Festive Green Sugar Cookie Bars For St Pat’s

These sparkly green St. Patrick’s Day sugar cookie bars are buttery, tender, and delightfully festive. They’re soft enough to melt in your mouth and just the right balance of sweet with a tiny crunch from the sprinkles.

St. Patrick’s Day arrives when we’re ready for a little cheer and some green after a long winter. These cookie bars are an easy, crowd-pleasing treat that can be adapted for any holiday by switching sprinkles or tinting the buttercream.

How To Make These Easy St Patricks Day Cookies

Preheat the oven to 350°F and line an 8″ or 9″ square baking pan with parchment paper.

Cream 1/2 cup (one stick) softened butter with 1 cup sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in 2 eggs and 1 teaspoon vanilla. If you’re using unsalted butter, add 1/2 teaspoon salt to balance the sweetness.

The dough will be thick—stir in 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour and 1 teaspoon baking powder until no dry flour remains. Gently fold in about 1/4 cup holiday sprinkles (green for St. Patrick’s Day) or holiday chips, then press the dough evenly into the prepared pan.

Use the back of a spoon or your hands to smooth the dough so it’s evenly distributed. Bake for about 20 minutes or until the top is a light golden brown. If you used an 8″ pan instead of a 9″ pan, the bars will be thicker and may need a few extra minutes in the oven.

When baked, remove the pan from the oven and set it on a cooling rack. Once it’s cool enough to handle, lift the bars from the pan using the parchment paper and cool completely before frosting.

For the buttercream: beat 1/2 cup (one stick) butter at room temperature until smooth. Gradually add 4 cups powdered sugar, then 3–4 tablespoons milk and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, beating until light and fluffy. Tint the frosting green if you like, spread it over the cooled bars, and finish with coarse green sugar or sprinkles for a festive look.

Slice the square into one-inch-wide strips, then cut each strip into thirds to yield bars about one inch by three inches. These are rich and sweet, so smaller portions work best.

These bars keep well in a tightly covered container for several days. Change sprinkles and frosting color to match other holidays—pastel buttercream for Easter, red and pink for Valentine’s Day, or red, white, and blue for the Fourth of July.

These St. Patrick’s Day cookie bars have a buttery vanilla flavor and a texture reminiscent of shortbread, with a soft crumb and a creamy buttercream finish. They’re quick to make and sure to bring a smile at any celebration.

PRINTABLE RECIPE CARD

Yield: 27 cookie bars

St Patrick’s Day Cookies

Delicious buttery sugar cookie bars are thick, chewy, and topped with amazing buttercream frosting.

Prep Time
15 minutes

Cook Time
20 minutes

Additional Time
30 minutes

Total Time
1 hour 5 minutes

Ingredients

Cookies

1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt (omit if using salted butter)
1/4 cup holiday sprinkles or chips
Sprinkles, chips, or candies for topping as desired

Buttercream Icing

1/2 cup (one stick) butter, at room temperature
4 cups powdered sugar
3–4 Tbsp milk
1 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Line an 8″ or 9″ square baking pan with parchment paper.
Cream butter and sugar until fluffy, then beat in eggs and vanilla.
Stir in flour and baking powder until combined; the dough will be thick.
Gently fold in sprinkles and press the dough evenly into the pan.
Bake about 20 minutes or until the top is light golden brown. Thicker bars in an 8″ pan may need a few extra minutes.
Cool the pan on a rack, then lift the bars from the pan and cool completely before frosting.
Make the buttercream by beating butter, powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla until light and fluffy; tint if desired. Spread over cooled bars and top with sprinkles.
Cut into one-inch-wide strips and then into thirds for bars about one inch by three inches.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

Serving Size:

1

Amount Per Serving:
Calories: 196
Total Fat: 5g
Saturated Fat: 3g
Trans Fat: 0g
Unsaturated Fat: 2g
Cholesterol: 24mg
Sodium: 108mg
Carbohydrates: 35g
Fiber: 0g
Sugar: 26g
Protein: 2g

Use different sprinkles throughout the year to create themed cookie bars for any occasion. They’re simple to make and always a welcome addition to holiday treats.

Wishing you a joyful St. Patrick’s Day—may you find a little luck and some sweet moments with family and friends.

Love, GB (Betty Streff)