Confetti Cookie Bars are my go-to when I want a soft and chewy cookie in bar form with plenty of vanilla flavor and a little almond in the background (if you’re into that).
The texture is what makes them worth baking: tender in the middle, lightly crisp at the edges, and thick enough to hold together when you slice. The sprinkles give that classic birthday cake look, and the dough bakes up like a good sugar cookie, not a cake.
I like these for cookie trays, bake sales, and any time you need a 9×13 dessert that’s easy to portion. They’re also great when you want a sweet that looks festive without having to frost anything.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Soft and Chewy: These bake up thick and tender, with that classic sugar-cookie chew that stays nice for days.
Simple Pan Dessert: One 9×13 pan means no scooping cookie dough and no multiple baking rounds.
Sprinkle-Friendly: The rainbow sprinkles make them look bright and party-ready with almost no effort.
Vanilla Forward: Big vanilla flavor, and the optional almond extract gives a little bakery-style hint if you want it.
Easy to Customize: Add white chocolate chips, skip them, or swap flour options to fit what you have on hand.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Dry
- All-purpose flour: I use regular flour here. Spoon and level it if you tend to pack your measuring cup, since too much flour can make the bars dry.
- Baking powder: Helps the bars lift a little so they don’t bake up dense.
- Baking soda: This is what gives you that classic chewy cookie texture and helps the edges brown.
- Fine salt: Don’t skip it. It keeps the sweetness from tasting flat.
Wet
- Unsalted butter: Softened butter creams better and gives the bars a richer, more cookie-like bite than oil.
- Granulated sugar: This keeps the bars crisp at the edges and gives that familiar sugar-cookie flavor.
- Light brown sugar: This is where a lot of the chew comes from. Dark brown sugar works too if that’s what you have.
- Eggs: Room temp is helpful so the batter blends smoothly. If you forget, just set the eggs in warm water for a few minutes.
- Vanilla extract: Use real vanilla if you can. It’s the main flavor here.
- Almond extract (optional): A tiny bit goes a long way. I like it for that funfetti-style flavor, but it’s totally optional.
Mix-ins
- Rainbow sprinkles: I strongly prefer rainbow jimmies here because they hold their color better. Nonpareils tend to bleed and can streak the dough.
- White chocolate chips (optional): These make the bars a little sweeter and creamier. If you like a cleaner vanilla sprinkle bar, feel free to leave them out.
Recipe Instructions
- Preheat the oven: Heat the oven to 350°F. Line a 9×13-inch baking pan with parchment paper and lightly grease it.
- Mix the dry ingredients: Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a medium bowl, then set aside.
- Cream the butter and sugar: In a large bowl, beat the softened butter with the granulated sugar and brown sugar until fluffy and well blended.
- Add the eggs: Beat in the eggs one at a time until combined.
- Add the extracts: Mix in the vanilla extract and the almond extract, if using.
- Add the dry ingredients: Mix in the dry ingredients just until you no longer see dry flour. Don’t overmix.
- Fold in the mix-ins: Fold in the rainbow sprinkles and white chocolate chips, if using, until evenly mixed through.
- Press into the pan: Press the dough evenly into the prepared pan. Sprinkle the remaining sprinkles over the top.
- Bake: Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the edges are set and lightly golden and the center is just set.
- Cool and slice: Cool completely in the pan, then lift out using the parchment and slice into bars.
Some of my tips!
This is the part that really makes a difference. If you only read one section, make it this one because this is where I share the little trick that helps the recipe turn out so well.
Recipe Tips & Tricks
Use rainbow jimmies. They hold their color better than nonpareils, which can bleed into the dough and make the bars look a little muddy.
Don’t overmix after adding flour. Mix just until the flour disappears. Overmixing makes the bars tougher and less chewy.
Slightly underbake them. Pull the pan when the edges look set and lightly golden and the center is just set. They finish cooking as they cool.
Chill the dough if it feels sticky. If your butter was very soft or your kitchen is warm, chill the dough for about 20 minutes. It’s easier to press into the pan that way.
Flour swaps are flexible. You can swap up to half the flour with white whole wheat flour, and a 1-to-1 gluten-free baking blend also works if you need it.
Make some touches!
There are plenty of easy ways to serve this depending on the occasion. Keep it simple, or add a few small touches to make it feel a little more special.
Serving Suggestions
- Milk: A cold glass of milk is classic with sprinkle cookie bars. I like this best when the bars are at room temp.
- Coffee or espresso: These are really good with coffee, especially if you used the optional almond extract. A latte is nice here too.
- Ice cream: Serve a bar with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and a few extra sprinkles on top. It’s simple and looks cute on a plate.
- Fruit: Fresh berries are a nice side if you want something lighter with them. Strawberries and raspberries both work well.
Save it for later
This section covers how to store leftovers and what parts of the recipe you can prepare ahead of time.
Storage and Make Ahead
Store the bars covered at room temperature for 2 to 3 days. I usually keep them in the pan with foil over the top, or in an airtight container once sliced.
If your kitchen is warm, you can store them covered in the fridge so the white chocolate (if you used it) stays firm. Let a bar sit out for a few minutes before eating if you want it softer.
You can also make the dough ahead and refrigerate it for up to 24 hours. Let it sit at room temperature a bit so it’s easy to press into the pan, then bake as directed.
If you want them to last longer, freeze individual portions in an airtight container. Thaw at room temperature for about an hour, or in the fridge overnight.
A few quick answers
This section covers a few extra details that may help before you head to the recipe card.
Recipe FAQs
What kind of sprinkles work best for confetti cookie bars?
Rainbow jimmies are the best choice. They hold their shape and color better in the dough, while tiny nonpareils tend to bleed and can tint the batter.
How do I know when these are done baking?
Look for edges that are set and lightly golden, and a center that’s just set (not wet or jiggly). If you wait until the center looks fully firm, the bars usually end up drier.
Can I skip the almond extract?
Yes. It’s optional and the bars still taste great with just vanilla. If you do use it, keep it small, because almond extract can take over quickly.
Can I make these gluten-free?
You can use a 1-to-1 gluten-free baking blend in place of the flour. I’d still avoid overmixing, and keep an eye on bake time since some blends brown a little differently.
Why did my bars turn out cakey instead of chewy?
The most common reasons are too much flour (especially if it was packed into the measuring cup) or overbaking. Also make sure you’re creaming the butter and sugars well, since that helps the texture come out more cookie-like.
You might also like
Before you go, take a look at a few other recipes below the recipe card. They use similar ingredients in a different way and are worth saving too.
MORE DINNER RECIPES TO TRY
Confetti Cookie Bars
INGREDIENTS
Dry
- 2 1 4 cups all purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 2 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp fine salt.
Wet
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened
- 3 4 cup granulated sugar
- 3 4 cup light brown sugar packed
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 4 tsp almond extract optional.
Mix ins
- 3 4 cup rainbow sprinkles plus 2 tbsp for topping
- 1 cup white chocolate chips optional.
INSTRUCTIONS
Prep
- Heat oven to 350 F
- line a 9 x 13 inch baking pan with parchment and lightly grease.
Batter
- Whisk flour
- baking powder
- baking soda
- and salt
- beat butter with granulated sugar and brown sugar until fluffy
- beat in eggs then vanilla and optional almond extract
- mix in dry ingredients just until combined
- fold in sprinkles and optional white chocolate chips.
Bake and cool
- Press dough evenly into pan and sprinkle remaining sprinkles on top
- bake until edges are set and lightly golden and center is just set 20 to 25 minutes
- cool completely in pan then lift out and slice into bars.
