Red Velvet Crinkle Cookies
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 26 to 28 cookies, enough to enjoy and share!
Flavored with a hint of cocoa and vanilla, these soft baked homemade cookies are delicious alongside a mug of hot chocolate and a must bake for your holiday cookie tray.
The red velvet 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.
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For best results, be sure to cover and chill the cookie dough for 2 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 butter at 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 softness to the cookies. 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.
The Secret to Perfect Crinkle Cookies
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!
How to Make Red Velvet Crinkle Cookies
Whisk together all-purpose flour, unsweetened natural cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl.
Beat room temperature butter, granulated sugar, and light brown sugar in a large mixer bowl at medium speed until creamy, about 2 minutes.
Add eggs one at a time and beat until combined.
Beat in vanilla extract, lemon juice, and red gel food coloring until combined. Reduce speed to low and gradually add flour mixture.
Add milk and mix in on low speed just until combined.
Fold in white chocolate chips with a spatula. The red velvet dough is thick and soft, so chilling is essential.
Chill dough: Cover dough and chill in the refrigerator for 2 hours. Chilling the dough briefly develops flavor and helps the cookies hold their shape in the oven.
Scoop and shape dough: Use a medium cookie scoop coated with nonstick spray to form 1 1/2-inch balls of dough. Roll the balls in granulated sugar and then coat generously in powdered sugar. Place about 2 inches apart on baking sheets.
Bake cookies for 12 minutes, rotating pans halfway through, until cookies are puffed and cracked, with edges set. Cool for 5 minutes on baking sheets, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Make Ahead Tips
If you’d like to make the dough in advance, simply roll into balls (without the sugar coating) 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 and coat generously in powered sugar. Bake as directed, adding 1-2 minutes to baking time.
Freezing Tips
You can freeze red velvet crinkle cookies for up to 2 months. After they have cooled completely, freeze flat on a baking sheet for 1 hour, then transfer them to an airtight container and store in the freezer. When you’re ready to enjoy, thaw the cookies at room temperature.
Favorite holiday cookie recipes:
- Soft Molasses Spice Cookies
- Peppermint Brownie Cookies
- Almond Thumbprint Cookies
- Chocolate Peppermint Crinkle Cookies
Did you try this Red Velvet Crinkle Cookie Recipe? Let me know by leaving a comment and rating below!
Print
Soft Baked Red Velvet Crinkle Cookies
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 14 minutes
- Total Time: 2 hours 34 minutes (includes chilling time)
- Yield: 26 to 28 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 26 to 28 cookies, enough to enjoy and share!
Ingredients
Cookies
- 2 cups (280 g) all-purpose flour
- 1/3 cup (32 g) unsweetened natural cocoa powder
- 1 tsp (5 g) baking powder
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp (3 g) salt
- 1/2 cup (112 g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 3/4 cup (150 g) granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup (100 g) light brown sugar
- 2 large eggs (100 g)
- 1 tsp (4 g) vanilla extract
- 1 tsp (5 g) lemon juice
- 1 Tbsp (21 g) red gel food coloring
- 1 1/2 Tbsp (22 g) milk
- 3/4 cup (128 g) white chocolate chips
For Rolling
- 1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup (60 g) powdered sugar
Instructions
- Make dough: 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, about 2 minutes. 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 mix in on low speed just until combined. Fold in white chocolate chips.
- Chill dough: The dough will be thick and soft – cover and chill in the refrigerator for 2 hours.
- Preheat oven to 350°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Roll cookies: Place granulated sugar and powdered sugar in separate shallow bowls. Use a medium cookie scoop coated with nonstick spray to form 1 1/2-inch balls of dough (approximately 30 grams each) and roll in granulated sugar to coat, then coat generously in powdered sugar. Place two inches apart on prepared baking sheets.
- Bake cookies for 12 minutes, rotating pans halfway through, until cookies are puffed and cracked, with edges set. If desired, tap baking sheets sharply once or twice to flatten the baked cookies slightly. Let cookies cool for 5 minutes on baking sheets, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature up to 3 days.
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 (without the sugar coating) 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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My cookies turned out perfectly with great crackles. Love the hot cocoa flavor!
★★★★★
Thanks so much for your feedback, Beth!
My family loves these cookies and I bake them every year! Is it possible to make them ahead and freeze the baked cookies for later?
★★★★★
Hi Liz, that’s great to hear! You can certainly freeze baked cookies for later. However, the longer the cookies are frozen, the more likely the sugar coating tends to become somewhat dull in color and less crisp (I have a bag in the freezer right now from a video shoot, and that’s been my experience. Texturally, they’re still great!). If you plan to give the cookies as gifts or serve at a party, I’d suggest freezing for only a week or two for the best appearance.
I am planning on making this as a gift of frozen cookie balls ready to bake. Would it be ok to roll them in sugar before freezing?
Hi Sarah, that’s such a nice idea! It’s best to freeze these (unbaked) without the sugar coating because the sugar may clump up and form an uneven layer, which means they won’t crinkle up evenly when they bake. You could package up the frozen cookie balls, and also include small jars or gift bags with granulated sugar and powdered sugar for rolling. Hope that helps!
You mention “Use natural baking cocoa. Natural cocoa is more acidic than Dutch process cocoa.” Can you add an Amazon link in your reply to show me exactly what you mean? Thanks so much! Looking forward to trying this cookie!
Hi Michaele, I use Ghirardelli 100% Cocoa Unsweetened Cocoa Powder for recipes that call for natural baking cocoa. Hershey’s Unsweetened Cocoa is also a natural cocoa. Happy baking!
I made this recipe today and it is just PERFECT! We loved them. Thanks for such a wonderful recipe. God bless.
★★★★★
Hi Betsabé, that’s so nice to hear. 🙂 Thank you!
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!
We only have access to liquid food coloring. Will that affect the recipe?
Hi Susie, liquid food coloring should be fine. Happy baking!
Hi, is it possible to skip the white chocolate chips and add in peppermint extract? Thanks for your advice!
Hi Erin, yes you can omit the white chocolate chips. I haven’t tried adding peppermint extract myself so I’m unsure of how that may affect the red velvet flavor, but I would start with 1/2 teaspoon of peppermint extract. Hope that helps!