Description
These Red Velvet Sugar Cookie Bars combine the rich, velvety flavor of classic red velvet cake with the chewy texture of sugar cookies, all topped with a smooth and tangy cream cheese frosting. Perfect for dessert lovers seeking an easy-to-make, crowd-pleasing treat, these bars bake up beautifully in a single pan for simple preparation and serving.
Ingredients
Scale
Cookie Bars
- 2 1/2 cups flour
- 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 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 extract
Instructions
- Preheat and prepare pan: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 9×13 inch baking pan with aluminum foil or parchment paper and spray lightly with cooking spray. This ensures the bars will lift out easily and cut nicely.
- Mix dry ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, unsweetened cocoa powder, salt, and baking powder until combined. Set aside.
- Cream butter and sugar: In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter and sugar together for about 2-3 minutes until the mixture is light and creamy.
- Add eggs, vanilla, and food coloring: Beat in the eggs, vanilla extract, and red food coloring until fully incorporated, creating a vibrant red dough base.
- Combine dry ingredients: Gradually add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients, mixing until a soft dough forms. Be careful not to overmix.
- Press dough into pan and bake: Evenly spread and press the dough into the prepared 9×13 inch pan. Bake for approximately 20 minutes or until the edges begin to pull away from the pan and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Cool the bars: Remove the bars from the oven and allow them to cool completely in the pan before applying the frosting to prevent melting.
- Make cream cheese frosting: In a mixing bowl, beat together the softened cream cheese and butter until smooth and creamy. Add the sifted powdered sugar and vanilla extract and continue beating until the frosting is light and fluffy.
- Frost and serve: Spread the cream cheese frosting evenly over the cooled bars. Slice into 16 bars and serve.
Notes
- These bars combine the flavors of red velvet cake and sugar cookies with a creamy cream cheese frosting for a unique dessert.
- Using a lined baking pan makes for easy removal and clean slicing.
- Ensure the bars are completely cool before frosting to avoid melting the cream cheese frosting.
- Adjust red food coloring to achieve your desired shade of red without affecting flavor.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bar
- Calories: 452 kcal
- Sugar: 34 g
- Sodium: 291 mg
- Fat: 24 g
- Saturated Fat: 15 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0.1 g
- Carbohydrates: 55 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 5 g
- Cholesterol: 86 mg
