Frosted Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars (Vegan + Gluten-Free)
These are THE BEST chocolate chip cookie bars that you’ll never know are gluten-free and vegan! This Frosted Chocolate Chip Cookie Bar bar recipe is easy to make and results in a gooey, chewy inside perfectly frosted with vegan buttercream frosting and sprinkled with your favorite sprinkles, perfect for birthday parties, Christmas, baby showers, and more!
Anyone else getting major Whoville vibes from these cookie bars? Like the Grinch meets Cindy Lou Who and they became best friends and created the BEST dessert creation ever?! LOL Let me tell you briefly how these Grinch Who Stole Christmas bars came about.
My son’s 6th birthday party was last weekend… it was the first kid birthday party where he invited friends from school. His birthday is on Christmas Eve, but unfortunately everyone is busy then, so we celebrated a little early. He is OBSESSED with frogs, so that made it easy for me to make a frog themed birthday. We had green frog juice (apple juice and a little food coloring) and chocolate cupcakes frosted with green (frog) buttercream frosting. I, of course, made too much frosting- I mean, you never want to run out of frosting when making cupcakes, right?! And I really dislike food waste, because 1- it’s expensive! and 2- I just don’t like to throw away food! haha SO, I started brainstorming on what to make with the leftover frosting. I thought about cupcakes, or cake, or sugar cookies… but I haven’t actually made cookie bars yet for the blog, so ding ding ding! That was the winner. And the frosting happened to be green already, so it was perfect for Christmas.
The Cookie Bars
For the cookie bars, you’ll need vegan butter, light brown sugar, granulated sugar, peanut butter, pure vanilla extract, gluten-free baking flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, plant milk, and dark chocolate chips. I adapted the recipe from Joy Food Sunshine to be gluten-free and vegan.
All you have to do is simply beat together the vegan butter and sugars, then add the peanut butter, which takes place of an egg you might normally use in cookie bars, and the pure vanilla extract. In a separate bowl, whisk together the gluten-free baking flour, baking soda and powder, and salt. Add the flour mixture to the bowl and beat on low until crumbs form, then add one tablespoon of plant milk and the cookie dough will come together nicely. Turn the beater off and then stir in the chocolate chips. Press the cookie dough evenly into an 8×8 parchment-lined baking pan and bake for 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and let the cookie bars cool completely before frosting.
NOTE: These cookies use light brown sugar and granulated sugar to help them rise, so they are pretty sweet. You can absolutely cut down on the sugar if you want or choose not to frost them.
The Vegan Buttercream Frosting
This vegan buttercream frosting is my go-to frosting. I adapted my Simple Buttercream Frosting from my book The Beginner’s Guide to Gluten-Free Vegan Baking and it’s so easy to whip up and it’s so freaking delicious! All you need is vegan butter (I like to use Miyoko’s stick butter), pure vanilla extract, powdered sugar, a pinch of cinnamon and plant milk to thin if desired. This frosting is fluffy and creamy and light.
In a stand mixer (alternatively you can do this with a hand blender or mixer), cream the butter, vanilla, and cinnamon on medium speed until creamy, then slowly add the powdered sugar and keep blending until it thickens and looks like frosting. You’ll then add plant milk 1 teaspoon at a time until you achieve the desired thickness.
The Sprinkles
My all time favorite sprinkles are from Baking Time Club– she makes the most gorgeous sprinkles and sprinkle mixes that are gluten-free, vegan and use natural coloring!!!! There’s so many cute options! Different shapes sizes, colors… TOTALLY check out her shop and use code HLV for 15% off! (not sponsored, just love them!)
Although I made these cookie bars for Christmas, you could absolutely make them for any birthday, baby shower, wedding shower, pretty much any party you’d like! You can switch up the frosting color and sprinkles and they’re the perfect gluten-free vegan dessert recipe for any occasion. Anywho, I hope you love these Frosted Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars as much as I do! Let me know if you make them below in the comments section, as well as giving it a rating ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ so that others can discover this delicious cookie bar recipe! Tag me on Instagram, Facebook, or save for later on Pinterest!
Frosted Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars
These are THE BEST chocolate chip cookie bars that you'll never know are gluten-free and vegan! This Frosted Chocolate Chip Cookie Bar bar recipe is easy to make and results in a gooey, chewy inside perfectly frosted with vegan buttercream frosting and sprinkled with your favorite sprinkles, perfect for birthday parties, Christmas, baby showers, and more!
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup vegan butter, softened
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup peanut butter*
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1½ cups gluten-free baking flour
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon plant milk
- ½ cup dark chocolate chips
Vegan Buttercream Frosting
- ½ cup vegan butter, softened
- pinch cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 cups powdered (confectioners') sugar
- 3-5 teaspoons plant milk
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Beat together the vegan butter and sugars, then add the peanut butter and the pure vanilla extract.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the gluten-free baking flour, baking soda and powder, and salt. Add the flour mixture to the bowl and beat on low until crumbs form, then add one tablespoon of plant milk and the cookie dough will come together nicely. Turn the beater off and then stir in the chocolate chips. Press the cookie dough evenly into an 8x8 parchment-lined baking pan and bake for 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and let the cookie bars cool completely before frosting.
To Make the Frosting
- In a stand mixer (alternatively you can do this with a hand blender or mixer), cream the butter, vanilla, and cinnamon on medium speed until creamy, then slowly add the powdered sugar and keep blending until it thickens and looks like frosting. You'll then add plant milk 1 teaspoon at a time until you achieve the desired thickness.
Notes
* may sub with another nut or seed butter
** NOTE: These cookies use light brown sugar and granulated sugar to help them rise, so they are pretty sweet. You can absolutely cut down on the sugar if you want or choose not to frost them.
*** Recipe adapted from Joy Food Sunshine
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