Thick, chewy Red Velvet Cheesecake Bars layered with a creamy cheesecake filling in-between two cakey brownie layers.

Red Velvet Gooey Bars Recipe

Have you ever had a gooey bar?

Inspired by St Louis Gooey Cake (aka, St Louis Butter Cake), gooey bars feature a dense, pressed base and a soft, slightly under-baked center consisting of a sweetened condensed milk and cream cheese-based center.

They are like a cross between a brownie and a soft cookie on the outside, with a cheesecake (or custardy) center that makes them a little bit messy… but aren’t most of the best desserts?

Today, we’re turning the classic gooey bar on it’s head with a fun red velvet twist! Combining the ultra chocolatey flavor of red velvet cake with the tang and richness of a simple, 2-ingredient cheesecake center to make a rich, decadent dessert that is perfect for satisfying multiple dessert cravings at once:

• Brownies? Check.
• Red Velvet Cake? Check.
• Cheesecake? Check.

We’re whipping these up for Valentine’s Day but I can’t think of a single occasion that I wouldn’t be excited to dig my fork into a giant square of these red velvet gooey bars!

— Jennifer

Red Velvet Cheesecake Bar Ingredients

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• 2 boxes of red velvet cake mix
• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup sweetened condensed milk
• 6 oz cream cheese, softened
• 2 cups white chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup chocolate sprinkles

Kitchen Tools You May Find Helpful

• 9″ x 13″ Casserole Dish
• Measuring Cups and Spoons
• Mixing Bowl
• Electric Mixer

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a 9×13 baking dish with parchment paper

Using a standing mixer, beat the cake mix, butter, and eggs until combined and a thick dough forms

In a large bowl, whisk together the cream cheese and sweetened condensed milk until combined and smooth

Press about 2/3 of your dough into the bottom of the baking dish

Sprinkle white chocolate chips onto the dough

Pour the milk mixture over the white chocolate chips

Spread evenly the remaining of the dough over the white chocolate chips

Sprinkle the chocolate sprinkles over the top of the bars

Bake in the oven for 30-40 minutes or until the center is set

Remove and allow to cool completely before cutting into bars and enjoying!

Prep Tips:

• Let the cream cheese fully soften before mixing. Cold cream cheese will leave lumps that never quite smooth out once baked.
• Press the dough evenly into the pan using lightly greased hands or the bottom of a measuring cup to avoid thin spots that overbake.
• Use full-fat mascarpone in place of cream cheese for a silkier, less tangy filling.
• You can tell that these red velvet bars are done when the edges look set and lightly golden, while the center still has a slight jiggle. It will firm up as it cools.

More Cheesecake Recipes You’ll Love

• Strawberry Sopapilla Cheesecake Bars
• Raspberry Cheesecake Tart
• No Bake Strawberry Cheesecakes
• Instant Pot Raspberry Cheesecake
• Sopapilla Cheesecake Bars
• Snickers Cheesecake

Red Velvet Gooey Bars Recipe (Printable Recipe Card):

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You might also like our Red Velvet Cake Mix Cookies or our Nutella-Stuffed Red Velvet Cookies.