These Orange Creamsicle Bars have a soft sugar cookie base topped with a homemade creamsicle frosting. They're the perfect summer dessert to serve at BBQs, potlucks, bake sales, and more.
If you love the combo of orange and vanilla flavors, you're going to want to try these Homemade Orange Rolls, and Orange Dreamsicle Cookies. Oh my, these dessert recipes are incredible and loaded with the creamsicle flavors you love.
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Orange Creamsicle Bars
If you've jumped on the bandwagon of the Orange Creamsicle flavor craze, these cookie bars will be right up your alley. Their flavor is based on the orange sherbet and vanilla ice cream creamsicle (or sometimes called dreamsicle) popsicles. This cookie bar version is a beautiful blend of vanilla and orange creamy frosting on top of soft and chewy orange sugar cookies.
These are super quick and easy to make for a crowd since you don't need to bake and frost individual cookies. The frosting recipe can also be easily adapted to just about any flavor you can imagine by substituting orange extract and vanilla extract with another flavor.
If you're looking for more cookie bar recipes, be sure to try our Smores Cookie Bars, Orange Cookie Bars, Raspberry Cookie Bars, Coconut Magic Bars, and Lemon Cookie Bars.
Key Ingredients
- Flour - all-purpose flour works great for these cookie bars.
- Baking Soda - this helps to keep the dough nice and soft and allows the cookies to rise slightly in the oven.
- Butter - your butter should be softened to room temperature before making the dough. If you forget to pull it out ahead of time, microwave gently for about 10 seconds at a time just until soft.
- Vanilla Extract - pure vanilla extract has the best flavor. Feel free to add a touch of orange extract or even orange zest to the dough, too.
- Eggs - it helps to have your eggs at room temperature so that they don't shock the butter when added to the dough. You can run them until warm water if needed.
Creamsicle Frosting
- Butter - you can use either salted or unsalted butter, depending on the flavor profile you like. Either way, your butter needs to be soft. You can pull it out at room temperature or warm slowly in the microwave for about 10 seconds at a time just until soft.
- Powdered Sugar - it helps to add this in a few batches rather than all at once.
- Fresh Oranges - you will need both the juice and zest from a fresh orange. You may need to add slightly more orange juice depending on the consistency of the frosting that you are going for. Feel free to choose different varieties of oranges, too, such as blood oranges or Cara Cara oranges.
- Vanilla Extract - pure vanilla extract has the best flavor.
- Orange Extract - adding this isn't completely necessary because you are already adding fresh orange juice and zest. But, it does enhance the orange flavor quite a bit. There is a lot of butter that the orange flavor needs to get through!
How To Make Orange Creamsicle Bars
- Combine the dry ingredients. In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, and salt and set aside.
- Mix the rest of the sugar cookie dough. In the bowl of a stand mixer, add the room temperature butter, sugar, and vanilla extract. Beat until light and fluffy , then slowly add the eggs. Beat on low until well combined, then add the dry ingredients and mix on low speed until combined. Don't overmix.
- Press dough into a baking sheet. Lightly spray a 12" x 17" baking sheet with nonstick spray (or line with parchment paper). Press the cookie dough into the bottom of the pan as evenly as possible.
- Bake. Bake in a 325 degree preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, or until just barely golden brown on the edges. Remove from the oven and allow to cool.
- Make the frosting. Beat the butter until light and fluffy, then add the powdered sugar and combine. Add the orange juice, orange zest, orange extract, and vanilla extract and beat until light and fluffy.
- Assemble the cookie bars. Spread the orange buttercream frosting evenly over the cooled cookie bars. Top with sprinkles if desired. Cut into bars or squares before serving. Enjoy!
Frequently Asked Questions
Because these cookie bars have a buttercream frosting, they should be stored in the fridge. They can sit out, however, for quite some time before needing to be refrigerated so they are perfect for serving at parties.
Yes! In fact, they actually taste amazing frozen. Store in an airtight container or freezer bag for up to 1 month in the freezer if they are frosted, or 2 months if they are not frosted.
Yup! If you would rather bake these as individual cookies, just roll into 1" balls and place about 1-2 inches apart on a baking sheet. Bake as directed in this recipe, adding 2-3 minutes to the baking time if necessary.
Storing Instructions
- Refrigerator- store either covered or inside an airtight container for up to 4 days in the fridge.
- Freezer- If you haven’t tried this method, you’re missing out. Cookie bars freeze really well and are so fun to grab out of the freezer and enjoy. Let them thaw for a few minutes and you’ll have an extra chewy cookie bar to enjoy. Cookies can remain in the freezer, in an airtight container or freezer bag for up to 3 months.
- Thaw- If you want to make them ahead of time, you can bake them in the cookie sheet, cover in a double layer of plastic wrap, and then pull them out of the freezer a couple of hours before you need them. If you're using frosting, it's best to frost the cookie bars when they are frozen, after you pull them out of the freezer.
Orange Creamsicle Cookie Bars Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 ¼ cups All-Purpose Flour
- 1 teaspoon Baking Soda
- 1 tsp Salt
- 1 cup Butter room temperature
- 1½ cups Sugar
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- 2 large Eggs room temperature
Orange Creamsicle Buttercream
- 3 cups Powdered Sugar
- ½ cup Butter room temperature
- ½ teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- ½ tsp Orange Extract
- 1 Orange zested
- 2½ Tablespoons Orange Juice fresh
Instructions
How to Make Sugar Cookie Bars
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
- In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, and salt and set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, add the room temperature butter, sugar, and vanilla extract. Beat using the paddle attachment until light and fluffy - about 3 minutes. Slowly add the eggs, then beat on low until well combined, scraping down the sides as needed.
- Lightly spray a 12" x 17" baking sheet with nonstick spray (or line with parchment paper). Press the cookie dough into the bottom of the pan as evenly as possible.
- Bake in a preheated oven for 20-25 minutes ,or until just barely golden brown on the edges. Remove from the oven and allow to cool.
How To Make Orange Creamsicle Buttercream
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, add the butter and beat using the paddle attachment until light and fluffy. Add in the powdered sugar and mix on low speed at first, then increase to medium until well combined.
- Turn the mixer off and add the orange juice, orange zest, orange extract, and vanilla extract. Mix for another minute or so until light and fluffy again. Note: If your frosting is a little too dense, add a teaspoon of orange juice. If your frosting is too runny, add another half cup of powdered sugar.
How to Assemble Orange Cookie Bars
- Spread the dreamsicle frosting evenly over the cooled cookie bars. Top with sprinkles if desired. Cut into bars or squares before serving. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
More of the Best Cookie Bar Recipes
- Caramel Peanut Butter Cookie Bars
- Coconut Cookie Bars
- Coconut Lime Sugar Cookie Bars
- Gingerbread Cookie Bars
- Lemon Sugar Cookie Bars
- Candy Cookie Bars
- Peanut Butter Cereal Bars
- More Cookie Bar Recipes
- More Cookie Recipes
More Orange Creamsicle Recipes
- Orange Dreamsicle Cookies
- Orange Creamsicle Cheesecake
- Homemade Sweet Orange Rolls
- Orange Sugar Cookies Bars
This Orange Dreamsicle Bar Cookie recipe is a soft sugar cookie bar with a homemade dreamcicle frosting. It's made with a chewy sugar cookie bars recipe and delicious orange creamsicle frosting. This dessert recipe is perfect for a BBQ, potluck or a bake sale.
Meg P
Nice for a different choice at the bake sale.
Jill Baird
Yes, they'd work great for a bake sale. They can be made a day ahead and they're adorable with sprinkles!