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!
Red Velvet Cookie Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients
For the Bars
- 3 cups flour
- 1/3 cups unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1 cup butter, softened
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 2 eggs
- 2 tsp vanilla
- 1 oz bottle red food coloring
For the Cream Cheese Frosting
- 16 oz cream cheese, softened
- 1/2 cup butter, softened
- 3 1/2 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!
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