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Some weeks just don’t go like you plan.
I spent hours and hours working in the kitchen creating these Red Velvet Sugar Cookie Bars and was beyond anxious to share them with you! My kids went absolute bonkers over them and I couldn’t get them out to you fast enough. I was working on editing the photos on Photoshop to post the next day when disaster struck……my computer screen went black. Good glory! The computer shut down completely only to never see the light of day again.
The motherboard was fried. (insert crying emjoji here)
Anyone else been in my shoes? If you have, you can agree that this would be the beginning of a very bad day.
The good news is that I walked right into Costco, picked up a brand spanking new computer, spent days downloading all of my programs and all of the Modern Honey framework and I am back up and running! Hallelujah!
Now, let’s talk about these beauties because I have been chomping at the bit to share them with you. I literally had vultures (okay, they were really my children + their squad) over here devouring these Red Velvet Sugar Cookie Bars. My 13-year-old declared that these were his FAVORITE thing I have EVER baked. I basically bake every single day of my life so that’s saying something.
You are going to love the simplicity of this recipe. It’s as if a Triple Layer Red Velvet Cake has been transformed into a cookie bar. It’s a rich, soft red velvet cookie topped off with the perfectly sweetened cream cheese frosting, a mix of butter and cream cheese because obviously “butter makes everything better.” You are going to fall in major LOVE with these Red Velvet Sugar Cookie Bars.
Since 4th of July is coming up and is one of the biggest entertaining days of the year, this is the ultimate bar to bring to the BBQ. Top it with red and blue M & M’s or sparkling sugar and you have one festive looking bar.
Cookie bars are actually one of the easiest and most underrated desserts. Cakes can be complicated as there’s no room for error when stacking cake layers and your frosting skills have to be on point. Here’s one of the best things about these bars – you literally spread the cookie batter in a 9 x 13 pan, place the bars in the oven, and top the bars with simple sweet cream cheese frosting. This cream cheese frosting is ridiculously delicious.
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Red Velvet Sugar Cookie Bars
Ingredients
Red Velvet Cookie Bars:
- 1 cup Butter softened
- 1 1/2 cup Sugar
- 2 Eggs
- 2 teaspoons Vanilla
- 1 1/2 Tablespoons Red Food Coloring
- 1/3 cup Cocoa Powder
- 2 cups Flour
- 3/4 teaspoon Baking Soda
- 1/2 teaspoon Salt
Cream Cheese Frosting:
- 1/2 cup Butter softened
- 1 - 8 ounce pkg. Cream Cheese softened
- 3 cups Powdered Sugar
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla optional
- 1/8 teaspoon Salt if using unsalted butter
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- In large bowl, cream together butter and sugar for 4 minutes.
- Add eggs, vanilla, and red food coloring and mix until combined.
- Add cocoa, flour, baking soda, and salt and stir together.
- Lightly spray a 9 x 13 pan with non-stick cooking spray and spread batter evenly in pan.
- Bake for 18 - 22 minutes, or until toothpick or cake tester comes out clean. Cool.
- Frosting:
- In large bowl, cream together butter and cream cheese until light and fluffy. Add powdered sugar and stir until combined. Add optional vanilla and salt. Chill for 5 minutes.
- Spread onto cooled red velvet cookie bars. Garnish with sparkling sugar, white sprinkles, or M & M's. Cut into squares
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I can’t wait to hear about how much you LOVE these Red Velvet Sugar Cookie Bars. Share this recipe with your friends because that’s what good friends do. 🙂 Thanks for your amazing support! xoxo – Melissa
Happy Baking!
So yummy!
Made these and they were awesome!!