These delicious WW Red Velvet Bars are super easy to make, and they’re only 1 WW point per serving! Red velvet has a unique flavor since it just has a hint of chocolate from the cocoa powder, and the vinegar makes it slightly tangy. This is why cream cheese icing always pairs so well with it since it is tangy too, but also creamy! This dessert has the perfect balance of sweetness. You’ll love sinking your teeth into these delicious, chewy bars.
Aside from their lovely taste, they also have an eye-catching look. The vibrant red color certainly helps them stand out from the crowd. Usually, blondies or brownies, which are similar to these, are made with oil and regular sugar. However, I lightened up the recipe to make it more fitting for WW. I used applesauce in place of oil and an alternative sweetener in place of the sugar. With these swaps, you can enjoy a yummy dessert without all of your points being taken up.
If you like this recipe, there are plenty of other dessert ideas for you to try out over at my baking recipe collection. This section has a variety of cakes, muffins, pies, and more for you to make.
Why You Should Try This Recipe
- It takes less than an hour from start to finish. This is a quick baking recipe for those who don’t have time to spend hours in the kitchen!
- It makes a lot of servings. This recipe makes 15 bars, so there are plenty of portions to go around! It is wonderful for parties and other get-togethers.
- You can freeze them for later. Make a batch of these red velvet bars, cut them, and freeze them to get ahead for parties (or if you just want a readily available sweet treat that you can enjoy whenever).
Recipe Overview
- Serving Size: 1 bar
- Number of Servings: 15
- Time to Cook: 30 minutes
- WW Points Per Recipe: 1 WW point per serving (Click here to view the recipe in the WW app. WW login is required)
Ingredients in Weight Watchers Red Velvet Bars
Red Velvet Bars
- 1 ¼ cups All-purpose flour
- 3 tbsp Cocoa powder
- 1 tbsp Cornstarch
- ¾ cup unsweetened applesauce
- 1 cup + 2 tbsp Zero-calorie granulated sugar substitute (or sugar)
- 2 Eggs
- 1 tsp Vanilla extract
- 2-3 tbsp Red food dye
- ¾ tsp Distilled white vinegar
Icing (optional)
- 1.5 oz reduced-fat cream cheese, softened
- 3-4 tbsp powdered zero calorie sweetener (or powdered sugar)
- 2 tbsp milk, plus more if needed
Instructions for making Weight Watchers Red Velvet Bars
- Preheat oven to 350F. Make the red velvet batter by first combining the sweetener and applesauce in one bowl and the remaining dry ingredients in another.
2. Stir the dry ingredients to get rid of lumps. In the other bowl, whisk the applesauce and sweetener until combined, then add the remaining wet ingredients. You can start with less dye and add more if needed to adjust to your liking.
3. Mix the dry ingredients into the wet and gently fold until a batter forms. Be careful not to overmix. Transfer the batter to a greased 9×9 or 8×11 baking dish. Bake for about 30 minutes or until thoroughly baked.
4. Allow the red velvet bars to cool. If using, make the icing by mixing all ingredients together, adding more sweetener or milk to fit your desired sweetness and texture. Drizzle over cooled red velvet bars.
Variations and Substitutions
- Red Velvet Blondies with Chocolate Chips: You can mix some white chocolate chips into the batter if you wish! I suggest using Lily’s white chocolate chips, which have no added sugar.
- Red Velvet Cheesecake Bars: Put a twist on these bars by adding a cheesecake layer on top. You can make a simple cheesecake batter and spread a thin layer of it on the bars before baking. Make sure it isn’t too thick; otherwise, it won’t bake through.
- Red Velvet Bars with Oreos: For a splurge version, you can add broken Oreo pieces on top. Oreos pair wonderfully with sweet red velvet treats, which would give the bars a unique look!
- Make it Zero Points: You can cut the bars into 18 servings instead of 15.
- Sweetener vs Sugar: You can undoubtedly use granulated sugar if you don’t like to use sugar substitutes. However, this will increase the WW points. You can modify the recipe in the app to determine the amount of new points.
- Food Coloring Type: Gel food coloring will also work here. I have not tested this recipe with beetroot or other natural types of red food dye, so I’m not sure how much it would affect the texture of the red velvet bars.
Tips and Tricks for Making Weight Watchers Red Velvet Bars
- Be careful not to overmix the batter, as it will give them a tough consistency.
- Adjust the red color to your liking. You can make it more or less vibrant; the amount is just a guideline, and every food dye brand differs.
- Ideally, remove the eggs from the refrigerator about 20 minutes before making this recipe because it will help them blend better into the other ingredients.
- Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. If you don’t ice them, you can also freeze them for up to 3 months!
- Allow the red velvet bars to cool in the pan for about 10 minutes before slicing.
Related Recipes
Red Velvet Bars
Ingredients
Red Velvet Bars
- 1 ¼ cups All-purpose flour
- 3 tbsp Cocoa powder
- 1 tbsp Cornstarch
- ¾ cup Unsweetened applesauce
- 1 cup + 2 tbsp Zero-calorie granulated sugar substitute, or sugar
- 2 Eggs
- 1 tsp Vanilla extract
- 2-3 tbsp Red food dye
- ¾ tsp Distilled white vinegar
Icing (optional)
- 1.5 oz reduced- fat cream cheese, softened
- 3-4 tbsp powdered zero calorie sweetener, or powdered sugar
- 2 tbsp milk, plus more if needed
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F. Make the red velvet batter by first combining the sweetener and applesauce in one bowl and the remaining dry ingredients in another.
- Stir the dry ingredients to get rid of lumps. In the other bowl, whisk the applesauce and sweetener until combined, then add the remaining wet ingredients. You can start with less dye and add more if needed to adjust to your liking.
- Mix the dry ingredients into the wet and gently fold until a batter forms. Be careful not to overmix. Transfer the batter to a greased 9×9 or 8×11 baking dish. Bake for about 30 minutes or until thoroughly baked.
- Allow the red velvet bars to cool. Make the frosting by mixing all ingredients together, adding more sweetener or milk to fit your desired sweetness and texture. Drizzle over cooled red velvet bars.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
