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These red velvet cookies have a touch of cocoa powder and a hint of tang, just like the flavors in a red velvet cake! They’re soft-baked and chewy, with creamy white chocolate in every bite. Perfect for the holidays or Valentine’s Day!
These red velvet cookies take a classic red velvet cake and turn it into a delicious, soft-baked cookie recipe! Sprinkled with creamy white chocolate chips, these cookies stay soft and chewy for days and they’re so easy to make. Here’s why I love them, and why you will, too!
- Classic red velvet flavor. These cookies have that irresistible, subtle cocoa flavor and a hint of tang. Originally I wanted buttermilk in the cookies (like you’d use in a cake), but it thinned out the dough too much. A teensy touch of vinegar does the trick in these cookies, and the flavor came out amazing.
- Perfect for the holidays. Cookies are the ultimate dessert for sharing, and these red velvet cookies are great for holidays like Valentine’s Day and Christmas. Their classic red color studded with bright white chocolate chips sure stands out on a cookie plate!
- Quick to make. These cookies are an easy treat to whip up the day you need them. You can hoard them for yourself or share them with friends. Either way, they’ll be a hit!
What Flavor Is Red Velvet?
Red velvet falls somewhere between chocolate and vanilla. There are fudgy undertones thanks to the cocoa powder, while buttermilk and vinegar give red velvet its signature tangy flavor.
Traditionally, red velvet cake was “red” due to a reaction between the acidic ingredients, like vinegar and buttermilk, and the cocoa powder in the recipe. Most modern takes on red velvet, including these cookies, use red food dye to really make that red hue pop!
What You’ll Need
If have cocoa powder and red food coloring, you’re well on your way in terms of the ingredients you need to make red velvet cookies from scratch. Here are some quick notes. Check the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post for the full ingredient amounts.
- All-purpose flour – I recommend weighing your flour with a food scale to be sure it’s accurate. There’s nothing worse than a dry cookie that doesn’t spread properly because you added too much flour.
- Cocoa powder – Natural unsweetened cocoa powder is best for red velvet cookies.
- Baking soda and salt – Make sure you’re using baking soda and not baking powder.
- Unsalted butter – Let the butter soften to room temperature so that it creams properly with the sugars.
- Sugar – Regular granulated sugar, plus brown sugar for chewiness and moisture.
- Egg
- Vanilla extract
- Vinegar – You’ll want to use distilled white vinegar.
- Red food coloring – I used liquid food coloring, but gel icing color will work as well.
- White chocolate chips – You can also use milk chocolate, semi-sweet, or dark chocolate chips. Or, skip the chocolate altogether if you’d like.
These red velvet cookies come together in a few quick steps, and the process is super similar to classic chocolate chip cookies. Follow along below. Don’t forget to scroll to the recipe card for printable directions.
- Mix the dry and wet ingredients separately. First, whisk the dry ingredients together in a bowl. In a second bowl, cream the butter with both sugars until that’s nice and fluffy.
- Add the rest of the ingredients. Beat the egg, vanilla, and vinegar into the butter and sugar. Finally, stir in the red food coloring.
- Combine. Add the dry ingredients to the wet batter and mix until the dough is well combined, Lastly, fold in the chocolate chips.
- Bake. Roll the dough into balls and place them on a lined baking sheet. Press a few extra chocolate chips onto the top of each cookie. Bake at 350ºF for 7-9 minutes. Let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for a few minutes, then move them to a wire rack.
Recipe Tips
- Weigh your ingredients. Using a food scale to measure ingredients accurately means your cookies will turn out exactly the same every time.
- Don’t over-mix the dough after you add the flour. It can over-develop the gluten, preventing the cookies from spreading nicely. It can also lead to dense, tough cookies.
- Let them cool. Don’t be tempted to remove the cookies from the tray right after baking as it risks breaking them. Give them a chance to firm up by letting them rest for a couple of minutes after baking.
Variation Ideas
- Add cream cheese frosting. Sometimes I’ll skip the white chocolate chips and frost the cookies with cream cheese frosting.
- Use Hershey Kisses. Swap out the white chocolate chips for a Hershey’s Kiss or Hug, similar to a Kiss cookie.
- Change up the chips. I love the white chocolate chips but feel free to use milk, semi-sweet, or dark chocolate chips. Chopped chocolate also makes these cookies chunkier.
- Make a sandwich. Use two cookies and sandwich them around cream cheese frosting, like a red velvet cookie sandwich. I like to dip the sides of the frosting into festive sprinkles.
How to Store
- Storing. Store the cooled red velvet cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days, or in the fridge for up to a week. I like to let them come to room temperature before eating them.
- Freezing. Freeze the baked cookies in a freezer-friendly bag or container for up to 3 months. Thaw them in the fridge and bring them to room temperature before serving.
- Freeze the unbaked cookie dough. Portion the dough into balls and pre-freeze it on a baking sheet. Freeze the frozen dough airtight for up to 3 months and defrost before baking.
More Red Velvet Desserts
- Prep Time: 35 minutes
- Cook Time: 7 minutes
- Total Time: 42 minutes
- Yield: 28 cookies
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American
Description
These red velvet cookies are soft-baked and chewy, with creamy white chocolate in every bite. They’re the perfect holiday cookies whether you make them for Christmas or Valentine’s Day!
Ingredients
- 2 1/4 cups + 1 tbsp (300g) all-purpose flour (measured accurately)
- 2 tbsp (14g) cocoa powder
- 3/4 tsp baking soda
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 3/4 cup (168g) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1/2 cup (104g) sugar
- 1/2 cup (112g) light brown sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 tsp vinegar
- 1 1/2 tbsp red food coloring (less than 1 ounce)
- 1 cup (169g) white chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Set aside.
- Combine the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl and set aside.
- Cream the butter and sugars together in a large mixer bowl on medium speed until light in color and fluffy, 2-3 minutes. You should be able to see the change in color happen and know it’s ready.
- Add the egg and mix until well combined.
- Add the vanilla extract, vinegar and red food color and mix until well combined.
- Add the dry ingredients and mix just until well combined.
- Stir in the white chocolate chips. Keep about 1/3 cup aside to press into the tops of the cookies, if desired.
- Create 1 1/2 tablespoon sized balls of cookie dough. Gently roll into a ball and set the balls on the baking sheet, about 2 inches apart. Press the reserved white chocolate chips onto the tops of the cookie dough, if doing this step.
- Bake cookies for 7-9 minutes. The cookies will spread and the centers will look soft, but should just look done. Don’t over bake. The cookies will firm up as they cool.
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool on baking sheets for 4-5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 144
- Sugar: 10.7 g
- Sodium: 106 mg
- Fat: 7.2 g
- Carbohydrates: 18.6 g
- Protein: 1.7 g
- Cholesterol: 21 mg
Made these cookies today, perfect, mine looks exactly like pics
So glad to hear that!
I’ve made 4 batches in 2 weeks. That says it all. Grandchildren and friends love them
I’m so glad there a hit!
these cookies are amazing! I made them for my galantines party and everyone loved them.
Awesome! Glad to hear that!
Can I skip the cocoa powder?
That should be fine. I’d replace it with flour.
Just made these but I make variety of cookies for 40 plates and tins so I used mini chocolate chips (I don’t care for white chocolate) but did bite size so I get lots. OMG. Perfect and delicious. I love red velvet everything and these are new addition to this years goody gifts and will make regularly too.
I bake a lot but don’t usually comment on recipes, but these were such a hit in my house that I had to share! I did opt to leave out the white chocolate chips and did cream cheese frosting instead. But regardless, the actual cookie flavor and texture is absolutely perfect. So so good. (The vinegar makes a difference, by the way! Don’t leave it out.) These became the newest classic in my annual holiday cookie box. Thanks for a great recipe!
Awesome! So glad you enjoyed them!
What’s the reason for the vinegar?
It’s commonly in red velvet cake and adds some tang.
If someone wants their cookies to look like the ones pictured, a minimum of three cups of white chocolate chips will have to be used.
Not really, but ok.
She added extra ones on top for the visual.
I always love recipes from live live and sugar. I did wanna ask though, when making the red velvet cookies, were they not to be refrigerated or frozen?
I’m so glad to hear you enjoy the recipes! The cookie dough doesn’t have to be refrigerated before baking, but you can if you’d like.