This post may contain affiliate links.
These Easter Cookie Bars take a soft, confetti sprinkled sugar cookie base and top it with a fluffy coconut frosting, dyed green coconut grass, Peeps, and jelly beans for the cutest *springtime* dessert on the table. They bake up in one pan, so there is no scooping and baking individual cookies one batch at a time. If you love a fun Easter treat, our easy Easter bunny cookies are just as festive and fun to make with kids.
A soft confetti sugar cookie bar topped with fluffy coconut frosting, green coconut grass, Peeps, and jelly beans.
Easter Cookie Bars Quick Look
- 🕒 Prep Time: 15 minutes
- 🌡️ Cook Time: 25 minutes
- ⏳ Total Time: 40 minutes
- 🍽️ Serving: 12 servings
- ⚡ Calories: 670kcal
- 🌶️ Flavor Profile: Sweet and buttery with a rich coconut frosting
- ✋ Difficulty: Easy, similar effort to our lemon blueberry poke cake
Quick Answer
Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl and set aside. Cream softened butter and granulated sugar for 3 minutes until light and fluffy, then add the eggs one at a time along with the vanilla and almond extracts. Mix in the dry ingredients a little at a time until just combined, then stir in the confetti sprinkles. Press the batter into a parchment lined 9×13 pan and bake at 375 degrees for 20 to 24 minutes, then cool completely. Make the coconut frosting by whipping butter smooth, then beating in powdered sugar, cream of coconut, vanilla, coconut extract, and salt until fluffy. Spread the frosting over the cooled bars, sprinkle with green dyed coconut, then top with Peeps and jelly beans before serving.
Jump to:
Why This Recipe Works
Click to see the technique science
- Baking in one pan means no individual scooping. Pressing the dough into a 9×13 pan instead of scooping individual cookies saves time and gives every bar the same soft texture.
- Toasting the flour is skipped since the dough is fully baked. Unlike edible cookie dough, this recipe bakes the full pan, so the eggs and flour cook through completely for a safe, finished bar.
- Creaming the butter and sugar for a full 3 minutes builds structure. A full 3 minutes of creaming incorporates air into the batter, giving these bars a soft, tender crumb.
- Cream of coconut gives the frosting real coconut flavor. Using cream of coconut instead of coconut milk or extract alone gives the frosting a rich, authentic coconut taste and thick texture.
- Dyeing the coconut in a bag keeps cleanup easy. Tossing shredded coconut with green food coloring in a zip-top bag colors it evenly without dying your hands or countertop.
- Cooling completely before frosting prevents melting. The cookie bars must be fully cooled before frosting or the coconut frosting will melt right off the warm base.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- They turn a classic sugar cookie into a fun, shareable Easter dessert bar.
- The green coconut grass and Peeps make them an adorable centerpiece for any Easter table.
- They are just as festive as our Easter sugar cookies but come together in one pan.
Key Ingredients
A soft confetti sugar cookie base and a rich coconut frosting come together with a few fun Easter decorations.
- All-purpose flour, baking powder, and baking soda: The base of a soft, tender cookie bar.
- Unsalted butter and granulated sugar: Creamed together for a rich, buttery cookie bar base.
- Confetti sprinkles: Folded into the batter for a fun, colorful cookie bar.
- Cream of coconut: Whipped into the frosting for rich, authentic coconut flavor.
- Sweetened coconut flakes: Dyed green and used as edible “grass” on top of the bars.
See recipe card for exact quantities.
Variations and Substitutions
These Easter Cookie Bars are easy to customize with whatever Easter candy you have on hand.
- Swap Peeps for chocolate eggs or malted milk eggs for a different topping.
- Skip the coconut grass and top with pastel M&Ms instead, similar to our Easter bunny cookies.
- Use a different pastel food coloring for the coconut to match your Easter table colors.
- Cut the bars smaller for a fun dessert platter alongside our Amish s’mores whoopie pies.
How to Make Easter Cookie Bars
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and line a 9×13 baking dish with parchment paper. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl and set aside.
- Cream together the softened butter and sugar for 3 minutes until light and fluffy.
- Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition, then add the vanilla and almond extracts and mix until combined.
- Add the dry ingredients a little at a time to the butter mixture and mix until just combined, being careful not to overmix.
- Add the colorful confetti sprinkles and stir until just incorporated.
- Press the cookie batter into the bottom of the prepared baking dish in an even layer.
- Bake for 20 to 24 minutes until lightly golden along the edges. Let cool completely on a wire rack before frosting.
- While the bars cool, whip the butter for the frosting until completely smooth, then add the powdered sugar a little at a time.
- Add the cream of coconut, vanilla, coconut extract, and salt, then whip on medium-high speed for 3 minutes until fluffy.
- Spread the coconut frosting over the cooled bars, then cut into squares.
- Toss the coconut flakes with green food coloring in a zip top bag until evenly dyed.
- Sprinkle the dyed coconut over the frosted bars, then top with Easter Peeps and jelly beans before serving.
Recipe Tips & Tricks
- Let the bars cool completely before frosting or the coconut frosting will melt right off.
- Do not overmix the cookie batter once the flour is added, or the bars will turn out tough.
- Use a zip top bag to dye the coconut for the easiest, least messy way to get evenly colored coconut grass.
- Add food coloring a little at a time to the coconut until you reach your desired shade of green.
- Cut the bars before adding the coconut and toppings for the cleanest presentation.
- Store leftovers covered in the fridge for up to 4 days since the frosting contains butter and cream of coconut.
Serving Ideas and Suggestions
These Easter Cookie Bars are perfect for a spring dessert table alongside a cold glass of milk.
Serve them at an Easter brunch or egg hunt party next to our lemon blueberry poke cake for a colorful dessert spread.
Let kids help decorate their own bars with Peeps and jelly beans for a fun activity.
Pack individual bars in treat bags for a cute homemade Easter gift.
Serve chilled for a firmer frosting, or at room temperature for the softest bite.
Easter Cookie Bars FAQs
Yes, bake and frost the bars up to a day ahead, then add the coconut grass and toppings closer to serving time for the freshest look.
Cream of coconut gives the best rich coconut flavor and thick texture, but coconut milk can be used in a pinch, though the frosting will be softer.
Yes, the almond extract is optional and can be left out or replaced with extra vanilla extract.
You can toss the coconut with food coloring in a bowl using a spoon, though a bag makes it easier to coat evenly without staining your hands.
Freeze the un-frosted bars for up to 2 months, then thaw, frost, and decorate once ready to serve.
Store frosted bars covered in the fridge for up to 4 days for the best texture and flavor.
Tried these Easter Cookie Bars? I would love to hear how they turned out, leave a comment and a star rating below!
Make them for spring with our Easter cookie bars, the same base dressed up for the holiday.
Keep the candy theme rolling with my fudgy chocolate m&m cookies.
If you bake bars for every occasion like I do, my lemon poppyseed bars belong next to these festive Easter cookie bars.
Easter Cookie Bars
Ingredients
For the cookie bars
- 3 & 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon table salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened
- 1 & 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon almond extract optional
- 1/4 cup confetti sprinkles
For the coconut frosting
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter softened
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 1/4 cup cream of coconut
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon coconut extract
- pinch table salt
For assembly
- 1 & 1/2 cups sweetened coconut flakes
- green food coloring
- Easter peeps or easter candy
- Jelly beans
Instructions
For the cookie bars
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Prepare a 9×13 baking dish by lining it with parchment paper and spraying it with nonstick cooking spray. Set it aside until ready to bake the easter cookie bars.
- For the flour mixture, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl and set aside.
- In the body of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment (or with a hand mixer and a large mixing bowl ), cream together the room temperature butter and sugar for 3 minutes until it appears light and fluffy.
- Add the eggs to the bowl one at a time, making sure it is mixed in well until fully incorporated. Add in the vanilla and almond extracts (if using), and mix until combined.
- Add the dry ingredients mixture a little at a time to the butter mixture and mix in until just combined, with no dry patches, try not to overmix. Scrape down the sides as needed.
- Add the colorful confetti sprinkles and stir until just incorporated, do not overmix.
- Press the cookie batter into the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Smooth it out so it is an even layer.
- Bake the cookie bars in the preheated oven for 20-24 minutes until lightly golden brown along the edges and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out mostly clean. Let cool completely on a wire rack. It needs to be completely cool before adding the frosting or it will melt off.
For the coconut frosting
- While the cookie bar cools, make the coconut frosting. Place the unsalted butter in the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment (or in a large mixing bowl with a hand mixer0 and whip the butter until completely smooth.
- Add the powdered sugar a little at a time and mix until combined. If you add it all in at once, it may spill out of the bowl. The mixture will be thick.
- Add in the cream of coconut, vanilla, coconut extract, and salt. Stir in until combined. Scrape the sides as needed.
- Whip the frosting on medium-high speed for 3 minutes until fluffy.
For assembly
- Take the cookie bars out of the baking dish, you can use the parchment paper to help. Spread the coconut frosting in an even layer on top of the bars.
- Add the coconut flakes and a couple of drops of green food coloring in a gallon-sized zip-topped bag. Close the bag and toss it around until the coconut is dyed green, keep adding more food coloring a little at a time if needed until you reach the desired shade.
- It is easier to serve if you cut the Easter bars first with a sharp knife and then sprinkle the dyed coconut on top.
- Add an Easter peep to each slice and jelly beans, and serve immediately.
Notes
- Tons of custom options, see my tips above on that.
- Great for a make-ahead dessert.
- This freezes well, see my tips above on how to store.
- Use our coconut frosting recipe, or add your favorite!
- If you don’t like peeps, you can use small chocolate bunnies instead.
- Amazing interactive recipe to get kids involved.
Nutrition
Love This Recipe?
Follow @ThisSillyGirlsKitchen on Instagram and @danadevolk on Pinterest for more!
