Gluten Free Sugar Cookie Bars- Everything you love about gluten free sugar cookies in an easier, lazier bar cookie. Dairy free and vegan recipe options.

Gluten Free Sugar Cookie Bars

Name: Gluten Free Sugar Cookie Bars
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 16
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1/4 cup butter, softened (use half palm shortening, half vegan butter to make vegan or dairy free); 1/2 cup sugar; 1 egg (use an egg substitute to make vegan, my go to is a flax egg or Bob's Red Mill Egg Replacer); 1/2 teaspoon salt; 3/4 teaspoon baking powder; 3/4 teaspoon xanthan gum; 1 teaspoon vanilla extract; 1 1/2 cups gluten-free flour (I use my gluten free cookie/cake flour blend; 1/2 recipe Vegan Buttercream Frosting or American Buttercream Frosting; Sprinkles, not optional if you want me to be your friend

You know me. I’m all about gluten free sugar cookies.

My gluten free sugar cookies were one of my first recipes to take off and get traction on the inter-webs. They taste JUST like a Lofthouse soft frosted sugar cookie.

My recipe doesn’t have sour cream, like a lot of Lofthouse copy cat recipes do. Instead, it has a vegan and dairy free option. Seriously, my soft frosted gluten free vegan sugar cookies are simply magical for anyone with allergies.

I’ve actually been making gluten free sugar cookie bars based on my gluten free sugar cookie recipe for YEARS. It was one of the first recipes in my cookbook, the Essential Gluten-Free Cookie Guide.

Whenever a gluten free soft frosted sugar cookie craving hits, but I don’t have the time or energy to roll out cookie dough and pull out my bin of cookie cutters, I make these gluten free cookie bars.

It is high time I shared my gluten free sugar cookie bar recipe with you all here on Flippin’ Delicious.

How to make gluten free sugar cookie bars

The gluten free sugar cookie dough comes together quickly, I have made it in my stand mixer, with a mixing bowl and electric beaters, or with a sturdy spatula and a lot of elbow grease. They have all been delicious!

Once the sugar cookie dough is ready, all you do is press it into a square baking dish. I like to line my 8x8 pan with parchment paper so that I can use it to lift the sugar cookies out after they are done baking.! If you don’t have parchment paper I’ve used aluminum foil in a pinch. I’ve also just pulled them out the old-fashioned way with a spatula.

My vegan buttercream frosting comes together really quickly and is the perfect topping for these sugar cookie bars if you are vegan or dairy free. If you love butter, and your tummy loves butter (lucky duck!) indulge in my easy American buttercream frosting.

To share or not to share?

I often make these gluten free sugar cookie bars for potlucks and picnics. They are always a hit and I rarely bring leftovers home.

The jury is still out if that is a good thing or not. I really love leftover cookies, but my waistline doesn’t. 😉

And don’t forget the sprinkles! Sprinkles make life a party. I honestly look for excuses to top things with sprinkles. Just ask my kids!

If you are looking for a fruity bar cookie recipe, I think you'll love my friend Nicole's recipe for Raspberry Shortbread Bars. I love bar cookies with a crumb topping!