If you’re looking for a decadent dessert to serve your love on Valentine’s Day, this red velvet dessert definitely fits the bill! Even though there are several sweet layers to this dessert, it’s light enough that you can eat it without feeling completely overstuffed at the end.

Dream bars, also known as dessert lasagna or lush, are some of the most popular recipes on my site. I have a dream bar recipe for just about any palate! 

For these bars, I wanted a red velvet crust because, well, it’s almost Valentine’s Day! I used a boxed cake mix without the water to make a thicker cookie base. I thought about using the Red Velvet Oreos, but I didn’t think they’d give me the color for the crust I was going for.

Since I used the cake mix, I had to use a 9 X 13-inch baking dish. I usually make my Dream Bar recipes in an 8 X 8-inch pan, but not everything will fit in the smaller pan because the cake mix expands so much.

If you want to cut the recipe in half, my suggestion would be to use one package of the Red Velvet Oreos. To make that version of the crust instead, use the directions outlined in this recipe.

Ingredients for Red Velvet Lasagna

​Stock up at the grocery store so you’re ready to make this delicious recipe. Here’s what you need:

• One 16.5-ounce package of Red Velvet cake mix (do not follow the ingredient directions on the package!)
• 2 eggs
• ⅓ cup canola oil
• Two 3.4-ounce packages of instant vanilla pudding
• 3 cups whole milk (or you can use a lower-fat milk)
• 10 ounces cream cheese, softened to room temperature
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup confectioners’ sugar
• One 21-ounce can of cherry pie filling
• Two 8-ounce containers of Cool Whip – Dairy Whip can also be used as a substitute

If you do not wish to use Cool Whip, I have a Stabilized Whipped Cream recipe that works perfectly in all of my dream bar recipes. For these Red Velvet Cherry Dream Bars, be sure to double that whipped cream recipe.

How to Make Red Velvet Cherry Dream Bars

First, let’s make the individual layers. Then we will assemble the dessert lasagna once everything is ready!

Bake the Dream Bar Crust

1. First, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and prepare a 9 X 13-inch baking dish by spraying it lightly with cooking spray. You could also line it with parchment paper, as this may help in removing and slicing the final dessert!
2. Next, in a medium mixing bowl, lightly beat the eggs. Then add the canola oil and cake mix and mix together until thoroughly combined. Make sure there are no lumps! It will be a very thick batter, not light and airy like a cake mix.
3. With a silicone spatula, press the batter evenly into the bottom of the pan. Bake the crust in the preheated oven for 12-15 minutes or until set in the middle.
4. Transfer the baking dish to a wire rack to cool completely.

Make the Pudding

In a medium bowl, mix together the pudding mix and 3 cups of milk. Place it into the refrigerator to set.

Sweet Cheese Layer

In a separate large bowl, beat the cream cheese with an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add the confectioners’ sugar, and vanilla, and mix to combine. Fold in 2 cups of the Cool Whip or whipped cream with a silicone spatula. Set this aside until ready to assemble.

Assemble the Red Velvet Dream Bars

Now it’s time to put the whole dessert together! 

1. Take your cooled crust and place dollops of the cream cheese mixture on top. Spread evenly with an offset spatula.
2. Pour the cherry pie filling over the cream cheese and spread it into an even layer.
3. Next, add the vanilla pudding and spread it evenly over the pie filling.
4. Finally, cover the pudding layer with the remaining Cool Whip.
5. Place the entire dessert into the fridge for at least 2 hours. 
6. When you’re ready to serve it, you can decorate the bars with holiday sprinkles and red sanding sugar if desired. Enjoy!

See the complete list of ingredients and list of instructions in the recipe card below!

Tips for Cutting Red Velvet Cherry Dream Bars

• Make sure your dream bars are thoroughly chilled before cutting and serving them.
• Use a warm, sharp knife and clean it between cuts for best results.
• Use a small dessert spatula to remove individual bars cleanly!

How do I store leftover Dream Bars?

This dessert is full of perishable ingredients, including cream cheese and milk. That means you need to cover it with plastic wrap or aluminum foil (or use an airtight container with a tight-fitting lid) and store it in the refrigerator.

Can I make Red Velvet Cherry Dream Bars ahead of time?

Of course! Keep the bars covered and chilled and they’ll stay good for up to a week!

Do you love Red Velvet recipes?

Try these Red Velvet Chocolate Chip Cookies!

Red Velvet lovers will jump for joy when you make them these Red Velvet Blossom Cookies, too! They’re a red velvet chocolate cookie covered in colorful sprinkles or red sanding sugar with a chocolate heart placed in the center.

Make More Dream Bars!

You’ve got to try more of my dream bar recipes! Find them all here. These are some of the most popular ones:

• Orange Creamsicle Dream Bars
• Banana Pudding Dream Bars
• Chocolate Peanut Butter Dream Bars
• Strawberry Cheesecake Dream Bars
• Chocolate Mint Dream Bars
• Peanut Butter Cookie Dough Dream Bars

Which dream bars will you try next?

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Red Velvet Cherry Dream Bars

These Red Velvet Cherry Dream Bars with their red velvet cookie crust, sweet cheese layer, cherry pie filling, vanilla pudding and whipped topping make these bars the perfect holiday treat. Or better yet, enjoy them all year ’round.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword Red Velvet Cherry Dream Bars

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Refrigeration 2 hours hours

Total Time 2 hours hours 35 minutes minutes

Servings 16 servings

Calories 425kcal

Author Lynne Feifer

Ingredients

• 16.5 ounces Red Velvet cake mix DO NOT follow ingredient directions on package
• 2 large eggs
• ⅓ cup canola oil
• 6.8 ounces instant vanilla pudding (2) 3.4 packages
• 3 cups milk
• 10 ounces cream cheese softened to room temperature
• 1 cup confectioners’ sugar
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 21 ounces cherry pie filling
• 16 ounces Cool Whip (2) 8 ounce containers OR 2 recipes of my Stabilized Whipped Cream

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. and prepare a 9 X 13-inch baking dish by spraying it lightly with cooking spray.
• In a medium mixing bowl, lightly beat the eggs. Add the canola oil and cake mix and mix together until thoroughly combined with no lumps.
• Press batter evenly into the bottom of the prepared baking dish.
• Bake for 12 – 15 minutes until set in the middle.
• Transfer baking dish to a wire rack to cool completely.
• In a medium bowl, mix together the pudding mix and milk. Place into refrigerator to set.
• In a mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese. Add the confectioners' sugar, and vanilla, and combine.
• Fold in two cups of the Cool Whip.

To Assemble

• Place dollops of the cream cheese mixture on top of the cooled cookie crust and spread evenly.
• Place the cherry pie filling over the cream cheese and spread.
• Add the vanilla pudding.
• Cover with remaining Cool Whip.
• Place into refrigerator to set for at least two hours.
• Before serving, decorate with red colored sugar and holiday sprinkles.

Notes

If you do not wish to use Cool Whip, I have a Stabilized Whipped Cream that works perfectly in all of my dream bar recipes. For these Red Velvet Cherry Dream Bars, be sure to double the recipe.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 425kcal | Carbohydrates: 61g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 0.02g | Cholesterol: 51mg | Sodium: 427mg | Potassium: 270mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 36g | Vitamin A: 473IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 156mg | Iron: 2mg

This post was originally published January 26, 2017. It has been updated in format and with pictures on February 12, 2024.

The post Red Velvet Cherry Dream Bars appeared first on 365 Days of Baking.

You can even be your own “someone special” if it gives you an excuse to make (and eat) M&M blondies!

All I want for Valentine’s Day is for someone to surprise me with a breakfast in bed of Chocolate Cherry Pancakes for breakfast. Since I’m the pancake maker in the house, that doesn’t sound likely (but a girl can dream, right?).

SAVE THIS BLONDIE RECIPE TO YOUR FAVORITE  PINTEREST BOARD!

What I DO know for sure is that I’ll be baking a batch of these Valentine’s Day Blondies again on February 14th! Yes, I’ll share them with the other members of my household, but you can bet your last M&M I’m gonna stash a couple away just for me.

What are blondies?

Blondies are similar in consistency to a chewy, fudgy brownie, but without the chocolate. They have a sweet vanilla flavor that reminds me of chocolate chip cookie dough. Baked in one pan, then sliced into bars, blondies are the perfect handheld dessert for any occasion!

As much as I love a straightforward classic blondie, I think they’re even better when you add mix-ins.
Besides, everything is better with chocolate, right?

For this Valentine’s Day dessert, I kept it simple. A handful of Valentines M&Ms transformed the basic blondie bars into an adorable and festive treat that’ll get even the biggest cynic ready to celebrate love.

What do I need?

To make these Valentine’s M&Ms Blondies, you will need:

• flour
• baking powder
• baking soda
• salt
• butter
• brown sugar
• egg
• vanilla extract
• Valentine M&Ms

Desserts with M&Ms are some of my favorites for holiday baking. It’s so easy to switch up favorite recipes just by using different colors of M&Ms. If you want to make these blondies for other holidays, just swap out the M&Ms for another combination of colors. Or use a regular multi colored mix to enjoy these blondies all year long!

Can I freeze blondies?

Yes, blondies will hold up well to freezing. To freeze blondies, let them cool, then slice them into bars. Store the bars in a freezer safe sealed bag with parchment paper between layers. They stay good in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Valentine Desserts

As a rule of thumb, I like to make a couple of different desserts on special holidays. First, because my family is known to eat up all of my baked goods before I even get a chance to enjoy them. Second, because no one is ever disappointed to have EXTRA desserts!

These JELL-O Valentine Hearts are super easy and a hit with the kids. For the grown ups, Wasabi Chocolate Crinkle Cookies deliver rich cocoa flavor with a surprising kick. And you can never go wrong with frosted cookies, especially these Strawberry Buttercream Sugar Cookies that are pretty in pink!

Speaking of all things strawberry, these Chocolate Covered Strawberry Dream Bars are like chocolate-dipped strawberries and whipped cream all in one. They’d be an amazing addition to your Valentine’s Day celebrations, along with this Strawberry Poke Cake.

Bars and Cookie Recipes

If you like these M&M Blondies, here are a few more cookie bar recipes to try next.

• Magic Cookie Bars
• Toffee Coconut Oatmeal Bars
• Salted Caramel Cashew Brownie Bites
• Chocolate Overload Loaded Brownies
• TWIX® Bites Brownies
• PB & Fluff Brownies
• Strawberry Cheesecake Dream Bars
• No Bake Turtle Dream Bars

Tell someone you love them with a batch of red and pink M&M Blondies this Valentine’s Day!

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M&M Valentine Blondies

M&M Valentine Blondies with a colorful twist! You'll love this classic blondies recipe dotted with red, pink and white M&Ms candies. Sweet, chewy and fun to eat, these M&M Blondies are the perfect treat to bake for that someone special.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword Blondies, M&M Blondies, Valentine Blondies

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes minutes

Total Time 40 minutes minutes

Servings 12 bars

Calories 211kcal

Author Lynne Feifer

Equipment

• 1 8 X 8-inch baking pan
• 2 Mixing bowls
• 1 silicone spatula

Ingredients

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• ⅛ teaspoon baking soda
• 1 Pinch salt
• ½ cup unsalted butter melted
• 1 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1 egg beaten
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• ⅓ cup Valentine M&M's

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 350°F. Prepare an 8X8 pan by buttering it and lightly dusting with flour.
• In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
• In a medium bowl, whisk the melted butter and brown sugar together.
• Mix in the egg and vanilla.
• Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and combine thoroughly.
• Add the M&M’s and mix.
• Place batter into the pan and spread evenly
• Bake for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean.
• Place on a wire rack and cool before serving.

Nutrition

Serving: 1bar | Calories: 211kcal | Carbohydrates: 30g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 35mg | Sodium: 27mg | Potassium: 60mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 21g | Vitamin A: 269IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 35mg | Iron: 1mg

This post was originally published on 2/12/15, and has been updated with photos and in format on 1/19/22.

The post M&M Valentine Blondies appeared first on 365 Days of Baking.

Hello there! This is Leia, from Eat It & Say Yum, again. I’m excited to be sharing another recipe here on 365 with you all.

Can you believe Valentine’s Day is just around the corner! This time of the year always flies by for me. We have several family birthdays in the next few weeks, plus Valentine’s Day, and some days off from school. So it’s kind of a crazy time.

But even with all of that, I still have time for these lovely Heart Meringues. They are so pretty. So delicious. And actually not difficult to make. Have you made a meringue before? Does the thought scare you? Well DON’T be scared! You can do it.

These meringues only require three ingredients. THREE! Egg whites, cream of tartar, and sugar. Easy.

And piping them into a heart shape is easy, too. I used a piping bag, but you can even use a plastic zipper bag with one corner cut off.

The meringues cook at a low temperature for about 30 minutes, and then you leave them in the oven for another 30 minutes after the oven is turned off. This dries them out. Which makes them crispy, and airy, and light. This is not a dessert to weigh you down. Even you have a big meal before hand, this isn’t going to ruin your day. Which also makes these a great dessert to have during Spring and Summer. And you can use a variety of fruit on them. I can’t wait for summer to use fresh peaches. Yum!

Another great point about these is you can make the meringues in advance. I just leave them out on my counter, not in an airtight container, for a day or two. So I can worry about other details on Valentine’s Day, and just have these ready to go. Then all I do is top them with some macerated strawberries, and whipped cream.

What are your plans for Valentine’s Day dinner and dessert? I hope you will give these meringues a try! I just know you’ll love ’em. 😉

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Heart Meringues with Berries and Cream

Heart Meringues with Berries and Cream- so light and refreshing, they're a perfect dessert for Valentine's Day.

Author Lynne Feifer

Ingredients

Meringues

• 2 egg whites- at room temperature
• ¼ tsp cream of tartar
• ½ cup sugar

Toppings

• 3 cups sliced strawberries
• 1 ½ Tbs sugar
• 2 Tbs cold water
• 1 cup heavy whipping cream
• ¼ powdered sugar
• ½ tsp vanilla

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 275 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and grease the paper with shortening.
• In a clean glass or metal bowl, beat the egg whites with the cream of tartar until frothy- just a few seconds.
• Keep beating while you slowly add the sugar. Continue beating until the egg whites form stiff peaks, and are glossy.
• Scrape egg white mixture into a piping bag, I like to use a star tip, but it's not necessary. Pipe the egg whites onto the greased paper in the shape of hearts.
• Bake the meringues for 30 minutes then turn the oven off. Without opening the door, allow the meringues to sit in the oven for another 25-30 minutes.
• Let the meringues cool completely. Good for a couple days, no need to seal in a container.
• About 15 minutes before serving, slice the strawberries and toss them with the sugar and water. Let sit until ready to serve.
• Beat the whipped cream with the powdered sugar and vanilla until stiff peaks form. Spoon some strawberries over each meringue and top each with whipped cream, then serve.

Click here to see my other posts on 365 Days of Baking and More.

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More to love from Eat It & Say Yum:

Thank you Leia, for providing us with these Heart Meringues with Berries and Cream!
Check out these other Valentine’s Day treats…

Frosted Sugar Cookies

30+ Valentine’s Day Recipes

Jell-O Valentine Hearts

See what other bloggers are making to spice up your Valentine’s Day…
50 Adorable Ways to Love on Your Family from The House of Hendrix
25 Valentine’s Day Breakfast Recipes from Pint-Sized Treasures
Cupid Floats from Moms Need to Know
Heart Shaped Raspberry Rolls from Handle the Heat
Layered Strawberry Jell-O Cups from The First Year

Take a look at these great videos for more Valentine’s Day ideas…

I give you BIG baking hugs and muffins!!

The post Heart Meringues with Berries and Cream appeared first on 365 Days of Baking.

Can you believe Saturday is Valentine’s Day??

Seriously.
This year is F-L-Y-I-N-G.
How many more shopping days do we have until Christmas?
Kidding.

Seriously.

Easter’s just around the corner, too. I keep seeing those Reese’s Peanut Butter and Cadbury Creme Eggs in the stores. You’ll be pleased to know that I’ve been good and haven’t purchased either of them yet. I don’t know how much longer I’ll be able to hold out though, especially on the latter.

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JELL-O Valentine Hearts

Author Lynne Feifer

Ingredients

White Gelatin Layer(s)

• 1 14- ounce can sweetened condensed milk
• 2 packets unflavored Knox gelatin
• 1 ½ cups boiling water
• ½ cup cold water

Watermelon Layer

• 1 3- ounce package Watermelon JELL-O
• 2 packages unflavored Knox gelatin
• 2 cups water

Cherry Layer

• 1 3- ounce package Cherry JELL-O
• 2 packages unflavored Knox gelatin
• 2 cups water

Instructions

• Prepare a 9 X 13-inch baking dish by spraying it with cooking spray. Wipe with a paper towel. This will remove the excess, preventing the spray from affecting the flavor.

White Layer

• Mix 1 cup of boiling water with the sweetened condensed milk in a medium bowl, until dissolved.
• In a small bowl, place 1/2 cup cold water and sprinkle 2 packets of the unflavored gelatin over the top. Let it stand for 2-3 minutes, until the gelatin looks grainy. Add 1/2 cup boiling water to the bowl and stir until gelatin dissolves completely. Add this mixture to the condensed milk and stir to combine. Pour into prepared baking dish and chill in refrigerator for 45 minutes or until set.

Watermelon Layer (pink)

• Meanwhile, prepare the watermelon gelatin by pouring one cup of water into a small saucepan and sprinkle the 2 packets of Knox gelatin onto the water. Allow to sit for 1 - 2 minutes. Heat on low while stirring constantly until gelatin dissolves. This should take about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and add the 1 package of watermelon Jell-O. Stir until dissolved.Add the second cup of water and mix. Gently pour on top of the white layer. Refrigerate for 15 minutes.
• If using a white layer in between the watermelon and cherry JELL-O, now is the time for that! You'll refrigerate this layer for 15 minutes.

Cherry Layer (red)

• Pour one cup of water into a small saucepan and sprinkle the 2 packets of Knox gelatin onto the water. Allow to sit for 1 - 2 minutes. Heat on low while stirring constantly until gelatin dissolves. This should take about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and add the package of cherry Jell-O. Stir until dissolved and add the second cup of water. Gently pour on top of the watermelon or white layer, and refrigerate for 15 minutes.
• Press heart shaped cookie cutters into the JELL-O. I found I was able to make more hearts by placing one right side up and then one next to it upside down - uses less space.
• Using a metal spatula, gently remove them from the pan. To help with the removal, spray the spatula as well with cooking spray and wiping that with a paper towel.

Notes

NOTE If you want to a white gelatin later in between the watermelon and cherry, just pour one cup of the white gelatin into the bottom of the pan for the first layer and set in the fridge for 20 minutes. Then, gently pour the second cup of white gelatin over the watermelon layer and refrigerate for 15 minutes before topping it with the cherry JELL-O.

I rate everything I make on a scale of 1 -4 and these JELL-O Valentine Hearts earned 4 rolling pins!
These are going to be such a great treat on Valentine’s Day. They aren’t the typical candy or chocolate, so it’s a nice change and what kid 0r adult for that matter doesn’t like JELL-O?
They’re easy, fun and yummy.

If you want to make them with vodka, just substitute the second cup of water with either plain or flavored vodka in the watermelon and cherry layers after adding each gelatin.

When you make them, I’d love to see a picture! Tag us with #365daysofbaking on Twitter, Facebook, and/or Instagram!

If you like these Jell-O Valentine Hearts, then you’ll enjoy…

Strawberry Poke Cake

Heart Meringues with Berries and Cream

30+ Valentine’s Day Recipes

Take a look at these great videos for more Valentine’s Day ideas…

The post JELL-O Valentine Hearts appeared first on 365 Days of Baking.