King Cake Sugar Cookie Bars (Printable)

Colorful sugar cookie bars with vibrant icing and sprinkles, ideal for Mardi Gras and celebrations.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Sugar Cookie Base

01 - 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
02 - 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
03 - 2 large eggs
04 - 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
05 - 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
06 - 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
07 - 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
08 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
09 - 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
10 - Zest of 1 lemon

→ Icing

11 - 2 cups powdered sugar
12 - 2 to 3 tablespoons milk
13 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

→ Decoration

14 - Purple, green, and gold sanding sugar or sprinkles

# How To Make It:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 9x13-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving overhang for easy removal.
02 - In a large bowl, cream together softened butter and sugar until light and fluffy, approximately 2 to 3 minutes.
03 - Beat in eggs one at a time, then add vanilla extract, almond extract, and lemon zest until fully combined.
04 - In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon.
05 - Gradually add dry ingredients to wet ingredients, mixing just until combined. Do not overmix.
06 - Spread dough evenly into prepared baking pan using a spatula.
07 - Bake for 22 to 25 minutes, or until edges are lightly golden and center is set. Avoid overbaking.
08 - Let cookie base cool completely in pan on a wire rack before icing.
09 - Whisk together powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla extract until smooth and pourable consistency is achieved.
10 - Spread icing evenly over cooled cookie base with a spatula.
11 - Immediately sprinkle purple, green, and gold sanding sugar in sections or decorative pattern while icing is still wet.
12 - Allow icing to set for approximately 30 minutes before slicing into 24 bars.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • They're foolproof to make and look incredibly impressive without the fuss of traditional King Cake shaping.
  • The combination of lemon zest and subtle almond notes feels sophisticated while tasting like pure nostalgia.
  • You can prep them days ahead, which means one less thing to stress about when hosting.
  • Everyone at the party automatically gravitates toward the Mardi Gras colors and festive vibe.
02 -
  • Don't skip cooling the base completely—icing on warm bars will melt and slide right off, leaving you with a sticky, drippy mess instead of clean color layers.
  • Sanding sugar only sticks if the icing is still wet, so have your colors ready and work fast once the icing is spread.
  • If your kitchen is warm, refrigerate the icing for 5 minutes after spreading to help it set faster and hold the sanding sugar better.
03 -
  • Zest your lemon with a microplane over a paper towel first—you can measure it accurately and won't lose precious zest oils to your cutting board.
  • If your icing looks too thick after mixing, add milk one teaspoon at a time rather than guessing and ending up with soup.
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