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These soft baked red velvet crinkle cookies are the best ever! Rolled in powdered sugar for a snowy appearance, the cookies bake up soft and pillowy with perfect crackle tops. For the most optimal texture, cover and chill the cookie dough for 2 hours before baking – so worth it! With a deep red color and rich, fudgy centers, these festive Christmas cookies are a must bake this holiday season. Recipe yields 26 to 28 cookies, enough to enjoy and share!
I adore homemade cookies and these soft baked red velvet crinkles are a seasonal favorite for me. They’re perfect to bake while decorating the tree (pair them with hot cocoa!) and add a festive touch to any holiday cookie tray.
The classic red velvet flavor reminds me of a hint of cocoa paired with vanilla. 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 dark 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 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 soft and thick, 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 Crinkles
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 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 cookies between pieces of parchment paper). When you’re ready to enjoy, thaw the cookies at room temperature.
I don’t recommend freezing the cookies for longer than a month – the sugar coating tends to become somewhat dull in color and less crisp.
Favorite holiday cookie recipes:
- Soft Molasses Spice Cookies
- Peppermint Brownie Cookies
- Almond Thumbprint Cookies
- Chocolate Peppermint Crinkle 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.
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!
Fabulous recipe, my cookies crackled perfectly and the red velvet flavor is so good!