Tap here to get 5 Secrets to Stress Free Dinners

Red Velvet Bars

5 from 9 votes
|

posted: 01/24/18

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy
|
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy

These Red Velvet Bars are decadent, delicious, and topped with the best cream cheese frosting! If you love red velvet cake, then these red velvet sugar cookie bars are the thing for you! They are melt in your mouth delicious!

These cookie bars would make the a great Valentine’s Day dessert. If you need more ideas, or just can’t get enough of red velvet recipes, try this Red Velvet Sour Cream Bundt Cake, these Red Velvet Sugar Cookies, or this Red Velvet Buttercream Frosting.

A close up photo of the Red Velvet Bars topped with white frosting and has a little bite.

You guys, I can’t even tell you how long I have been waiting to write this post.

Actually, I can tell you exactly how long I have been waiting to write this post. Just a little over two years.

It was November of 2015, and I was at BlogHer Food in Chicago – a huge food blogging conference – with some of my closest blogging friends. It was honestly one of the most fun blogging events I had ever been to before or since. I was standing in Eataly with my friend, Lindsay of Life Love and Sugar. You probably know her from her drool worthy layered cakes, but I knew her as a friend who was struggling with infertility.

I remember standing there with her in the midsts of people ordering gelato, espresso, and pastries, picking out pasta and dinnerware, hugging her, trying my best to reassure her it would all turn out okay, and truly feeling for her after my own struggles with infertility.

Flash forward to this past summer and me getting a message from her that her IVF not only took . . . she was pregnant with TWINS. You guys, I will never forget sitting at my desk, covered in goosebumps, and tears in my eyes.

And now here we are having a virtual baby shower for her! We internet friends do a lot of things virtually (hugs, cocktail parties, you name it), but it doesn’t make the friendship any less real. Congratulations, Lindsay. I couldn’t be happier for you. You are already making such an amazing mom. Your boys are so lucky.

These Red Velvet Cookie Bars are ammmmmmazing! They are just one more iteration of my Perfect Sugar Cookie recipe and then topped with my Cream Cheese Frosting and they *do not* disappoint.

WHAT IS RED VELVET?

The red velvet taste in a red velvet cake recipe comes from the combination of vinegar or buttermilk combined with cocoa powder. It makes for a tangy moist cake that is absolutely delicious. In these bars, we just use a little bit of both vinegar and cocoa powder to get that traditional taste, while still holding up with the other ingredients needed to pull of sugar cookie bars.

A woman holding a Red Velvet Bars topped with white frosting and clear sprinkles.

TIPS TO MAKE THIS RECIPE TURN OUT GREAT

  • When measuring the flour for this recipe, scoop the flour into the measuring cup and then level off. This will prevent you from measuring too much flour.
  • The butter for this recipe should be room temperature. That means you should be be able to easily dent the butter with your finger but not push it all the way through. A way to bring it to room temperature faster is cut the butter into one inch pieces and leave it on the counter for a half hour.
  • Make sure the eggs are room temperature. To do this quickly, fill a bowl with warm water and let the eggs sit in it for a few minutes.
  • When making the frosting for this recipe, make sure you do the same thing with the butter and cream cheese – make sure that they are at room temperature, but not melted.
On a piece of parchment paper, the Red Velvet Bars is topped with white frosting and clear sprinkles.
red velvet bar, frosted with cream cheese and a bite missing
5 from 9 votes

Red Velvet Bars

Serves: 24 bars
(tap # to scale)
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 25 minutes
Total: 40 minutes
These Red Velvet Bars are decadent, delicious, and topped with the best cream cheese frosting! If you love red velvet cake, then these red velvet sugar cookie bars are the thing for you! 

Ingredients

  • 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
  • 2 TBSPs unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 14 TBSPs unsalted butter room temperature
  • 1 1/2 cups sugar
  • 2 eggs room temperature
  • 1 TBSP vinegar
  • 1 TBSP red food coloring
  • cream cheese frosting
  • sparkling sugar

Instructions

  • Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9 by 13 inch glass baking dish with cooking spray and set aside.
  • In a large bowl mix together 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour, 2 TBSPs cocoa powder, 1/2 tsp baking powder, and 1/2 tsp salt.
  • Cream together the 14 TBSPs (1 3/4 sticks) butter and 1 1/2 cups sugar until light and fluffy. Add in the eggs, one at a time, then 2 tsps vanilla, 1 TBSP white vinegar, and 1 TBSP red food coloring.
  • Slowly add in the flour mixture a little bit at a time until the dough is fully combined.
  • The dough will be very sticky. Press it into the bottom of the baking dish and bake for 20 to 25 minutes.
  • Allow to cool completely before frosting and adding sprinkles.
Author: Lisa Longley
red velvet bar, frosted with cream cheese and a bite missing

did you make this

Red Velvet Bars

I’d love to see what you made! Tag me @lisasimplejoy and hashtag it #simplejoyrecipes!

Other great Valentine’s Day recipes

Red Velvet Ganache Truffles

Chocolate Covered Cherry Magic Bars

Chocolate Raspberry Brownies

Cookie Dough Petite Fours

Mini Cheesecake for Two

Hi! I'm Lisa Longley, and I am committed to giving you simple dinner ideas and recipes that are easy to make; recipes that will fill your home with joy. I am the owner and author of SimpleJoy.com and I'm so glad that you are here.

Reader Interactions

    LEAVE A COMMENT

    Have a question? Use the form below to submit your question or comment. I love hearing from you & seeing what you made!

    Rate This Recipe:




  1. Jennifer @ Show Me the Yummy says

    Red velvet is life!!!!!!

  2. Lindsay @ Life, Love and Sugar says

    Aaaand you made me cry. ;) I remember that day too, very well. It’s crazy to think about all the uncertainty there was getting here and now finally being just a couple weeks away from meeting these babies. Thanks for being there through it and celebrating with me! AND these bars look amazing!

  3. Glory/ Glorious Treats says

    Such a sweet post! And please pass me 1 or 5 of these delicious looking bars!!

  4. Dorothy @ Crazy for Crust says

    I love how you write about Lindsay, and I so remember that hotel room! And your photos are AMAZING!

  5. Erin @ Dinners, Dishes, and Desserts says

    You are the best friend to everyone!! I don’t know how you always know what to say, when to say it, and how to be there for everyone! But so glad to have you in my life. These bars are amazing, I want them to celebrate everything in life.

  6. Julianne says

    You make a very good point, I just KNEW this day would come eventually. I am so thankful for your friendship in this crazy world we live in and I’ll never forget how much fun we had in Chicago! Thank you so much for joining the party!

  7. Jocelyn (Grandbaby Cakes) says

    These are seriously phenom!!!

  8. Jocelyn (Grandbaby Cakes) says

    These are seriously magical. I would love these to celebrate!!! So excited for our boo Lindsay!

  9. Diego Lopes says

    5 stars
    These red velvet bars look great!! I’m definitely going to try them this week, I bet they’re delicious!

  10. Renee says

    Do they freeze well?

    • Lisa Longley says

      I have not tried. If you do freeze them, I would suggest not frosting them first.

SUPER-SIMPLEFAMILY FAVORITES
Broccoli Pasta"Omg! I didn’t think anything so simple could be so good!"
overhead of skillet of Cajun Shrimp Pasta ingredients on a cooling rack with toasted bread sitting beside
Cajun Shrimp Pasta"My family absolutely loved this recipe. Even my finicky eaters."
overhead photo of a gray skillet filled with beef and broccoli recipe, garnished with sliced green onions
Beef and Broccoli Recipe"I have made this a couple or more times. It’s easy & quick to prepare. I like this for a quick meal. It will be my go to recipe."

SUBSCRIBE & RECEIVE

5 Secrets to Stress Free Dinners

SUBSCRIBE & RECEIVE

MY TOP 10 EASY DINNER EBOOK!

5 Secrets to Stress Free Dinners

SUBSCRIBE & RECEIVE

MY TOP 10 EASY DINNER EBOOK!