Sugar Cookie Bars With Berries

Name: Sugar Cookie Bars With Berries
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 1 h
Yield: 24 bars
Cuisine: american
Ingredients: 1 cup/226 grams unsalted butter, plus more for greasing; 1/2 cup/120 grams cream cheese, softened to room temperature; 2 cups/400 grams granulated sugar; 2 large eggs, cold from the fridge; 1 tablespoon vanilla extract; 1 teaspoon kosher salt (Diamond Crystal); 1 1/2 cups/190 grams all-purpose flour; 1/2 teaspoon baking powder; 2 1/2 cups/300 grams powdered sugar; 3/4 cup/190 grams unsalted butter, softened to room temperature; 3 tablespoons heavy cream, plus more if needed; 1 tablespoon vanilla extract; 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt (Diamond Crystal); 4 cups/680 grams assorted fresh berries; Powdered sugar (optional), for decorating

By Yossy Arefi

Published June 20, 2025

Sugar Cookie Bars With Berries — Mark Weinberg for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Yossy Arefi

Total Time: About 1 hour, plus cooling
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 50 minutes, plus cooling
Rating: (0)
Comments: Read comments

Draped in frosting and adorned with festive berries, these sheet-pan cookie bars are fit for a party. Browned butter and cream cheese give the cookie depth and richness, plus a pleasantly chewy texture. The fluffy vanilla frosting is a canvas for whichever berries look best at the market. If you like, dust the fruit with a bit of powdered sugar just before serving for a little extra flair. The cookie and frosting can both be prepared the day before your celebration, but you’ll want to assemble and dress with the berries the day you plan to enjoy this dessert. For the cleanest slices, use a long, sharp knife and gently cut through the berries and cookie base.

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Ingredients

Yield:24 bars

For the Cookie Bars

1cup/226 grams unsalted butter, plus more for greasing
½cup/120 grams cream cheese, softened to room temperature
2cups/400 grams granulated sugar
2large eggs, cold from the fridge
1tablespoon vanilla extract
1teaspoon kosher salt (Diamond Crystal)
1½cups/190 grams all-purpose flour
½teaspoon baking powder

For the Frosting and Topping

2½cups/300 grams powdered sugar
¾cup/190 grams unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
3tablespoons heavy cream, plus more if needed
1tablespoon vanilla extract
½teaspoon kosher salt (Diamond Crystal)
4cups/680 grams assorted fresh berries
Powdered sugar (optional), for decorating

Ingredient Substitution Guide

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Preparation

Step 1
Make the cookie bars: Heat oven to 350 degrees and butter a 9-by-13-inch metal baking pan. Line the pan with a piece of parchment paper that hangs over two of the long sides.
Step 2
Melt the butter in a small skillet set over medium heat. (Use a pan with a light interior, if possible, so you can easily see the milk solids change color.) Cook the butter for a few minutes, stirring occasionally and scraping the milk solids off the bottom and sides of the pan as needed, until the milk solids turn golden brown and smell toasty, about 4 minutes. Immediately pour the hot butter into a large bowl.
Step 3
Add the cream cheese and granulated sugar to the bowl and whisk until smooth, then add the eggs, vanilla and salt, and whisk until smooth and well blended.
Step 4
Add the flour and baking powder to the bowl and fold with a flexible spatula just until no streaks remain. Transfer to the prepared pan and spread into an even layer. Bake the cookie for 30 to 35 minutes, until just set and light brown around the edges. Set the pan on a wire rack to cool completely.
Step 5
While the cookie bar cools, make the frosting: In a medium bowl, combine the powdered sugar, butter, cream, vanilla extract and salt. Mix with an electric mixer on low speed until the sugar is moistened, then turn the mixer up to medium-high and mix until the frosting is light and fluffy, adding 1 more tablespoon of cream if the frosting is stiff, about 5 minutes. Use a flexible spatula to stir the frosting a few times to knock out any large air bubbles.
Step 6
Transfer the cooled cookie to a serving plate or board, if desired. Smooth the frosting over the top of the cooled cookie and decorate with berries and powdered sugar as desired. (To make ahead, store the cookie, well-wrapped, at room temperature and refrigerate the frosting up to 2 days in advance; assemble when ready to serve.)