Swig Sugar Cookie Bars Recipe
I’ve never been to “Swig” but I tried this knockoff recipe for their cookies a couple years ago. The cookies are soft and chewy with slightly crispy edges. The flavor is unique and perfect. They quickly became one of my favorite cookies.
When I make them I do a couple slight adjustments to the recipe because I don’t keep cream of tartar around and I use cream cheese instead of sour cream in the frosting. You can see my version of the cookie recipe over on The Mother Huddle.
I love sugar cookies but don’t always love the extra time/love it takes to make them. I decided to make these yummy cookies in bar form and boom baby! So much faster, easier and AWESOME! Best Sugar Cookie Bar’s EVER!!!!
I use one of my favorite tips in this recipe. The dough is a little to thick to spread well and a little too sticky to press down with out a big mess on your hands.
I slip a sandwich baggie over my hand and spray it with cooking spray. I then quickly press the dough down evenly in the pan and viola my hands stay clean.
Also, I like to keep the finished cookie bars refrigerated. They don’t need to be refrigerated I just like to eat them cold. Does that make me weird?
Delicious and pretty…..
…and really quick lets have a chat about how much an off-set spatula can change your life when trying to frost something in a pan. Totally worth the ten bucks.
Bars you must try
- ½ cup softened butter
- ¼ cup + 2 Tbsp Canola or Vegetable oil
- ½ cup + 2 Tbsp granulated sugar
- ¼ cup + 2 Tbsp powdered sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 Tbsp water
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 2¾ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp baking powder
- pinch of baking soda approx 1/16 of a tsp
- a little extra granulated sugar for sprinkling on top of dough before baking (about 1-2 TBSP)
- FROSTING RECIPE:
- ¼ cup softened butter
- 1 ounce softened cream cheese
- 1½ cups powdered sugar
- pinch of salt
- dash of vanilla
- 1-2 tbsp milk or cream
- DIRECTIONS FOR FROSTING: Mix butter, cream cheese, powdered sugar, salt and vanilla with a hand mixer or whisk. Add in the milk or cream until nice and smooth. Frost bars when they are completely cooled.
- DIRECTIONS FOR COOKIE BARS: Preheat oven to 350 degrees
- Grease a 9x13 pan and set aside
- Using your mixer thoroughly cream butter, oil, granulated sugar and powdered sugar until combined
- Add egg, water and vanilla and mix until well combined
- Add flour and sprinkle in salt, baking powder and baking soda, mix for approx 1 minute or until completely combined
- Spread/press cookie mixture evenly into greased 9x13 pan. ( like to use a sandwich baggie on my hand to press it down evenly. Spray baggie with cooking spray if necessary)
- Evenly sprinkle 1 tbsp of sugar over the uncooked bars before placing them in the oven
- Bake at 350 degrees for 14-16 minutes or until edges are just barely turning a light brown. Do not over bake or bars will be dry.
- Let cool completely and frost with frosting recipe before cutting.
To die for desserts
How much milk is needed for the frosting?
Hi Whitney, you need a tablespoon or two of milk for the frosting….just add it a little at a time until it is the consistency you prefer.
These bars look DELICIOUS, and I want to make them, but you did not specify the quantity of granulated sugar. How much do you use?
Never mind. Not sure what I was looking at, but I see it now.
Hi Shelly, The recipe calls for 1/2 cup plus 2 tbsp of granulated sugar and then you need an additional tablespoon or two for sprinkling over the dough right before baking. I hope you love the bars, thanks for coming to my site.
Maria
How much granulated sugar do you put in these?
Hi Shami, The recipe calls for 1/2 cup plus 2 tbsp of granulated sugar for the cookie bar dough and then an additional tablespoon or two for sprinkling over the dough right before baking.
Howdy! They look good. I’m curious though, do the cookies come out crunchy or soft?
The edges are just a titch crunchy and the rest of the cookie is soft and amazing.
These look so fantastic!!
I’m a big fan of any and all bar cookies. Delicious!
Oooh, these look perfect!
I hate making traditional sugar cookies because they’re so labor intensive and, let’s face it, I have no patience for the mess they create. This looks like the perfect compromise!
No, you’re not weird at all! I keep certain cookie bars in the fridge because I just like them better cold. Also great tip about the sandwich bag!
These bars look fantastic! And thanks for sharing your favorite tip. Would also love to try that. 🙂
Oh boy. I wish I could have a couple of pieces. Looks scrumptious!
Made this recipe tonight and used a mocha frosting instead. Delicious!!! Thanks for the recipe!
Awesome! Glad you liked them!
Hi these are so good! My co worker made them and told me where I could find the recipe! Quick question, I know they are for bars but I was hoping to make them into more of a cookie form for Christmas cookies. Is the time and oven temp going to be the same?
Hi, I actually make these as cookies all the time. I just do circles though, I have never tried cutting them into shapes because I don’t think the dough will roll very well. I just make ball, dip the bottom of a glass in sugar and use it to flatten the dough ball into a circle. The cooking time does change, they bake at 350 for 8 minutes.
Your photos look great, but do these cut easily? I’m considering making for gifts but I want them to look good for a cookie tray!
Yes, once the frosting is set, they cut very well. They are so good, people will love you for adding these to your cookie tray. 🙂
Have you ever added a little almond extract to the recipe? I always find it makes sugar cookies so good! Can’t wait to make this!!!
Not in this recipe I haven’t but I often do in my other favorite sugar cookie recipe, or I put it in the frosting. YUM!
I love almond in sugar cookies as well. Do you add it in addition to the vanilla or in place of?
I just do it in place off, but it wouldn’t hurt to have both of those together.
Does the frosting really only have 1 oz cream cheese???
yes, it gives it just a tiny little zip. 🙂
These turned out great! I was able to make them for my friend’s baby shower. Thanks for sharing!
Glad to hear it Kristie! Now I wish I had one. 🙂
The link to the sugar cookie recipe on Mother Huddle seems to be broken. Is it pretty much the same?
Yes, it is. Just form dough into balls, dip a glass cup in granulated sugar and press dough ball into a flat cookie shape. bake 9-10 minutes on 350
Have I told you how much I love these??? Thanks for sharing! They are always a big hit. I made sure to share the link for them in my latest blog post. I made them at my friend’s shower and I had request for the recipe.
Awesome! Glad you like them, they are such a fun and easy recipe. Your blog is super cute. Loved all the sprinkle ideas!
These are great! I made them today and they are delicious! Thank you for a great recipe. So much easier than individual cookies…I’m a bar cookie fiend!
Yay! So glad you liked them. I am all for anything easy and delicious! Cookie bars for the win!
Hi I just barely made these bars for a family party! Everyone is going to love them! How do you store them? In the fridge or in the pantry? I don’t want them to dry out at all! Thanks for the awesome recipe they look so good! I love Swig so these are probably really good!
Hi Halle, I am sorry I didn’t see this comment earlier. I usually keep them in the fridge, just because I like how they taste cold. As long as you keep them in an air tight container or covered tightly they should be fine.
Do you think I could double this recipe and use a jelly roll pan?diane
Yes, I have done that and it works great. It may need a couple extra minutes to bake. Check it with a toothpick in the center.
I’ve made these for my Christmas goodie plate the last couple of years. They’re always a hit and always turn out great. Thanks for sharing the recipe!
I love hearing this Katie, you are so welcome!
These are so amazing, family of 4 polished them off in 4 days :). The icing was really good too and icing is not my forte. Will definitely be making these again #febgiveaway
I many *2 days** whoops!
This seriously makes me so happy! So glad everyone loved them! They don’t last long at our house either.
These look so so delicious!!! I can’t wait to make them. 😋
Thanks LaRaine, I hope you love them! One of our favorites for sure!
I’m drooling over here! I love Swig cookies, so I’m totally making these soon!!
Love hearing that Kim! These are definitely a family favorite at our house!