These Red Velvet Cookies with cream cheese frosting are thick, chewy, and tender. They deliver the classic red velvet cake flavor packed into a cookie with a crisp sugar-coated exterior and a soft interior.
A Quick Look At The Recipe
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Prep Time
20 minutes
Cook Time
10 minutes
Chill
2 hours
Total Time
2 hours 30 minutes
Servings
15 cookies
Difficulty
Easy
Calories *
297 kcal per serving
Technique
Make dough, chill, bake, cool, and frost.
Flavor Profile
Classic red velvet with cream cheese frosting.
* Based on nutrition panel
My favorite cookies! Soft, chewy, and rich in flavor. I made them the day before and frosted them before leaving for the party. Everyone loved them. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Giangi Townsend
These are the perfect red velvet cookies. The interior is moist with a subtle chocolate note, and rolling the dough in granulated sugar adds a pleasant crunch and festive sparkle.
Table of Contents
- Why you will love this recipe
- Professional tips
- What they’re made of
- Ingredients
- Variations
- How to make
- Chef Lindsey’s tip
- FAQ
- Recipe card
- Before you go
Why you will love this red velvet cookie recipe
- Outstanding texture: Chewy and tender centers with crisp sugared edges.
- Nuanced cocoa flavor: A small amount of cocoa adds depth without overpowering the red velvet profile.
- Clear, professional guidance: Step-by-step instructions make these cookies approachable for home bakers.
Professional Tips
- Use brown sugar: Brown sugar contributes moisture and helps the cookies stay thick and chewy. Using only granulated sugar can cause them to spread more.
- Add flour gradually: Mix dry ingredients in increments to prevent overworking the dough and developing excess gluten, which would make cookies tough.
- Chill the dough: Refrigerate the dough at least 2 hours (or overnight) for better flavor and the ideal texture.
What are red velvet cookies made of?
These cookies are similar to thick chocolate chip cookies but with cocoa powder and red food coloring added to create that classic red velvet taste and hue. The combination yields a subtle chocolate note and the familiar tang when paired with cream cheese frosting.
Ingredients
- Granulated sugar
- Dark brown sugar
- Whole egg
- Red food coloring
- All-purpose flour
- Cocoa powder (Dutch-processed or natural)
- Baking powder
- Kosher salt
- Unsalted butter
- Cream cheese (for the frosting)
- Powdered (confectioner’s) sugar
- Vanilla extract
- Heavy cream
See the recipe card below for precise quantities and nutrition information.
Variations
- Chocolate chip: Fold in a cup of chocolate or white chocolate chips for mix-in cookies.
- Glaze: Drizzle a cream cheese glaze or a simple cookie icing over the cooled cookies for a different finish.
- Colored frosting: Tint the cream cheese frosting with gel color for seasonal designs.
- Frosting flavors: Add strawberry powder for pink, or cocoa for chocolate frosting.
How to Make Red Velvet Cookies
Summary of steps—full measurements are in the recipe card below.
Make the cookie dough
Step 1: Whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and kosher salt in a medium bowl. Set aside.
Step 2: In a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, cream the butter, granulated sugar and dark brown sugar until smooth.
Step 3: Beat in the egg, then on low speed add vanilla and red food coloring. Mix until well combined.
Step 4: Reduce speed to low and add the dry ingredients in several additions, letting each addition almost incorporate before adding more. Scrape the bowl as needed.
Step 5: Scoop golf-ball sized portions of dough, roll into balls, place on a parchment-lined sheet, cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours.
Bake
Step 6: Preheat oven to 325°F for convection or 350°F for a standard oven.
Step 7: Pour about 1/4 cup granulated sugar into a bowl and roll each chilled dough ball in sugar, then place on the lined sheet 2 inches apart.
Step 8: Bake 9–10 minutes, rotating halfway. Cookies will spread slightly, turn matte, and develop small cracks on top.
If baking from frozen: Add 2–3 minutes to the bake time; no thawing required.
Cool and frost
Step 9: Allow cookies to cool completely on the sheet before frosting.
Step 10: For the frosting, beat softened butter, cream cheese and powdered sugar with vanilla until light and smooth. Add heavy cream a tablespoon at a time to reach desired consistency.
Step 11: Frost cooled cookies and enjoy.
Chef Lindsey’s Recipe Tip
Letting the cookies cool fully allows the crumb to set, but a quick taste test while they’re warm is perfectly allowed—bakers must sample!
Frequently Asked Questions
Once iced, cookies can be kept at room temperature for up to three days. For longer storage, refrigerate or store unfrosted. Unfrosted cookies keep up to 10 days at room temperature or several months frozen. You can also freeze scooped dough balls and bake later.
Yes—bake straight from frozen, adding 2–4 minutes to the bake time. Roll frozen dough balls in granulated sugar before baking for the best results.
They ship well. Pack unfrosted cookies in an airtight container or tin. They stay chewy for about 10 days when stored properly.
If you try this recipe and enjoy it, please leave a star rating and a comment—feedback is always appreciated.
Red Velvet Cookies
Ingredients
For the cookies:
- 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup cocoa powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, cold but pliable
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup dark brown sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon red food dye
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar for rolling
For the frosting:
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 6 tablespoons cream cheese, softened
- 2 cups confectioner’s (powdered) sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream
Instructions
Make the dough
- Whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and kosher salt. Set aside.
- Cream butter and both sugars until smooth in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.
- Beat in the egg, then add vanilla and red food dye. Mix until combined.
- Reduce mixer to low and add the dry ingredients in several additions, mixing just until incorporated. Scrape the bowl as needed.
- Scoop golf-ball sized portions, roll into balls, place on parchment, cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours.
Bake
- Preheat oven to 325°F convection or 350°F standard.
- Roll each chilled dough ball in granulated sugar and place 2 inches apart on a lined sheet.
- Bake 9–10 minutes, rotating halfway. Cookies should be matte with small cracks on top when done.
- Cool completely on the sheet before frosting.
Make the frosting & assemble
- Beat softened butter and cream cheese with confectioner’s sugar and vanilla until light and smooth. Add heavy cream to reach desired consistency.
- Frost cooled cookies and serve.
Notes
Yield: 15 cookies.
Note: The cream cheese frosting recipe makes more than needed for 15 cookies, so you will have leftover frosting or can use extra on each cookie.
Storage: Once iced, cookies can be left at room temperature up to three days. For longer storage, refrigerate. Unfrosted cookies keep up to 10 days at room temperature or several months frozen.
Variation: Add 1 cup chocolate chips for a chocolate-chip red velvet version.
Nutrition
Carbohydrates: 39 g |
Protein: 2 g |
Fat: 16 g
Before You Go
If you enjoyed this chef-tested recipe, try more of our cookie recipes for additional ideas and inspiration.