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    Home » Recipes » Recipes

    Red Velvet Cookie Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting

    Published: Jul 13, 2015 · Modified: Mar 9, 2025 by Sherri · This post may contain affiliate links · 27 Comments

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    These red velvet cookie bars with cream cheese frosting are an easy recipe to make any time of year and especially for your Valentine or a Valentine’s day party.

    Three red velvet cake cookie bars topped with cream cheese frosting and sprinkles on a grey wood table

    Red Velvet Cookie Bars

    I’m a huge velvet fan!  And cream cheese frosting? It could be considered my kryptonite.

    I don’t always add as much red food coloring to red velvet recipes.  So, these turn out a little more of a rose color.  Feel free to add more if you would like.

    Ingredients for My Red Velvet Cookie Bars

    The complete list of ingredients with amounts are listed in the full recipe card below.

    For the Bars

    • 3 cups of all purpose flour (or gluten free flour like Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free One-to-One flour)
    • ¼ cup unsweet­ened cocoa
    • 1 teaspoon bak­ing pow­der
    • ½ teaspoon salt
    • 1 stick but­ter (½ cup), softened  (or 2 sticks of butter and leave out the yogurt below)
    • ¼ cup plain Greek yogurt
    • 1 stick of butter
    • 1 cup sugar
    • 2 eggs
    • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
    • 1 teaspoon red food coloring

    For Cream Cheese Frosting:

    • 8 oz light cream cheese, softened
    • 4 tablespoons butter, softened
    • 1 cup sifted powdered sugar
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla
    • Sprinkles

    How to Make Red Velvet Cookie Bars

    Make the bars

    Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

    Grease a 9×13 inch – Glass Baking Dish (or line with – parchment paper for easy removal)

    In a medium bowl, add the flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt and whisk together.

    In a mixing bowl, blend cream butter, yogurt and sugar until creamy. (about 2 minutes).

    Then beat in the eggs, vanilla, and food coloring and mix for an additional minute.

    Add the flour mixture until dough forms, careful not to over mix.

    Press the dough into the bottom of the 9×13 inch pan.

    Bake for 15-20 minutes (or until toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean).

    Allow to completely cool before frosting.

    Make Cream Cheese Frosting

    Beat the cream cheese and butter together.

    Add the powdered sugar and vanilla.

    Beat until smooth.

    Frost the top of the bars

    Cut into squares.

    a closeup of three red velvet cake cookie bars topped with cream cheese frosting and sprinkles


     

    Three red velvet cake cookie bars topped with cream cheese frosting and sprinkles

    Red Velvet Cookie Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting

    Scrumptious red velvet cookie bars with cream cheese frosting…oh my! Everyone will love this sweet treat!
    4.80 from 5 votes
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    Course: Dessert
    Cuisine: American
    Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 20 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 35 minutes minutes
    Servings: 24
    Calories: 188kcal
    Author: Sherri Hagymas

    Ingredients

    Cookie Bars

    • 3 cups all purpose flour gluten free if desired
    • ¼ cup unsweet­ened cocoa
    • 1 teaspoon bak­ing pow­der
    • ½ teaspoon salt
    • ½ cup stick but­ter 1 stick, softened (or 2 sticks of butter and leave out the yogurt below)
    • ¼ cup plain Greek yogurt
    • 1 cup sugar
    • 2 eggs
    • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
    • 1 teaspoon red food coloring

    Cream Cheese Frosting:

    • 8 oz light cream cheese softened
    • 4 tablespoons butter softened
    • 1 cup sifted powdered sugar
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla
    • Sprinkles

    Instructions

    • Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
    • Grease a 9×13 inch baking dish (or line with parchment paper for easy removal)
    • In a medium bowl, add the flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt and whisk together.
    • In a mixing bowl, blend cream butter, yogurt and sugar until creamy. (about 2 minutes).
    • Then beat in the eggs, vanilla, and food coloring and mix for an additional minute.
    • Add the flour mixture until dough forms, careful not to over mix.
    • Press the dough into the bottom of the 9×13 inch pan.
    • Bake for 15-20 minutes (or until toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean).
    • Allow to completely cool before frosting.
    • Cream Cheese Frosting
    • Beat the cream cheese and butter together.
    • Add the powdered sugar and vanilla.
    • Beat until smooth.
    • Frost the top of the bars
    • Cut into squares.
    • ENJOY!!

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1bar (1/24) | Calories: 188kcal | Carbohydrates: 26g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 34mg | Sodium: 149mg | Potassium: 61mg | Sugar: 13g | Vitamin A: 250IU | Calcium: 24mg | Iron: 0.9mg

    Nutritional Disclosure

    Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should only be used as an approximation.

    Tried this recipe?We love seeing your pictures! Mention @ToSimplyInspire or tag #ToSimplyInspire!

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Miz Helen

      March 08, 2015 at 4:03 pm

      5 stars
      I love your Red Velvet Cookie Bars! Hope you are having a great weekend and thanks so much for sharing this awesome post with Full Plate Thursday.
      Come Back Soon!
      Miz Helen

      Reply
    2. Sarah R.

      March 08, 2015 at 3:10 pm

      GORGEOUS! And I’m sure they taste as good as they look. Love that you shared this at Snickerdoodle Sunday- hope to see you again later this week when the next party opens!

      Sarah (Sadie Seasongoods)

      Reply
    3. Kim @KandyKreations

      March 07, 2015 at 11:44 am

      You know, as much as I love to bake, and eat….I’ve never tried anything Red Velvet before. I don’t know why. But these cookie bars look so good that I think I will need to add them to my Cookie Friday rotation. I think my kids will love having a new cookie recipe to celebrate the start of the weekend. (And I’ll finally try a Red Velvet recipe!) Thanks so much for sharing on Dare to Share Saturday. I’m definitely pinning and sharing these.

      Reply
    4. Corinne

      March 07, 2015 at 9:03 am

      These look divine. Pinning this to try later. So glad I saw your recipe at the Sits Girls Sharefest.

      Reply
    5. Capsulecreations

      March 07, 2015 at 8:22 am

      This looks like the best thing to bake on a saturday. It’s not complicated like most red velvet cakes are. Thanks for sharing!

      Reply
    6. Rattlebridge Farm--Foodie Friday & Everything Else

      March 06, 2015 at 7:04 pm

      5 stars
      I love red velvet goodies. Thanks for adding your recipe to Foodie Friday!

      Reply
    7. Amanda

      March 06, 2015 at 3:59 pm

      Ooooooh how tasty!! Red velvet is such a great flavor and those sprinkles on top make them look so festive 🙂 Thank you for linking up to Friday Favorites and have a great weekend!! 😀

      Reply
    8. Kathryn

      March 06, 2015 at 1:23 pm

      Mmmm these look delicious, perfect little sweet treat!

      Kathryn
      nimblenote.blogspot.com

      Reply
    9. Rustedrecipebox

      March 05, 2015 at 8:08 pm

      Love red velvet! Never tried it in bar form,but I’m going to now!

      Reply
    10. Grace

      March 04, 2015 at 11:54 pm

      Yuuummm. Such beautiful pictures too! 🙂

      Reply
    11. Amanda @ The Anti Mom Blog

      March 04, 2015 at 8:54 pm

      5 stars
      oooo these look like delicious bites of heaven!! my husband loves red velvet, may have to make these for his upcoming bday 🙂 pinning!

      Reply
    12. Katherines Corner

      March 04, 2015 at 10:12 am

      5 stars
      Sherri these look fantastic!! Two yums ( thumbs) up. I’m hopping over from the Gathering Spot. Hugs P.S. I invite you to share at my Thursday hop too

      Reply
      • Katherines Corner

        March 08, 2015 at 12:55 pm

        Thank you for sharing at the Thursday Favorite Things blog hop.Watch for your feature on Monday xo

        Reply
    13. Pamela Smith

      March 03, 2015 at 8:29 pm

      Mmmm! Mmmm! This will definitely be on my list to try next. They look divine!!!

      Reply
    14. Marissa

      March 03, 2015 at 10:31 am

      Yum! These look real good. Love red velvet:)

      Reply
    15. Cheri

      March 02, 2015 at 4:46 pm

      visiting from skip to my lou monday…I am printing this out as fast as my slow computer will print. Will be great to have on hand!
      cheri
      http://www.fabricandmemories.blogspot.com

      Reply
    16. Lanae Bond

      March 02, 2015 at 10:48 am

      4 stars
      Those bars look so delicious!

      Reply
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    4.80 from 5 votes

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