There’s something magical about red velvet, isn’t there? These red velvet cookies bring all the charm of the classic cake into a soft, cake-like cookie in bite-sized form. With their vibrant color, hint of cocoa and vanilla, they’re the perfect treat to brighten my day, any day! Bonus? A white chocolate heart makes them extra cute 🙂
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🍪Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Ease level: Beginner friendly! You’ll only need one bowl for this recipe.
Flavor profile: A subtle chocolatey and vanilla-y base! Everything you love about a red velvet cake but in cookie form 🙂
I love adding more recipe ideas for cookies into my repertoire because you can never have too many! This Red velvet cookie recipe is a classic that definitely made sense to have. It's perfect for Christmas cookie season, Valentine's Day, Mother's Day, and it's just an all-purpose treat to celebrate anything really! It's especially cute if you add a little white chocolate heart like I did😍 using a silicone mold and melted chocolate.
🥣Main Ingredients
Cocoa Powder adds a subtle chocolate flavor to the cookies without being overpowering. Just a touch is all you need.
Vanilla adds depth and warmth to the flavor profile. It enhances the sweetness and balances with the chocolate flavor from the cocoa powder, making the cookie taste richer.
Baking Powder is a leavening agent that help cookies rise and spread. Baking powder ensures the cookies are light and tender. They give the cookies a soft, cakey texture.
Red Gel Food Coloring: This is the star of red velvet! Gel food coloring creates that iconic vibrant red color without watering down the batter. Unlike liquid food coloring, gel has a more concentrated color that gives the cookies their bold hue with just a few drops.
✨Step By Step Instructions
step by step picture instructions to be added in the future. Thank you! :)
Substitutions/Variations
Want to switch it up? Here are some variations and substitutions you can try
✧ദ്ദി( ˶^ᗜ^˶ ):
- A cream cheese frosting drizzle or white chocolate chips takes them to the next level! I loved adding a little white chocolate heart for the cuteness~
Enjoy! ദ്ദി ˉ͈̀꒳ˉ͈́ )✧ Please tag @sparklecakerie if you make this! I’d love to see and share your creations ♡⸜(˶˃ ᵕ ˂˶)⸝♡⋆˚✿˖°
🍴Equipment
- rubber spatula
- ice cream scoop or spoons, to portion out cookie dough
- cookie sheet/tray
- parchment paper or baking pan spray
- mixing bowl
🍪How To Store/Freeze Red Velvet Cookies
- For Baked Cookies:
- At room temperature, store cookies in an airtight container or resealable plastic bag. For soft cookies, place a slice of bread in the container to maintain moisture. Cookies stay fresh for 3-5 days. Crisp cookies may last slightly longer but may lose some crunch over time.
- In the freezer, Place cooled cookies in a single layer on a baking sheet to freeze, then transfer to a freezer-safe bag or container. Separate layers with parchment paper if you'd like to help prevent them from sticking when freezing the cookies. Cookies remain fresh for up to 3 months. Let them sit at room temperature for about 15 minutes or reheat in a 300°F (150°C) oven for a few minutes to refresh the texture when thawing.
- For Unbaked Cookie Dough:
- In the fridge, wrap dough tightly in plastic wrap or store in an airtight container. Dough can be refrigerated for 2-3 days before baking. Bake directly from fully chilled at 325 F / 163 C (with fan) or 350 F / 176 C (without fan), adding 2-3 minutes to the original baking time.
- In the freezer, shape dough into balls and freeze on a baking sheet until solid. Transfer to a freezer-safe bag or container, removing excess air. Frozen dough lasts up to 3 months. Bake directly from frozen at 325 F / 163 C (with fan) or 350 F / 176 C (without fan), adding 2-3 minutes to the original baking time. I love freezing extra cookie dough whenever I make batches so I always have a freshly baked treat whenever I want :)
‼️Pro Tip
freeze your extra cookie dough! Having a cookie dough freezer stash is my secret weapon for late night cravings (who else loves a freshly baked cookie at 9pm??) and last-minute hosting guests/gifting! Pre-portioned dough means warm, freshly baked cookies are always 15 minutes away, no thawing needed. Will I bake them all at once? Probably…but I don’t see the problem :)
I've been using these stainless steel stackable containers. They aren't completely air tight but if you plan to only freeze for about a month, they should be okay without freezer burn. Each container should fit about 8x (1.5oz) scooped cookie doughs. To make it more airtight, use this press & seal before placing the lid on top to store the frozen cookie dough for up to 3 months. Until I find a better container, this is what I've been doing for now. Hope this helps. 💙✨
⏲️Overwhelmed? Make Ahead!
Do you feel overwhelmed or have a busy schedule but still want to bake this recipe?! Here is a general idea of the work flow I would do as a professionally trained baker (with a degree in Baking & Pastry Arts) and years of experience in NYC bakeries to help you have more fun!⬇٩(^ᗜ^ )و ´-
(Spoiler (ᴗ͈ˬᴗ͈)ꕤ.ﾟ: most bakes in professional kitchens/bakeries are broken down into steps for efficiency. We usually aren't measuring, mixing, baking EVERYTHING on the same day. Some components are prepped beforehand so don't feel bad if you feel like you aren't accomplishing what you'd like to in your baking journey, you just haven't figured out the right system yet! Let me help you with that~⋆˙♡)
You can combine any of the work days to suit your timeline. The idea is you really don't have to make everything in ONE DAY! My recipe card below is written in a way to make and bake this in one day for recipe structuring purposes (as well as reading or printing) but if I were to break up the baking steps for this recipe, this is what I would do:
˗ˏˋ ★ Day By Day Baking Steps For Red Velvet Cookies ★ ˎˊ˗
These cookies are perfect to make ahead of time. Follow the directions to make the cookie dough and freeze the dough until ready to bake. When you're ready to bake, you can bake them straight from the freeze! Easy peasy :)
Here is a 2-day (or 3), make ahead schedule for you to get an idea of how to break up the work load so you don't have to do all the work in one day:
Day 1: Make the red velvet cookie dough, shape or scoop onto a tray lined with parchment paper in a single layer, side by side to save space. Wrap up so the cookie dough doesn't dry out (or use a container with a lid) and chill in the fridge or freezer until you can pick them up or chill overnight.
Day 2-3: You can bake them straight from the fridge or freezer. If you want to freeze them for a later date, place into an airtight container or bag and store in the freezer until you’re ready to bake. They can be stored in the freezer for up to 3 months.
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Recipe
Red Velvet Cookies
Ingredients
- 113 grams unsalted butter softened to room temperature
- 100 grams granulated white sugar
- 1 large egg room temperature
- 1 teaspoon red gel food coloring
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 175 grams all purpose flour
- 10 grams cocoa powder
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon fine salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F with a fan or 400°F without a fan.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the 113 grams unsalted butter, 100 grams granulated white sugar, 1 large egg, 1 teaspoon red gel food coloring, and 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract until fully combined.
- In the same bowl, add 175 grams all purpose flour, 10 grams cocoa powder, ½ teaspoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon baking soda, and ¼ teaspoon fine salt. Mix until the dough comes together. If dough feels too "wet" because butter was too warm, chill dough bowl for about 15 minutes.
- Scoop the dough using an ice cream scoop or spoon onto a parchment-lined baking sheet (53-55 grams each dough ball) about 3 inches apart to allow room for spreading. Bake for 8-10 minutes.
- Let the cookies cool on a cooling rack. If you'd like to add a chocolate heart, press it gently into each cookie right after removing them from the oven. Alternatively, wait until the cookies are fully cooled to drizzle melted chocolate over the top. Enjoy! 😊
Nutrition
How To Store
Room Temperature Storage: Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4-5 days. Make sure they’re completely cool before sealing them up to avoid condensation, which can make them soggy.
Freezing: Want to enjoy them later? Freeze the baked cookies! Lay them flat on a baking sheet and freeze for about 1 hour. Once frozen, transfer them to an airtight container or zip bag and store for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature when you're ready to enjoy them again. For a little extra touch, you can freeze the cookies with white chocolate drizzle (or drizzle them after they’re thawed).
Enjoy! :) Please tag @sparklecakerie if you make this! I’d love to see and share your creations <3
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