Red Velvet Cookie Bars Using Cake Mix

Red Velvet Cookie Bars, made with cake mix and light ingredients, are the perfect semi-homemade sweet treat for Valentine’s Day and Galentine’s Day! Crisp on top and moist and chocolatey throughout, these bars are everything you’d expect from a downright delicious red velvet cookie.

Jump to:

• Why You'll Love This Recipe
• Ingredients You'll Need
• Step-By-Step Instructions
• Expert Tips
• Topping Ideas
• Storing & Freezing
• Recipe FAQ's
• More Cake Mix Recipes You'll Love
• Red Velvet Cookie Bars Using Cake Mix
• #respond

Looking for more Valentine’s Day recipe ideas? Check out my Heart-Shaped Linzer Cookies and this Valentine's Charcuterie Board guide.

If you have red velvet cake mix, ignore the instructions on the box and make red velvet bars instead. This doctored red velvet cake mix recipe results in a batch of cookie bars with delicately crisped tops and soft and chewy middles -with heavenly morsels of ooey-gooey white chocolate in every bite!

These bars are sensational as is, but imagine a silky layer of cream cheese frosting on top. In this post, we’ll discuss how to bake a failproof batch of red velvet bars using cake mix, plus optional decorating and frosting options to make a truly decadent dessert.

Why You'll Love This Recipe

• EASY Valentine’s Day dessert. These cookie bars are seriously so easy to make. The dough is mixed in one bowl with no fancy equipment, and cleanup is a breeze!
• It’s a doctored red velvet cake mix! Yet the results are a batch of red velvet cookie bars that taste homemade. 
• Made with lighter, healthy-ish ingredients. These cookie bars have fewer calories, less added sugar, and more protein than most, thanks to sugar-free pudding and Greek yogurt.

Ingredients You'll Need

• Red Velvet Cake Mix: You can’t go wrong with Betty Crocker or Duncan Hines red velvet cake mix.  
• Vanilla Pudding Mix: Mixing cake mix with pudding mix ultimately makes a thick, cookie dough consistency. I used sugar-free, but you can also use regular vanilla pudding mix. 
• Canola Oil + Water: Helps bind the dry and wet ingredients, creating a strong, moist cookie dough. 
• Greek Yogurt: The creaminess helps keep the bars fluffy and moist while imparting a rich tanginess. You can use plain yogurt. However, Greek yogurt has less sugar and more protein. 
• Eggs: They help create structure and stability. For the best results, use room-temperature eggs. 
• White Chocolate Chips: This ingredient is a no-brainer. Red velvet and white chocolate are meant for each other.

Step-By-Step Instructions

Step 1: Prepare for baking. Preheat the oven to 350 °F, and spray a 9x13” baking pan lightly with cooking spray. 

Step 2: Make “cookie dough” batter. First, mix the cake mix and pudding mix in a medium bowl. Next, add the oil, water, Greek yogurt, and eggs and stir well to combine. Then, fold in the white chocolate chips.

Step 3: Pour batter and bake. Add the batter to the baking pan, spreading it out in a smooth, even layer (it will be thick like cookie dough). Then, transfer to the oven and bake until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean (20-25 minutes).

Step 4: Cool and slice. Let cool to room temperature, then slice into bars, and enjoy! Keep reading for delicious ways to decorate your red velvet bars, if you please.

NOTE: You can print the FULL recipe with all ingredients & detailed instructions below!

Expert Tips

• Work with room temperature ingredients. As with most cookie doughs, the dry and wet ingredients will mix much more smoothly if the eggs and yogurt aren’t cold.  
• Do not overmix the dough. Or else the bars will rise and fall flat in the oven. Instead, mix until just combined and gently fold in the white chocolate chips, and your bars should turn out firm on the surface and pleasantly soft and chewy throughout. 
• Let cool before slicing. It may be tempting to skip this step, but patience is vital! If you cut into the bars while they’re warm, they are guaranteed to fall apart. However, if cooled, you’ll slice perfectly cohesive bars.

Topping Ideas

These red velvet bars are divine as is, but sifting powdered sugar over the top or adding a layer of frosting is always a good idea. Keep it simple with thawed Cool Whip, or try one of these decadent homemade frostings. Be sure the bars are cooled completely before decorating!

• Cream cheese frosting – Blend ½ cup softened cream cheese, ¼ cup Greek yogurt, 4 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar, and ½ teaspoon vanilla extract together in a large mixing bowl until smooth.
• Whipped vanilla frosting – In a medium bowl, cream a tub of Cool Whip with a box of instant vanilla pudding, 1 cup of milk, and 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract. 
• Vanilla buttercream frosting – Mix ¼ cup softened butter, 1 cup confectioners sugar, and 1 tablespoon milk until fluffy.

Storing & Freezing

Storing: After cooling, place the bars in an airtight container, with wax paper placed between layers (or wrap the bars individually in plastic wrap). Keep refrigerated for up to 2 weeks. 

Freezing: Wrap cooled cookie bars individually in plastic and a layer of foil or place them in freezer-safe zip-top bags with wax paper between layers and freeze for up to 3 months. To thaw, you can microwave single bars for 30-60 seconds. Easy!

Recipe FAQ's

More Cake Mix Recipes You'll Love

If you love this recipe, please leave a comment with a five-star rating — or simply hit the five-star button in the recipe card. Don't forget to signup for my newsletter!