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These decadent red velvet sugar cookie bars with cream cheese frosting are so divine. This is the best of both worlds, all the goodness of red velvet cake in an easy-to-make cookie bar form.
Red velvet is one of my favorite dessert flavors. It’s rich and chocolatey with the best hint of tang! If you love it as much as I do, here are a few more recipes you need to try: red velvet cheesecake, red velvet pound cake, and red velvet white chocolate chip cookies.
Red Velvet Sugar Cookie Bars
These could quite possibly be the best cookie bars that I have ever made. They’re thick, dense and slightly crisp on the edges. It’s a perfect cross between a cookie and dessert bar. Topped with a decadent cream cheese frosting, these are going to be you new go-to favorites. They’re everything you love about red velvet cake but in a moist, fudgy dessert bar form. Psst- they’re also a great option for Valentine’s Day!
These bars though. They’re so moist and heavenly! The tangy flavor of the cream cheese frosting perfectly complements the sweetness of the red velvet, making every bite a burst of flavor in your mouth. These sugar cookie ebars are so good, you’ll find yourself reaching for another one before you even finish the first! Perfect for a sweet snack, a party dessert, or even as a special breakfast treat, these bars are sure to become a favorite in no time. So go ahead, give them a try and taste the yummy goodness for yourself!
Ingredients for Red Velvet Cookie Bars and Frosting
These red velvet sugar cookies are scrumptious and easy to make. You are going to love how fast both the cookie bars and frosting come together. If you’re looking for exact measurements, they can all be found in the recipe card below.
- Flour: All-purpose flour works great here!
- Unsweetened Cocoa: If you have non-alkalized (also known as Dutch process) cocoa powder, use that!
- Salt: Balances out the sweetness of the cookie bars.
- Baking Powder: A necessary rising agent.
- Butter: Bring the butter to room temperature before using it. This way, you will end up with a smoother batter.
- Sugar: Just regular granulated sugar works fine!
- Eggs: Give the cookies texture and lift.
- Vanilla: Adds a little extra flavor. Use pure vanilla extract if you can!
- Red Food Coloring: For that signature red color.
Cream Cheese Frosting
- Cream Cheese: Make sure your cream cheese is at room temperature so your frosting ends up nice and smooth.
- Butter: Should also be at room temperature.
- Powdered Sugar: For thickness and sweetness.
- Vanilla: Adds an extra pop of flavor!
How to Make Red Velvet Sugar Cookie Bars
As easy as cookies but faster and more hands-off. These will be a winner when you’re short on time, but need big flavor and big wow factor. Red velvet makes everything just a bit more special! These sugar cookie bars almost look too good to eat.
- Preheat Oven, Prep Pan: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Have a 9×13 inch pan ready. I like to line mine with aluminum foil or parchment paper and spray it with cooking spray so that the bars easily lift out and are easy to cut.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa, salt, and baking powder. Then set aside.
- Mix Wet Ingredients: In a mixing bowl, cream together 1 cup butter softened and sugar until light and creamy. About 2-3 minutes. Beat in the eggs, vanilla, and food coloring until combined.
- Combine and Bake: Add the flour mixture until a soft dough forms. Press into the bottom of the 9×13 inch pan. Bake for about 20 minutes until the edges start to pull away from the sides and a toothpick entered into the center comes out clean. Allow to completely cool before frosting.
- Prepare Frosting and Enjoy: To make the cream cheese frosting, Beat together the cream cheese and butter. Add the powdered sugar and vanilla. Beat together until smooth. Frost the top of the bars and enjoy!
Tips and Tricks
These heavenly red velvet sugar cookie bars are a cinch to make. Here are a few extra tips to keep in mind so they turn out perfectly!
- Prep Your Pan: Line your pan with aluminum foil and spray it with cooking spray so that the bars easily lift out and are easy to cut.
- Room Temperature Ingredients: The butter and cream cheese should be brought to room temperature naturally, not in the microwave. This will ensure the creamiest texture. The butter and cream cheese will incorporate more evenly.
- Batter Thickness: Don’t panic if the batter is thick, it’s definitely a cookie batter, not a cake batter.
- Press: When you put the cookie bars into the pan use a spatula to press down evenly. It will bake up nice and chewy and amazing!
- Add Toppings: Use your imagination to decorate these red velvet sugar cookie bars! Use sprinkles and candies to make them festive, for whatever holiday or occasion you’re making them for! You can also add a drizzle of chocolate or white chocolate sauce for extra decadence.
Storing Leftovers
Red velvet sugar cookie bars with cream cheese frosting will last for 3-5 days if stored properly. To keep them fresh, it’s best to store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator. When you’re ready to eat them, simply take the bars out of the refrigerator a few minutes before serving to allow them to reach room temperature. This way, they will be nice and soft and taste as good as they did on the first day!
More Red Velvet Desserts
Not only is red velvet a fantastic dessert flavor, but it’s perfect for Valentine’s Day with its deep red coloring! With Valentine’s Day just around the corner, here are a few more delicious treats that you have to add to the dessert lineup! They’re all rich, decadent, and are sure to satisfy any sweet tooth. Enjoy!
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Red Velvet Sugar Cookie Bars
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups flour
- 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 cup butter softened
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 2 eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 Tablespoons red food coloring
Cream Cheese Frosting:
- 8 ounces cream cheese softened
- 1/2 cup butter softened
- 2 cups sifted powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Have a 9×13 inch pan ready. I like to line mine with aluminum foil or parchment paper and spray it with cooking spray so that the bars easily lift out and are easy to cut.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa, salt, and baking powder. Set aside.
- In a mixing bowl, cream together 1 cup butter softened and sugar until light and creamy. About 2-3 minutes. Beat in the eggs, vanilla, and food coloring until combined.
- Add the flour mixture until a soft dough forms. Press into the bottom of the 9×13 inch pan. Bake for about 20 minutes until the edges start to pull away from the sides and a toothpick entered into the center comes out clean. Allow to completely cool before frosting.
- To make the cream cheese frosting, Beat together the cream cheese and butter. Add the powdered sugar and vanilla. Beat together until smooth. Frost the top of the bars and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Not only do they look yummy, but they look really pretty too!
These look scrumptious! I know they are meant to be an easier take on a rolled sugar cookie, but would these work rolled and cut with cookie cutters? I have a friend that LOVES everything red velvet and would just love to make these for her.
Wow, those are gorgeous Alyssa, the color is amazing! My oven is psycho. We have replaced the thermostat twice already. Sometimes it doesn’t cook, sometimes too hot, sometimes only half of the pan, but each time is different!! 😉
What type of flour do you use? Plain, all purpose? Thank you!! 🙂 x
All purpose. 🙂
These are such pretty bars and perfect for this time of year! That stinks about the oven, but at least your parents are close enough to “borrow” theirs in exchange for goodies. I would totally let you come over and bake for me too 🙂
These Red Velvet cookie bars look amazing Alyssa! Love the pretty color and the cream cheese frosting looks so creamy and pretty!
I love the color contrast and the little sprinkles are the perfect touch! Very sweet of your parents to let you use their oven!
please could we have the weights for the cookies in grams or ounces which is what we use in the UK
I like a lot of the recipes posted but am unsure of what is meant by a cup???
A cup is 8oz
not 8 oz by weight, though. 1 cup is 8 oz by liquid measure. If you weigh out an 8 oz measuring cup of flour it will weigh 4.5 oz
Based on the web sites I’ve used for conversions, the weighed amounts would be:
416.6 grams flour
31.3 grams unsweetened cocoa
226.8 grams butter, softened
300 grams sugar
452 grams cream cheese, softened
113.4 grams butter, softened
250 grams sifted powdered sugar
Is the Unsweetened Cocoa the Chocolate cocoa or someone mentioned they have red cocoa also.
I have not tried these yet and would like for them to turn out right.
Thanks
These look and sound lovely. Thank you for sharing! They will be great for Valentine’s day at my house. One note though, in the instructions you forgot to add in the red food coloring. Since I am a baker it is no big deal but I figure newer cooks might need the info.
I love your blog and your recipes ! Keep the yummy foods coming please 🙂
These are furthering my obsession with red velvet! I’m sure they taste great, but they look beautiful. too! Pinning!
My oven gets too hot, too, and this is what I did: I use an oven thermometer to determine what the actual temperature of the oven is and turn the dial down accordingly.
Thanks for the tip!!
These look amazing! I am definitely pinning this for Valentine’s Day (and beyond)!
One question – Do you think these would freeze well? Could I make them in advance and freeze them?
Thanks,
Heather
These look perfect! I haven’t actually ever made a cookie bar, but it’s brilliant! So much easier than having to make a bunch of individual cookies. Plus, red velvet and cream cheese icing is my life.
These look delish. Definitely want to make them for Valentines Day. When do you add in the food coloring? Am I missing it? I am assuming with the eggs and vanilla…
Sorry. Thanks for catching this! With the eggs and vanilla!
Goodness gracious that looks incredible! Fantastic recipe 🙂 Be sure to stop by my link party, Om Nom Nom Friday (Even though it’s Sunday) and share some of your delicious creations!
Happy Blogging!
Happy Valley Chow
Ugh I hate oven problems, but at least you were able to bribe your parents for their oven with these cookie bars 😉 Glad you liked them!