This post may contain affiliate links. Please see my disclosure policy.
These soft baked red velvet crinkle cookies are the best ever! Rolled in powdered sugar for a snowy appearance, they bake up soft and pillowy with perfect crackle tops. For the best texture, cover and chill the cookie dough for 2 hours before baking – so worth it! Recipe yields 26 to 28 cookies, enough to enjoy and share!
With their deep red color and rich, fudgy centers, these red velvet crinkles are a seasonal favorite for me.
They’re perfect to make while decorating the tree (pair them with hot cocoa!) and add a festive touch to any holiday cookie tray. Sweet and creamy white chocolate chips folded into the dough melt into each bite.
My foolproof, tested method for perfect crinkle cookies is a double coating of sugar. 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 fudgy chocolate crinkle cookies or chocolate peppermint crinkle cookies!
How to Make Red Velvet Crinkle Cookies
Whisk together flour, unsweetened natural cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl.
Beat butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar together on medium speed for about 2 minutes, until soft and creamy.
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 soft and thick, so chilling is a must!
Cover the dough and chill it in the refrigerator for 2 hours. This quick rest develops the flavor and helps the cookies hold their shape in the oven.
Use a medium cookie scoop to form 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 until cookies are puffed and cracked, with edges set, about 12 minutes. Cool for 5 minutes on baking sheets, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
You’ll love these festive Christmas cookies!
Favorite holiday cookie recipes:
- Soft Molasses Spice Cookies
- Peppermint Brownie Cookies
- Almond Thumbprint Cookies
- Brown Butter Sugar Cookies
Soft Baked Red Velvet Crinkle Cookies
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Chill Time: 2 hours
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Total Time: 2 hours 32 minutes
- Yield: 26 to 28 cookies
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: American
Description
These red velvet crinkle cookies are the best ever! Rolled in powdered sugar for a snowy appearance, the cookies bake up soft and pillowy with the perfect crackle. 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
Unsweetened natural cocoa powder: Natural cocoa is more acidic than Dutch process cocoa, and also lighter in color, making the red hue of the cookies vibrant.
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. Gel color is more concentrated than liquid food coloring, so you don’t need to add as much of it – this helps maintain the texture of the cookies.
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.
Freeze cookies: You can freeze red velvet crinkle cookies for up to 1 month. After they have cooled completely, freeze flat on a baking sheet for 1 hour, then transfer to an airtight container in the freezer (layer between pieces of parchment paper). When you’re ready to enjoy, thaw the cookies at room temperature.
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!
Fabulous recipe, my cookies crackled perfectly and the red velvet flavor is so good!
Good afternoon, do you use Natural Cocoa or Dutched powder?
Hi Peg, I recommend using natural cocoa in these cookies – natural cocoa is more acidic and also lighter in color, making the red hue of the cookies more vibrant. Happy baking!
Hi, can I use Lemon Extract Mccormick brand instead of lemon juice? Thanks
Hi Louise, use fresh lemon juice in this recipe. The lemon juice acts as an acid to boost the color of the cookies. If you don’t have lemon juice on hand, you can substitute 1 teaspoon of white vinegar instead. Hope that helps and happy baking!
Oh thanks! If that’s the case, I will go to the grocery store fast! Thanks alot!
Can I use buttermilk in place of the regular milk like in red velvet cake?
Hi Patricia, I would use milk or heavy cream.
Absolutely delicious cookies! Rolling the cookies in granulated sugar gave the cookies a lovely crispiness to the outside. I love red velvet cake and these cookies are the perfect embodiment of the cake in cookie form. Thanks for the recipe!
Thank you so much, Ana! Hope you have a wonderful Christmas! 🙂
These cookies look amazing! I’d like to send them to my family – Are they shippable?
Yes, these cookies ship well! I like to package them up in cookie tins or stack them in cello bags (just protect with some bubble wrap). Happy baking!
What if I don’t have brown sugar on hand? Do I use equal amount of granulated sugar?
Hi Fran, you can replace the brown sugar with an equal amount of granulated sugar. The texture of the cookies may not be quite the same, so I would add an extra egg yolk too for some added moisture.
Hi! I am wondering if i can use margarine instead of butter? We have butter shortage right now where i live and i really want to try your recipe.
Hi Angela! Yes you can, happy baking! 🙂