I think it’s safe to say that I love red velvet. Maybe it was the red velvet bundt cakes, or my Dia De Los Muertos cake, but if it’s red, and velvet, then it’s in my sphere of need to eat right meow. So these red velvet cookie bars? They’re kind of awesome. They’re dense and chewy, which is so unlike a typical red velvet cake. Your mind is tricked! But the flavor is exactly what it should be for something so decadently delicious you can’t just eat one bar omg I need another right now please don’t stop me yum yum yum.
Kind of like that.
These red velvet cookie bars are so easy to make as well, it probably should be illegal. But when you cut them up and plate them, they look so pretty and perfect and divine, people will swear you had to have spent hours making them. If only they knew! But we know. Cause we’re awesome.
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This recipe starts like most, beating the butter and sugar until they’re nice and fluffy, then adding the eggs, followed by the vanilla and food coloring, and finally the dry ingredients. If you’re as used to red velvet cake as I am, it can seem almost alarming when making the batter for these bars because of how thick and dense the batter is. But since it’s a cookie bar, it’s gotta be more like a cookie.
I may have had a bite or seven of the batter. I fear no raw egg.
Pat it down in a baking dish lined with greased parchment paper or tin foil so it’s easy to lift out of the pan when it’s done and bake until awesome! Once it’s cool you can add a thick layer of delicious cream cheese frosting, because what red velvet anything is complete without cream cheese frosting, am I right? Then devour. Or share. Or devour, and make a second batch before anyone notices.
Ready to make some nom noms? I know I am, cause my pan is already empty! Make some No Bake Chocolate Cookie Butter Bars when you’re done!
Ingredients
For the Bars
- 3 cups flour
- ⅓ cups unsweetened cocoa powder
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- 1 cup butter softened
- 1 ½ cups sugar
- 2 eggs
- 2 tsp vanilla
- 1 oz bottle red food coloring
For the Cream Cheese Frosting
- 16 oz cream cheese softened
- ½ cup butter softened
- 3 ½ cups powdered sugar
- 2 tsp vanilla
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 13x9 inch pan with parchment paper or aluminum foil and grease. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, add the flour, cocoa powder, salt, baking power, and baking soda, and stir to combine.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat together the butter and sugar until soft and fluffy, around 5 minutes. Add the eggs, one at time, mixing until fully incorporated. Slowly stir in the vanilla and food coloring. Add the dry ingredients in batches, mixing until just combined.
- Scoop the batter into the 13x9 inch pan and press down with a spatula to spread evenly into the pan. Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool completely.
- While the cookie bars cool, add the butter and cream cheese to a large mixing bowl and beat until combined and fluffy, around 5 minutes. Add the powdered sugar in batches and beat gently until combined. Add the vanilla, then beat for an additional 3 minutes. Frost the cookie bars, cut, and enjoy.
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Make these red velvet cookie bars for your special Valentine, or just because you feel like it!
WC says
Wondering what makes this “red velvet” other than the food color. It is missing buttermilk and/or vinegar to give it the characteristics that make it red velvet. Unfortunately, I didn’t realize that until it was already mixed up. If the bars come out nicely, than I will try to tweak the recipe to incorporate the necessary flavors.
Peggy McManaway says
these are very good, I made a homemade chocolate cream cheese frosting for mine and oh la la !! my hubby loved them. Peggy’s Choc Lovers Cream Cheese Frosting:
Ingredients:
1 stick of softened butter,
1 8oz pkg cream cheese soft room temp,
2tsp Vanilla extract,
3 1/2 Cups Powder sugar.
1/2 Hershey’s Cocoa Powder unsweetened
Directions:
Cream together butter and cream cheese till fluffy, add vanilla blend well, add powder sugar 1 cup at a time and mix well. then repeat the powder sugar till all 3 1/2 cups are in. then sir in 1/2 cup of Hersheys Cocoa Powder(unsweetened). blend and mix well. add the frosting after bars are cool, then I set mine in the refrig for a fast set up. serve yummy yum!!
Marissa says
These look great!! Think there is any way I could half the recipe? Put it in a smaller dish but how do you think that would effect cooking time?
Karly says
Hi Marissa!
I’ve not tried it before so I couldn’t really say, but I would think so long as the thickness is relatively the same, you should be able to cook it at the same temperature, but for a shorter amount of time. Let me know if you try it and how it goes!
Geraldine says
In my experience I just make whatever feels right. You should try that!
Missy says
Are these able to be frozen with the icing on top? I know they probably don’t last long enough at your house but I’m curious to see if I can make these in large batches and freeze them for last minute parties
Sara says
My husband loved them. The only thing I did differently was to add more powdered sugar in the icing. I added a whole bag, which is 2lbs and it still was very creamy.
Melissa says
Hi. I am in Australia and wondering is the flour plain flour or self raising flour? Thanks heaps. They look Devine 🙂
Karly says
Hi Melissa! Just regular all-purpose flour!
Karla says
Hi is 28 oz of cream cheese right?
Karly says
Hi Karla! It’s (2) 8 oz packages, so 16 oz total cream cheese. I can see how that looks like 28 oz, so I might have to edit how that looks before everyone starts using double the amount of cream cheese!
Karla says
Thank you so much ?
Karla says
I figured out, is 2 packs 8 oz cream cheese
Katie says
These are amazing!! My daughter wasn’t a fan of the icing but it’s my favorite part! Also, my husband who doesn’t like sweets, has eaten several of them! I’m looking for a recipe like these cookie bars but not red velvet, like just sugar cookie, any suggestions?
Peggy McManway says
hi Katie if your daughter is not a fan of the cream cheese frosting TRY this, I also used a1 12 oz whipping cream with 1 box Instant vanilla pudding(or any flavor of instant pudding) and1/4 c powder sugar recipe too. chill the mixing bowl in the refrig for a half hour before you whip up the icing. first place all the whipping cream in a chilled bowl, whip on high, then gradually add part pudding then part powder sugar back and forth till you get a nice creamy frosting. I had a niece the same way, but she loved the pudding frosting better. they are very yummy and are great for people with diabetes too,