Red Velvet Crinkle Cookies (The Best!)
The best red velvet crinkle cookies! Follow these steps at home to make these soft and pillowy crinkle cookies with the perfect crackle. Rolled in powdered sugar for a snowy appearance, these festive Christmas cookies are perfect for the holiday season. Recipe yields 24 to 26 cookies, enough to enjoy and share!
The Best Red Velvet Crinkle Cookies
With a delicious hint of cocoa and vanilla, these homemade cookies are delicious alongside a mug of hot chocolate and a must bake for your holiday cookie tray.
The cookie dough comes together easily in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Sweet and creamy white chocolate chips folded into the dough melt into every blissful bite.
Chocolate Perfected
5 Secrets to Baking Decadent Chocolate Desserts
For best results, be sure to cover and chill the cookie dough for 4 hours before baking. Cold cookie dough results in thicker cookies!
Pro tip: If you love sandwich cookies, fill and sandwich the cookies with cream cheese frosting for a delicious spin on red velvet cake.
Cookie Ingredients
Here’s what you need to make perfect red velvet crinkles:
- Flour – Use all-purpose flour in this recipe.
- Unsweetened cocoa powder – Use natural baking cocoa. Natural cocoa is more acidic than Dutch process cocoa, and also lighter in color, making the red hue of the cookies vibrant.
- Butter – Use unsalted, softened butter at cool room temperature.
- Granulated sugar and brown sugar – The dough uses a blend of granulated sugar and light brown sugar for perfectly chewy cookies. You’ll also roll the cookie dough in granulated sugar.
- Eggs – Two large eggs provide moisture.
- Vanilla – Pure vanilla extract flavors the cookie dough.
- Lemon juice – Fresh lemon juice acts as an acid to boost the color of the cookies. If you don’t have lemon juice on hand, you can use 1 teaspoon of white vinegar instead.
- Red gel coloring – For the most vibrant red color, I use and recommend AmeriColor Super Red Soft Gel Paste. I prefer gel color over regular red food coloring. The vibrant red color also makes these cookies perfect for Valentine’s Day!
- Milk – A splash of milk adds moisture and helps hold the dough together. You can also use heavy cream.
- White chocolate chips – Fold into the cookie dough for rich vanilla flavor with every bite.
- Powdered sugar – Roll the cookie dough in powdered sugar before baking to create the signature crinkle appearance.
How to Bake Perfect Crinkle Cookies
The secret to the perfect crinkle cookie? Rolling the cookie dough in granulated sugar before coating in powdered sugar helps the cookies crackle as they bake, and keeps the powdered sugar coating in place. For even more crinkle cookie love, don’t miss my chocolate peppermint crinkle cookies!
Make Ahead Crinkle Cookies
If you’d like to make the dough in advance, simply roll into balls and freeze on a baking sheet for 1 hour. Transfer the cookie dough balls to an airtight container in the freezer (or tightly seal in freezer bags) for up to 2 months.
Just before baking, roll the cookie dough in granulated sugar, coat in powered sugar, and bake as directed, adding 1-2 minutes to baking time.
Freeze Red Velvet Crinkle Cookies
To freeze baked cookies, allow them to cool completely on a wire rack. Freeze flat on a baking sheet for 1 hour, then transfer to an airtight container in the freezer for up to 2 months.
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Holiday Cookie Recipes
Did you try this Red Velvet Crinkle Cookie Recipe? Let me know by leaving a comment and rating below!
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Red Velvet Crinkle Cookies
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 14 minutes
- Total Time: 4 hours 34 minutes (includes chilling time)
- Yield: 24 to 26 cookies
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: American
Description
Soft and pillowy red velvet crinkle cookies make the BEST holiday treat! With the perfect crackle, these cookies are ideal for gifting. Recipe yields 24 to 26 cookies, enough to enjoy and share!
Ingredients
Cookies
- 2 cups flour
- 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- 1 Tbsp red gel food coloring
- 1 1/2 Tbsp milk
- 3/4 cup white chocolate chips
For Rolling
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
Instructions
- Whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl.
- Beat butter and sugars in a large mixer bowl at medium speed until creamy. Add eggs one at a time, and beat until combined. Beat in vanilla, lemon juice, and gel food coloring until combined. Reduce speed to low and gradually add flour mixture; beat just until incorporated. Add milk and beat until combined. Fold in white chocolate chips. Cover dough and chill in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours or overnight.
- Preheat oven to 350°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Place granulated sugar and powdered sugar in separate shallow bowls. Spray hands lightly with nonstick spray to easily roll the dough. Form 1 1/2-inch balls of dough and roll in granulated sugar to coat, then coat generously in powdered sugar. Place two inches apart on prepared baking sheets.
- Bake for 13 to 14 minutes, rotating pans halfway through, until cookies are puffed and cracked, with edges set. Let cookies cool for 10 minutes on baking sheets, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature.
Notes
Lemon juice: Fresh lemon juice acts as an acid to boost the color of the cookies. If you don’t have lemon juice on hand, you can use 1 teaspoon of white vinegar instead.
Red gel food coloring: I use and recommend AmeriColor Super Red Soft Gel Paste
Make Ahead: Roll the dough into balls and freeze on a baking sheet for 1 hour, then transfer to an airtight container in the freezer for up to 2 months. Just before baking, roll the cookie dough in granulated sugar, coat in powered sugar, and bake as directed, adding 1-2 minutes to baking time.
Keywords: Red Velvet, Red Velvet Cookies, Crinkle Cookies, Holiday Cookies
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The best crinkle cookies ever!! The red velvet flavor is spot on and I love the white chocolate chips. Highly recommend!
★★★★★
Thanks so much, Heidi! So glad you tried these cookies. 🙂
Will margarine work in place of butter in this recipe?
I made this recipe months ago using butter and loved it but then lost the recipe and today I found it!
★★★★★
Hi Jody, so glad you love these cookies! Margarine should be fine, as along as you use margarine sticks. Happy baking!