CHEWY RED VELVET COOKIE BARS

Chewy Red Velvet Cookie Bars image

Provided by Dan Langan

Categories dessert

Time 1h50m

Yield 16 bars

Number Of Ingredients 15

Nonstick cooking spray
1 1/4 cups (155 grams) all-purpose flour
1/4 cup (20 grams) Dutch-process cocoa powder
10 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
2 ounces cream cheese (1/4 of an 8-ounce package), at room temperature
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons (135 grams) granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed (110 grams) light brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon fine salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 large egg, at room temperature
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2 teaspoons red food coloring
1/2 teaspoon white or cider vinegar
1/2 cup white chocolate chips
1/2 cup mini semisweet chocolate chips

Steps:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Spray a 9-inch square baking pan with nonstick cooking spray and line it with parchment.
Whisk together the flour and cocoa in a small bowl; set aside.
Combine the butter, cream cheese, granulated and brown sugars, salt and baking soda in a medium bowl. Stir with a rubber spatula until combined. Some bits of cream cheese may remain. Add the egg, vanilla extract, food coloring and vinegar; stir to combine.
Add the cocoa mixture and 1/4 cup each of the white chocolate chips and mini chips to the medium bowl; stir just until no streaks of flour remain.
Transfer the dough to the prepared baking pan and spread until smooth. Scatter the remaining 1/4 cup each of the white chocolate chips and mini chips evenly over the top.
Bake until puffed and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs attached, 30 to 32 minutes. Let cool completely in the pan then remove and cut into 16 bars.