Quick, easy and delicious, these red, white and blue bars can be whipped up in minutes!
I can’t believe June is almost over. I’m really enjoying the break from school and our typical schedule, and the slower pace that summer brings. Sure it’s 120 degrees here in Phoenix, but if it means no homework, backpacks to unpack, lunch boxes to pack, I’ll take it. But my pesky calendar says July is knocking on the door, so I guess we should bake some red, white and blue treats and let it in.
These Red, White And Blue Bars are ridiculously easy. Seriously. You need a bowl, a spoon and a 13×9 pan. You don’t even need a measuring cup. They start with a cake mix, which is what keeps them super simple. If you want to go completely from scratch, this recipe looks like a great option. I would say these are more like a bar cookie than a cake.
My oldest daughter loves all things red velvet, and while you can never go wrong with a red velvet cake, these are fun alternative and a great time saver.
I found these cute red, white and blue M&Ms at Target. What would I do without seasonal M&Ms? Such a quick way to add a great pop of color to your treats.
So, to make these you are going to combine your cake mix, 1/2 cup of butter, melted (one standard size stick) and two eggs. That’s it! Add in your M&Ms, pop in the oven for about 20 minutes and you are good to go. Easy, peasy, lemon squeezy.
You can leave out the M&Ms if you like, use a different color or replace them with something else. Chocolate chips or white chocolate chips would both be great.
Slice them up and they are ready to serve. While I love frosting, I find that bars like these are often less messy and easier to transport to summer parties or events, at least if we are using my youngest as an example. But if you want to frost these, do it, I’m not the boss of you.
Make sure to also try my Red, White and Blue Cocktail!
Red, White And Blue Bars
Red, White And Blue Bars
Ingredients
- 1 oz standard size Red Velvet Cake Mix (I used Duncan Hines 16.5)
- 1/2 cup butter (melted (1 standard size stick))
- 2 eggs
- 1 M bag Red (White & Blue &Ms candies (other varieties can be used as well, or you can omit))
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Line a 13×9 baking pan with foil and spray lightly with non-stick cooking spray.
- Combine cake mix, eggs and melted butter and stir until well combined. Mix in 1/2 of your M&Ms candies.
- Spoon mixture into prepared pan and press lightly with fingers to fill pan with your dough. Sprinkle remaining M&Ms candies on top.
- Bake for approximately 15-20 minutes, you don’t want to over bake or they will dry out.
- Remove from oven, allow to cool, slice and serve!
The nutrition facts provided are calculated using a third-party tool and are estimates only. Actual nutritional content may vary based on the ingredients and brands you use, as well as portion sizes. For accurate results, please consult a registered dietitian or nutritionist.
Now let’s all get ready for July and enjoy some red velvet cookie bars!
Meet Christi, Love From The Oven
I’m Christi I love sharing easy & delicious recipes that your family & friends will love. I’m a mom, baker, cookbook author and lover of sprinkles.
This recipe is perfection!! Followed directions just as you mentioned and had no issues. The batter was extremely thick, even for brownies, but I trusted the process and they came out perfect!! I was worried reading some of the comments, but after all was said and done, it seems like some people should just stay out of the kitchen. It is very hard to screw this one up. Thanks for sharing the recipe.
Great recipe!! I was almost deterred by the negative comments: “You can’t get the batter out of the bowl” (NOT TRUE), “impossible to spread “(NOT TRUE), “you have to bake for 30 minutes”(NOT TRUE). Just follow the directions! One cake mix, one stick of melted butter, 2 eggs and M&M’s. I baked them for 15 minutes. Brought them to a 4th of July party where the kids promptly devoured them!! Great idea and great easy recipe! Thanks!!!
So glad you enjoyed it!
Edited To Add: **I’m reposting the results of the bars after they cooled. The batter was so thick, it was really hard to get it out of the mixer bowl and smoothed down in the pain. It took about 30 minutes to bake, not 15-20. To my surprise, after they cooled they were a firm chewy cookie bar. They are quite tasty. I did not put the m&m’s on my bars because I wanted to frost them with Ermine buttercream icing. I cant wait until they are iced and set. Yum!
—
I was looking for a red velvet bar recipe using the cake mix, instead of from scratch. I haven’t rated the bars yet because they are on a rack cooling. I don’t know if they even turned out. The batter was thick in the mixer and it was next to impossible to spread out in the baking dish. After 15 minutes it was still gooey batter. 20 minutes the same. 30 minutes and it was a big air puff! I pulled it out and patted it done. I used a toothpic and it was still mostly batter. 5 minutes more . . .5 minutes more. It finally got to a point it seemed firm, so I took it out and put it on a rack. I had to come back to the site to see if I did anything wrong. Nope. One of the comments indicated you were suppose to follow the cake directions then the authors directions. That’s impossible. It wouldn’t be a bar. If it turns out, I’ll come back and tell you. The author should have included more information of what to expect each phase to look like. And, the comments are over 5 years old. Why am I wasting my time and why would someone leave a disaster recipe on their blog without correcting it?
While I’m glad you enjoyed the bars, Rea, maybe finish baking before taking the time to blast the person, in comments and by email, who provided you a free recipe. This “disaster recipe” is basically a three ingredient cake mix recipe that’s as old as time, and they turned out exactly as shown/mentioned. It seems the only time spent wasted was the premature ranting comment.
Am I using the whole cake mix or just 1 oz of the mix?
The whole mix!
Make these today. Are you only to use 1 oz. of the cake mix?
I couldn’t find a red velvet cake so I just got a white cake. The directions on the box are different from yours. The box calls for 3 eggs, 1/2 cup of oil, I cup of water. Which one should I go by?
The box directions are different than his recipe because the box makes a cake and this recipe makes a more fudgy bar texture. Follow this recipe for cookie bars!
Did you also follow the directions to make the red velvet and add the listed ingredients? Otherwise it comes out pretty dry and stiff.
Christie, I’m confused.. 1 stick of butter is 1/4 of a cup, want to make today.. is one stick or two????
Hi Cindy, I’m not sure if you are outside the US, but the standard size sticks are 1/2 cup in the US. Hope that helps!
I live in Canada and can’t find the red, white and blue M’M’s. Any other suggestions that I could use ?,also looking for nut free.
Kim, check out Sixlets, not only can you get them in a variety of colors but they are nut free (I have a daughter with peanut and tree nut allergies, so I totally get it). They are more round than M&Ms are, but you can get a variety of colors, I’m fairly certain they are available in Canada and they are nut free.
Thanks for the shoutout! This version is making me drool fo realz!