilla.

Step 4: Add the flour and baking powder and beat together until just combined. The dough should be soft but not sticky.

Step 5: Prepare your baking tin. I cut a piece of greaseproof or baking parchment to sit across the base and up two of the sides to make it easier to lift the whole cookie base out of the tin. Grease and flour the other two sides then lay in the parchment.

Step 6: Tip in the cookie dough 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.

Step 7: Bake in a preheated oven 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!

Icing the sugar cookie bars

Step 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).

TIP 👉 a very small splash of boiling water while you’re whipping the buttercream frosting makes it super light and fluffy.

Step 9: Beat in the food colouring. Add just a drop or two to start with until you get the desired colour.

Step 10: Smooth the buttercream frosting over the shortbread cookie base until it’s evenly spread and completely covered. Scatter over the sprinkles.

Step 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.

Store the frosted cookies in an airtight container somewhere cool for 4-5 days. These cookie bars also freeze really well.

These soft vegan sugar cookie bars are proof you don’t need eggs, butter, or a culinary degree to whip up a really pretty dessert. Easy, fun, endlessly customisable – and let’s be honest, life tastes better with frosting and sprinkles.

Want even more easy vegan baking recipes? Try these:

Vegan Funfetti Cupcakes

The Best Vegan Brownies – don’t just take my word for it! 😉

Peanut Butter Shortbread Cookies

Tahini Pecan Vegan Choc Chip Cookies

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