Chewy Vanilla Bars are topped with sweet, white chocolate icing that's soft and chewy but firm enough for stacking. These delicious bars are packed with lots of creamy vanilla flavor.
Why you'll love this recipe
- The bars stay soft and chewy at room temperature for up to two weeks, making them great care package treats and after school snacks.
- The pourable fondant icing adds sweet, creamy vanilla flavor and helps seal in moisture to keep the bars fresh longer.
Vanilla Bars, with their luscious, creamy vanilla flavor and sweet, chewy icing, will turn everyone into vanilla lovers. The chewy texture makes these treats irresistible.
The bars are quick and easy to make in just over 30 minutes. The pourable fondant icing needs additonal time to set and firm (2 hours- overnight).
If the intoxicating vanilla aroma is too hard to resist and waiting is impossible, skip the icing and top the bars with a dusting of powdered sugar.
However, if you can wait, I highly recommend the icing. It's worth the wait.
For chocolate fans, next time try super chocolaty Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars, another bar recipe for treats that are hard to resist.
Vanilla Bar ingredients
This is an overview of the ingredients. The full measurements and detailed instructions are in the printable recipe card at the bottom of the page.
- Cornstarch: Adding starch to baked goods makes them chewier.
- Vanilla bean paste: This concentrated flavoring is made with pureed vanilla beans and gives the bars creamy vanilla flavor and vanilla bean speckles.
Pourable fondant icing ingredients
This is an overview of the icing ingredients. The full measurements and detailed instructions are in the printable recipe card at the bottom of the page.
- White chocolate chips: I prefer the flavor and consistency of Guittard Choc-Au-Lait White Baking Chips. They melt to a creamy texture and have real vanilla flavor. Other chips, almond bark, or white chocolate bars can be substituted.
Instructions
This is an overview of the instructions. The full instructions are in the printable recipe card at the bottom of the page.
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- Mix the eggs, sugar, salt, and vanilla until the mixture thickens slightly and the color lightens, then add the melted butter.
- Fold in the flour and cornstarch to form the batter.
- Spread the batter evenly into a parchment lined baking pan.
- Bake until the edges begin to turn golden brown and a toothpick, inserted at the center, comes out clean.
- Melt the white chocolate chips with the corn syrup in the microwave at 50% power.
- Combine the melted chocolate mixture with the powdered sugar.
- Mix in the warm water until the icing is a pourable consistency.
- Spread the icing over the baked bars and immediately add sprinkles.
Storage
Vanilla Bars can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks.
Tips and variations
- Sprinkle Vanilla Bars with powdered sugar instead of coating with icing for a less sweet bar or for shipping in weather warm enough to melt the icing. The powdered sugar can be shipped in a small ziplock bag to be added before eating.
- Vanilla extract can also be used in this recipe as a substitute for vanilla paste.
- For colored icing, mix in food coloring gel just before pouring.
- Sprinkles will only stick to the bars if added immediately after spreading the icing. The icing begins to firm quickly.
Related recipes
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Vanilla Bars
Ingredients
Bars
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 4 ½ tablespoons cornstarch
- 3 large eggs room temperature
- ¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon vanilla paste or extract
- 12 tablespoons unsalted butter melted and cooled slightly
Pourable fondant icing
- 2 cups confectioners' sugar
- ½ cup white chocolate chips
- 2 tablespoons corn syrup
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 tablespoons hot water
- 2-3 drops food coloring gel optional
- sprinkles
Instructions
Bars
- Preheat oven to 325° F. Lightly coat an 8” x 8” baking pan with non-stick spray. Line with parchment paper, then lightly coat again with non-stick spray.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour and cornstarch. Set aside.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat eggs, sugar, salt, and vanilla 2-3 minutes or until mixture thickens and is light in color.
- Beat in melted butter.
- Gradually fold in flour mixture.
- Spread the batter evenly into the prepared pan.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until edges just begin to brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Set the pan on a wire rack to cool completely.
Pourable fondant icing
- Sift confectioners sugar into the bowl of a stand mixer.
- Place corn syrup and white chocolate chips in a small bowl and microwave at 50% power for one minute. Stir to combine. If the chips are not completely melted after stirring, return the bowl to the microwave and heat at 50% power for 15 second intervals until melted.
- Add the melted chips mixture and the vanilla extract to the powdered sugar and begin mixing at low speed.
- While mixing, add the hot water, one tablespoon at a time, until the icing is a pourable consistency. (Add food coloring, if desired.)
- Pour the icing onto the baked pan of uncut Vanilla Bars. Immediately add sprinkles on top of the icing.
- Let the icing dry firm at room temperature for several hours or overnight.
- When the icing is dry to the touch, use the overhanging parchment paper to lift the Vanilla Bars out of the pan and onto a cutting board. Slice into individual bars.
- Vanilla Bars can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks.
Notes
- Sprinkle Vanilla Bars with powdered sugar instead of coating with icing for a less sweet bar or for shipping in weather warm enough to melt the icing. The powdered sugar can be shipped in a small ziplock bag to be added before eating.
- Vanilla extract can also be used in this recipe as a substitute for vanilla paste.
- Sprinkles will only stick to the bars if added immediately after spreading the icing. The icing begins to firm quickly.
- Wrap small stacks of 2-3 bars in plastic wrap, with a small piece of wax paper or parchment between bars. Place stacks in a column in a freezer weight zip lock bag.
- The long lasting chewiness of these bars makes them a good choice for military care packages in cooler temperatures when baking with heat resistent ingredients isn't necessary.
- These bars are not heat resistent (even without icing) due to the butter in the recipe.
Nutrition
First Published: June 12, 2016. Last Updated: May 2, 2025. Updated for additional information, improved photographs, and better reader experience.
shannon @ a periodic table
Wendy, HOW EXCITING FOR YOU! So much going on and now you get to head to Bosnia for such an amazing reason; clearly we need to catch up once you return and are settled down a bit from being super on the move. 🙂 These bars are lovely. I've actually never made a successful sugar cookie bar (honestly, i can't begin to say why - every time i try, it ends up a massive fail as though i'm cursed), but i trust you, and these look amazing (and fail-proof!) Happy and safe travels to you, my friend!
The Monday Box
Thanks, Shannon! I would love to catch up with you. Perhaps once the Wee One heads back to school? Scary, but that is around the corner! Quick, grab onto what remains of summer and enjoy! (p.s. I honestly can not imagine ANYTHING failing in your kitchen!)
Reeni
How heartwarming - you really are a kind sweet soul! Have a safe trip and a wonderful time! Can't wait to hear all about it. The cookie bars look delicious - I'm all for simple recipes that produce great results.
The Monday Box
Thanks for your good wishes, Reeni! Most of the time I really enjoy the playing with recipes and decorating, but sometimes there is just no time or energy for it. Having a few reliable simple recipes for those times is great!
Dorothy @ Crazy for Crust
Oh my gosh, I hope you have a fabulous trip. What a great friend!
The Monday Box
Thank you, Dorothy!
saltandserenity
Wendy, Sehada is so fortunate to have you as a friend. Your spirit of generosity is really inspiring. I hope you'll post about the trip so we can see Bosnia through your eyes.
The sugar cookies are so pretty. "Chewy Gooey Crispy Crunchy” is such a great cookbook. It never fails to deliver.
Safe travels!!
The Monday Box
Thanks, Cindy! My friendship with Sehada has enriched my life immeasurably. I feel like the fortunate one. Sometimes amazing coincidences happen to put two people together at just the right time (bashert). This trip is the icing on the cake. I never in a million years thought this would be a reality! 🙂 I agree completely that "Chewy Gooey Crispy Crunchy" never fails (PLUS is gives shelf-life estimates!).
Paula K.
Wendy,
What a wonderful story! My cousin volunteers this same way down in South Carolina and loves it! I have a question, is the amount of vanilla correct or should it be one teaspoon, one Tablespoon sounds like a lot for an 8x8 pan of bars.
Paula K.
The Monday Box
Thanks, Paula. 🙂 The vanilla amount is correct. Of course, my philosophy is that there is never too much vanilla! 😉 Vanilla is the main flavor here and the bars are rather thick. A thinner bar could probably be made in a larger (9x13?) pan. 1 vanilla bean=1 tablespoon of vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste (my favorite).
Winnie
Sugar-cookies are childhood cookies here
You have not idea how much I looooooooooooove them
Yet - I've never made them.....
Now reading your story and seeing these cookies really give me the urge to just go and bake them
The Monday Box
Thanks, Winnie! This batter can be used to make thin, crunchy wafer cookies or these chewy bars. Either way the vanilla flavor makes them comfort food. I hope you will give them a try!
Gina
Wendy,
What an incredible and beautiful story! Yet not at all surprising coming from someone like you. Your generosity of spirit—whether expressed in flour and sugar, or words, has created this opportunity. I know you will have a wonderful time. How lovely for Sehada to be able to the gift of home with you. Don't forget to do dessert research! and ps, I love the not permission/sanity check line 🙂
The Monday Box
Thank you so much, Gina, for your very kind words. I love the way you describe it as Sehada sharing the gift of home with me. That is exactly how I feel. Sehada is a great baker and she tells me her sister in Bosnia also loves to bake. I plan to do extensive dessert research! 🙂
Tricia
Wendy! What an amazing story - really wonderful. You are a special person and your dedication and selflessness is a blessing to all who know you. From care packages to the troops to your adopted Bosnian family - I want to thank you for setting the bar just a little higher for the rest of us. You are a shinning example of how this world could be a different place is only we would lift one another up. Thank you. I am inspired! I think your trip sounds like an amazing opportunity. How wonderful to spend time with people that actually live there. Vacations never get deep enough in the culture and people of the places we visit. Please take tons of photos! Can't wait to hear all about it - and by the way, the cookie bars look great!
The Monday Box
Oh my, Tricia. Thank you for your sweet, kind compliments. I don't know about setting the bar. I'm just one regular person who enjoys reaching out to others when I can. Sometimes opportunity knocks, and if we answer, there is no telling where the path will lead. I always feel like I gain so much when I set out to give. It just plain feels good to have a positive impact on the lives of others. A "raison d'etre". 🙂 I'm super excited for my Bosnian immersion experience and hope to take lots of photos to share!