Red Velvet Bars

If you love red velvet cake, then you’ll love these homemade Red Velvet Bars from scratch without cake mix, complete with cream cheese frosting. They’re small batch sugar cookie bars baked in a loaf pan. As a blogger, I couldn’t get through February and not post a red velvet recipe, right? I know, I know. You’re tired of seeing red and pink, and everything that could be turned into red velvet has been turned into red velvet. What if I told you I made a red velvet recipe that appeals to laziness? What if you wanted to decorate cookies but don’t have the time nor energy to cut out shapes like my Red Velvet Sugar Cookies? That’s why I made these Red Velvet Bars, which are made in a loaf pan for minimal leftovers. Depending on how you cut them, you can have anywhere from 3 – 8 bars. On top I frosted them with a small batch cream cheese frosting then decorated with cute Valentine’s Day sprinkles (although you can use any kind all year round). I do it every year – the holiday passes and I regret not making enough holiday recipes. I didn’t use my sprinkles. I didn’t use my cupcake liners. I didn’t embrace the holiday spirit and always want to dive right into last minute recipe ideas before the next holiday takes place Valentine’s Day is the perfect holiday to share a small batch with your favorite person as you pair a box with some flowers. Maybe you want to say thank you to the mailman who trudges through the snow. Or say thank you to the crossing guard who is bundled up in -10 degrees weather. Valentine’s Day is about showing love, not just for couples but for the everyday people in your life. Traditionally red velvet is paired with cream cheese frosting, so naturally I made a small batch to frost on top.

So, what DOES red velvet taste like?

Red velvet cake is traditionally a rich cocoa-flavored cake made with buttermilk, vinegar, and of course red food coloring. It tastes like a mellow chocolate cake since it uses cocoa and not melted chocolate. Because cookies don’t typically have liquid in them, I focused on the cocoa and food coloring in my recipe.

More Red Velvet Recipes

• Red Velvet Oreo Cheesecake
• Small Batch Red Velvet Cupcakes

More Cookie Bar Recipes

If you loved this recipe, check out my other cookie bar recipes:

• Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars
• Snickerdoodle Cookie Bars
• Gingerbread Cookie Bars
• Coconut Cookie Bars
• Brownie Cookie Bars
• Smores Cookie Bars