Red Velvet Cookie Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting

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.

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

Below is a list of the ingredients you’ll need to gather to make this recipe. Scroll down to the full recipe card for the specific amounts.

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.