This sprinkle cookie bars recipe is made with Greek yogurt in the cookie bar dough and in the frosting, and is the perfect sweet treat to make for new neighbors, family and friends. They taste like the birthday cake cookie bars of your dreams and have the perfect soft crumb texture!


What ingredients do I need to make sprinkle cookie bars?
- All-purpose flour – I use all-purpose flour for this. You could use whole wheat flour instead (if using whole wheat flour, it will be a little denser so I’d recommend adding another egg.) You could make these sprinkle cookie bars gluten-free cookie bars by using this Bob’s Red Mill 1-to-1 gluten free baking flour. It’s the one I’ve had the best results with.
- Cornstarch – When used in baked goods, cornstarch adds a wonderful crumb texture and makes them chewy,
- Baking powder & baking soda – must-have leavening for baking recipes.
- Fine sea salt – used in the cookies and the frosting. It doesn’t have to be fancy – this one works great!
- Unsalted butter – keep the butter at cool room temperature. You’ll need some for the cookies and the frosting
- Granulated sugar – used for sweetness in this recipe.
- 2 large eggs – use one whole egg and one yolk only, at cool room temperature
- Vanilla extract – vanilla is used in the cookies and frosting. I use a good quality one like this!
- Rainbow sprinkles – for all the fun in this recipe! Use some to mix in and also some for sprinkling on top of the frosting. You could use natural sprinkles like this.
- Powdered sugar – powdered sugar is what gives the frosting the light and airy fluffy quality.
- Greek yogurt – Used in the cookies and frosting. For the cookies, feel free to use cream cheese in the cookie bar dough and substitute heavy cream in the frosting in place of Greek yogurt if you’d prefer. Greek yogurt in these cookie bars gives a soft crumb texture.
- Almond extract – optional, but a delicious addition. This is always my favorite brand to use when it comes to extracts. The addition of almond extract in the buttercream gives it a more classic confetti cake flavor.

How do I make birthday cake sprinkle cookie bars?
Preheat the oven to 350. Line an 8-inch square baking pan with parchment or foil, leaving an overhang on all sides. Spray with nonstick cooking spray.
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
In a large bowl, use an electric mixer on medium-high speed to beat the butter, Greek yogurt (or cream cheese) and sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla and beat until well-combined. Slowly beat in the flour mixture. Stir in the sprinkles with a rubber spatula until just combined.
Press the dough into the prepared pan.
Bake for 25 minutes, or until lightly golden brown on top. Place the pan on a wire rack and let cool completely.

How do I make the frosting for these confetti cookie bars?
In a large bowl, use an electric mixer on medium-high speed to beat the butter until creamy, about 2 minutes. With the mixer on low speed, add the powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons of cream (or Greek Yogurt), vanilla extract, almond extract and salt. Increase speed to high and beat for 3 minutes, or until light and fluffy. Add more Greek Yogurt (or cream) to thin the frosting or more powdered sugar to thicken it to your desired consistency.
Remove the bars from the pan using the parchment overhang. Frost with a thick layer of frosting. Garnish with sprinkles before cutting into squares. Serve and enjoy!

What is the best way to store cookie bars?
- Serve same day, or store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
- These sprinkle cookie bars also freeze very well, make them, freeze them (without the frosting) and then when ready to enjoy let them come to room temperature (by removing them from the freezer and letting them sit on the counter for half an hr) and make the frosting, frost and enjoy!

Sprinkle Cookie Bars Recipe
Ingredients
For the Bars
- 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 tsp cornstarch
- 3/4 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp fine sea salt
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter at room temperature (1 stick)
- 2 ounces Greek Yogurt at room temperature (a little less than a 1/4 cup)
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 egg large
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup rainbow sprinkles plus more for garnish
For the Frosting
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter at room temperature (1 stick)
- 1 1/4 cups powdered sugar sifted
- 2-4 Tbs Greek yogurt
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp almond extract optional
- 1/8 tsp fine sea salt
Instructions
To Make the Cookie Bars
- Preheat the oven to 350. Line a 9-inch square baking pan with parchment or foil, leaving an overhang on all sides. Spray with nonstick cooking spray.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
- In a large bowl, use an electric mixer on medium-high speed to beat the butter, Greek yogurt (or cream cheese) and sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla and beat until well-combined. Slowly beat in the flour mixture. Stir in the sprinkles with a rubber spatula until just combined.
- Press the dough into the prepared pan.
- Bake for 25 minutes, or until lightly golden brown on top. Place the pan on a wire rack and let cool completely.
To Make the Frosting
- In a large bowl, use an electric mixer on medium-high speed to beat the butter until creamy, about 2 minutes. With the mixer on low speed, add the powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons of Greek yogurt (or heavy cream), vanilla extract, almond extract and salt. Increase speed to high and beat for 3 minutes, or until light and fluffy. Add more Greek yogurt (or heavy cream) to thin the frosting or more powdered sugar to thicken it to your desired consistency.
- Remove the bars from the pan using the parchment overhang. Frost with a thick layer of frosting. Garnish with sprinkles before cutting into larger (3 rows of 3=9 bars) or smaller (4 rows of 4=16) bars. Serve same day, or store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Aysel says
Looks like such a fun recipe! Can’t wait to try it when I have a chance to buy some sprinkles (we always seem to be out of them, LOL).
Sweetphi says
I think you’d love these, they’re so fun and delicious!
Amy Van Ells says
I made a version of these and we frosted them after we cut them and they turned out great!!!!! We used a piping tip and they were super fun
Sweetphi says
Oh fun – I love that you used a piping tip for the frosting part!!
Cheri Scott says
These are so so good. Made them and used all natural sprinkles and now the family calls them the fancy cookies. They loved them! Between freezer chocolate chip cookies and these sugar cookies you made me look like a real baker!
Sweetphi says
Cheri that is so cute they call them ‘fancy cookies’, I love that!!! Thank you for making my recipes and leaving such great comments.
Kim says
I made these we loved them. I folded the sprinkles into the frosting just for less mess and I don’t have any kids that need to do the sprinkles, just me the big kid:)
Sweetphi says
Oooooh I love that you folded the sprinkles into the frosting, what a great tip/idea (also..why didn’t I think of that when making them with a very messy toddler lol!!) Thank you so much for commenting 🙂
Inger @ Art of Natural Living says
I love sprinkles more now than when I was a kid! 🙂
Sweetphi says
That’s so spot on Inger – I do too! My older son is particularly in love with them, and sprinkle recipes always make me so happy because they’re so colorful!