These Candy Corn Sugar Cookie Bars are a delicious Halloween inspired cookie bar recipe that has layers of orange and yellow sugar cookies with a velvety homemade buttercream frosting then topped with Halloween sprinkles and candy corn. It’s a perfect Halloween dessert that is sure to be a treat.
Try out my Halloween Rice Krispies, spooktacular ghost meringues, or my 3-ingredient Halloween Fudge for more easy Halloween recipes.
Why We Love These Sugar Cookie Bars
- Bright colors
- Great for a Halloween party
- Easy recipe
- Homemade
- Pantry staple ingredients
- Freezer friendly
Easy Halloween Cookie Bars
These make the best Halloween treats for school parties, after school snack, or just a fun weeknight dessert. They are so easy to make and since you make bars you don’t have to make individual candy corn sugar cookies. The perfect way to enjoy the flavor without all the prep work.
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Ingredients You’ll Need
- Butter – Use softened unsalted butter for this recipe. Make sure it is real butter not margarine.
- Sugar
- Egg
- Vanilla Extract
- All Purpose Flour – Scoop the flour into the measuring cup, and then level off the measuring cup.
- Baking Powder – Make sure its not expired.
- Salt – If you use salted butter omit the salt in this recipe.
- Food Coloring – I used orange food coloring and yellow food coloring for coloring the layers of the sugar cookie dough.
- Milk – Any milk of you’re choice is fine.
- Powdered Sugar – If you find your powdered sugar is lumpy then sift the sugar to ensure you get a velvety texture to the frosting.
- Candy Corn – You can do any color of candy corn for topping your delicious cookie bars.
- Sprinkles – I also added some Halloween sprinkles to dress up the sugar cookie bars.
Variations To Try
1: Stir in some white chocolate chips in the orange cookie dough. It will add more sweetness to the bars.
2: Top with orange and yellow sprinkles if you can’t find Halloween sprinkles.
3: If you are not a fan of sweet candy corn, then leave it off the top of the bars.
4: Top with a cream cheese frosting instead of the homemade buttercream frosting.
How to Make These Sugar Cookie Bars
This recipe will come together just a few easy steps and is well worth it!
Step 1: Start by lining an 8×8 baking square pan and lay parchment paper in bottom and over the sides. Preheat the oven.
Step 2: Next in a large bowl you will add your butter, sugar, and mix until nice and fluffy. This takes 2-3 minutes with an electric mixer or stand mixer.
Step 3: Next you will add in the egg and vanilla extract.
Step 4: In a medium bowl add your dry ingredients and mix.
Step 5: Slowly work the dry ingredients in with the wet ingredients. Make sure to scrape the sides of the bowl as you mix.
Step 6: Divide the dough half. With a toothpick, add a little yellow gel food coloring to one half and mix in to incorporate. Then add a small amount of orange gel food coloring to the other half and kneed to mix in. Add a small amount at a time. A little goes a long way.
Step 7: Press the yellow batter into the bottom of the pan. Then either (1) place the orange dough onto a piece of parchment paper and roll it out into a small square then place it on top of the yellow dough or (2) place orange dough on the parchment paper and place it on top of the yellow dough then press it down. Lift it back out and remove the parchment paper then place it back on top of the yellow dough.
Step 8: Bake for 18-20 minutes.
Step 9: Once done allow the cookie bars to cool on a cooling rack.
Step 10: Whip up the frosting, and frost the cookie dough once it is fully cooled. Add candy corn and sprinkles on top if you’d like.
How To Store
Store these cookie bars at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 3-4 days. Or you can store in the refrigerator for 5-6 days. The only thing is to make sure they are in a sealed container to prevent the bars from drying out.
You can also freeze these cookies for up to 3 months. Place in a freezer friendly container or in a freezer bag. When you are ready to eat just thaw on the counter at room temperature.
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Candy Corn Sugar Cookie Bars
Ingredients
For the Cookie Bars
- ½ cup butter 1 stick softened
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 large egg
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- Yellow Gel Food Coloring
- Orange Gel Food Coloring
For the Frosting
- ½ cup butter 1 stick, softened
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 tablespoons milk
- ½ teaspoons salt
- 2 ½ cups powdered sugar
- ½ cup candy corn
- Halloween themed sprinkles
Instructions
Making the cookie bars:
- Preheat oven to 350° F
- Line a square 8×8 baking pan with parchment paper
- In a large mixing bowl, add the butter and sugar and blend with an electric mixer on medium speed until fluffy.½ cup butter, 1 cup sugar
- Add in the egg and vanilla extract.1 large egg, 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- In a separate medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt.2 cups all purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon salt
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients just until mixed in. (Care not to over-mix or cookies will be more dense.)
- Divide the dough into two equal halves.
- Using a toothpick, add yellow gel food coloring to one half of the dough and knead until the color is even throughout. Add more if you want more vibrant color. If not using drops of food coloring, start with 3-4 drops and add more as needed to reach desired color.Yellow Gel Food Coloring, Orange Gel Food Coloring
- Then, add orange food coloring to the other half of the dough and mix in.
- Press the yellow dough into the bottom of the prepared pan.
- Then, place a piece of parchment paper on top of the yellow pressed dough. Place the orange dough on the paper and press it out over the yellow layer.
- Lift the dough and paper out of the dish and remove the paper. Then carefully place it back on top of the yellow dough in the dish and gently press it into place.
- Bake for 18-20 minutes (careful not to over-bake)
- Remove from oven Place the dish on a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.
Making the frosting:
- In a mixing bowl, add the softened butter and blend with an electric mixer.½ cup butter
- Add in vanilla extract and continue mixing.½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- Add in milk and half of the powdered sugar and beat until incorporated.3 tablespoons milk, 2 ½ cups powdered sugar
- Then add the powdered sugar and salt, and mix until icing is smooth.½ teaspoon salt
- Spread frosting across cooled cookie bars.
- Top with candy corn and Halloween sprinkles, if desired.½ cup candy corn
- Cut into 9 squares or 16 smaller squares.
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclosure
Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should only be used as an approximation.
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