Description
Delightfully rich and colorful Red Velvet Cookie Bars featuring a tender, cocoa-infused base studded with creamy white chocolate chips and topped with smooth cream cheese frosting. Perfect for festive occasions or a sweet treat anytime.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Wet Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
- 2 large eggs
- 2 tablespoons red food coloring
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Add-ins and Topping
- 1 cup white chocolate chips
- 1 cup cream cheese frosting, for topping (store-bought or homemade)
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare Pan: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 9×13-inch baking pan with parchment paper and lightly grease it to prevent sticking.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt until well combined. Set aside.
- Cream Butter and Sugars: In a large mixing bowl, use an electric mixer to beat the softened butter with granulated sugar and brown sugar until the mixture is creamy and smooth.
- Add Eggs: Incorporate the eggs one at a time into the butter mixture, mixing well after each addition to ensure an even texture.
- Add Color and Flavor: Stir in the red food coloring and vanilla extract until the batter is uniformly colored and fragrant.
- Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients: Gradually add the dry ingredient mixture to the wet ingredients, mixing on low speed until just combined to avoid overmixing.
- Fold in Chocolate Chips: Gently fold the white chocolate chips into the batter, distributing them evenly throughout.
- Spread Batter: Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan and spread it evenly with a spatula for uniform thickness.
- Bake: Bake in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, indicating doneness.
- Cool in Pan: Remove the bars from the oven and allow them to cool in the pan for about 15 minutes.
- Cool Completely: Transfer the bars to a wire rack to cool completely, preparing them for frosting.
- Add Frosting and Serve: Once fully cooled, spread the cream cheese frosting evenly over the top. Cut into squares or bars and serve.
Notes
- If you prefer, you can make homemade cream cheese frosting using cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract.
- Ensure not to overmix the batter after adding dry ingredients to keep the bars tender.
- Use parchment paper to easily lift the bars out of the pan for cutting.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- Room temperature cream cheese frosting spreads best on cooled bars to prevent melting.
