Best Red Velvet Cookies Recipe

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If you love red velvet cake, you’ve got to try making these red velvet cookies too!

These cookies are filled with a rich chocolate ganache, have a delicious red velvet cookie base and are topped with a dreamy cream cheese frosting, making them the ultimate decadent cookies you’ll ever have tried in your kitchen.

The 3 unique elements that make up these cookies are what set them apart from other red velvet cookies out there.

What I Love About the Recipe

These soft and chewy cookies are so much more than just the visual appeal. Their rich chocolate flavor and the cream cheese frosting is a match made in heaven.

Making red velvet cookies may seem like a lot of work and effort, but it actually isn’t all that complicated.

You’ll need just under half an hour of prep time to get everything together, and your cookies will be ready before you know it.

Red Velvet Cookies Cooking Time

• Yield: 14
• Prep Time: 28 min
• Bake Time: 13 min
• Total Time: 41 min

Ingredients For the Red Velvet Cookies

You’ll need 3 sets of ingredients to make these red velvet cookies with cream cheese frosting.

• 1 cup COLD unsalted butter, cubed
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs, room temp
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 tsp red liquid food coloring
• 1⁄2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp cornstarch
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 1⁄2 cups cake flour
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 cups white chocolate chips
• 1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips

Chocolate Ganache:

• 9 oz bittersweet chocolate, roughly chopped
• 1 cup heavy cream

Vanilla Cream Cheese Frosting

• 3 tbsp butter -unsalted room temp
• 3 oz cream cheese – softened
• 1 1⁄2 cups powdered sugar
• 1⁄2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1⁄2 tbsp heavy cream
• 1⁄2 cup white chocolate shavings, garnish

How to Make the Red Velvet Cookies

Got all your ingredients ready? Here’s what you’ll need to do to make red velvet cookies.

Step 1: Prepare the Chocolate Ganache

To make the chocolate ganache, place the chocolate in a medium mixing bowl. In a small saucepan add the cream, and heat over medium heat. Bring the cream to a boil. Once you reach a boil reduce the heat to low, and stir the cream.

Step 2: Let Cool in the Refrigerator

Pour the cream over the chocolate and whisk until the chocolate has melted and mixture is smooth. Place in the refrigerator for 1 hour.

Step 3: Prep the Baking Sheets

Preheat oven to 410° degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone liners and set aside.

Step 4: Cream Butter and Sugar

In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together the cubed cold butter and the sugar, on low speed for 1-2 minutes. Increase speed to medium to high and continue beating for another 2-3 minutes until the mixture is light and fluffy, Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula.

Step 5: Add Eggs and Food Coloring

Add in the eggs, one at a time, and vanilla, mixing well after each addition. Beat in the red food coloring, and mix on low until incorporated.

Step 6: Combine Dry Ingredients and Chocolate Chips

In a large bowl add the baking soda, cornstarch, salt, cocoa powder, cake flour and all-purpose our, whisk to combine. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture 1 cup at a time. Mix until incorporated. Add both types of chocolate chips on low speed and using a stand mixer, mix until incorporated.

Step 7: Refrigerate and Make Red Velvet Cookie Dough Balls

Refrigerate uncovered for 20 minutes to chill. Using a digital cooking scale or a large cookie scoop measure out 4 ounces of dough, forming it into a ball. Place the cookie dough balls on a parchment-lined baking sheet.

Step 8: Add Chocolate Ganache to the Dough Balls

Use the palm of your hand to press down on the cookie slightly, so that the cookie dough ball creates a thin disk. Using a small cookie scoop, scoop out the chocolate ganache and place it on half of the cookie dough.

Step 9: Place Cookie Dough Balls on the Baking Sheet

Take the second dough ball and place it on top of the dough ball with the ganache. Roll the dough together to form a ball. Place the dough ball on the baking sheet.

Step 10: Bake and Cool Completely

Bake in the center rack of the oven for 8-11 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool for at LEAST 30 minutes on the baking sheets

Step 11: Prepare Cream Cheese Frosting

Cream the butter and cream cheese until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes on medium speed. Add the powdered sugar a little at a time until fully combined. Add the vanilla and heavy cream, if needed.

Step 12: Drizzle Over the Cooled Cookies

Place the frosting in a Ziploc bag and snip the corner of the bag. Drizzle the frosting on top of itchy cookie and garnish with white chocolate shavings

Tips to Make the Red Velvet Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting

Think you’re ready to give this recipe a try? Wait up! Take note of these little tips and tricks too!

• Make sure you use the best quality cocoa powder and food coloring to make these cookies. Natural cocoa powder is the best choice, because it really makes all the difference, and lends the cookies that classic red velvet cake flavor.
• To lend these cookies some extra flavor, you can use light brown sugar instead of white sugar that the recipe calls for. The caramel-like flavor of the brown sugar complements the creaminess of the white chocolate beautifully.
• The best way to let the cookies cool is to transfer them to a wire rack a few minutes after they’re out of the oven. You can also choose to let them stay on the prepared baking sheet if you want to, but that’ll cause the cookies to become dry and crumbly.
• Remember to use cold butter, and not melted butter to make these cookies. You can choose to use salted butter or unsalted butter- it all depends on your personal preference.
• If you don’t have cream cheese, but still want a bit of that white drizzle on the cookies. you can simply use some melted white chocolate chips to do the trick.
• You can experiement with the recipe and try out different variations using different chocolate chips. I love using white chocolate chips, milk chocolate chips and dark chocolate chips.
• If you don’t fancy prepping the cookie sheets, you can also choose to use silicone baking mats. This will cut down your need of placing the parchment paper on your baking sheets too.

What Kind of Food Coloring Should I Use?

I’ve used gel food coloring to give the cookies that bright red color, but you could also use some beet powder if you want to stick to using healthier ingredients.

Regardless of what you choose, remember that red food coloring is an absolute must for this recipe, especially if you want the cookies to have that bright red color- just the cocoa powder won’t cut it.

How Do I Store Red Velvet Cookies?

The best way to store baked cookies is to move them to an airtight container and let them stay on at room temperature for 2-3 days.

You can also let the cookies freeze for months if you want them to last longer. Just remember to wrap up the remaining dough in plastic wrap and then pop it in a freezer safe container to keep the freezer burn at bay.

More Cookie Recipe Ideas

If you enjoyed making these rich and dreamy red velvet cookies, you’ve got to try some more of these cookie recipes as well.

• Easy Halloween Monster Cookies: Sandwich Cookies
• Healthy Banana Oatmeal Cookies
• Super Cute Animal Sprinkle Circus Cookies
• How To Freeze Cookie Dough And Baked Cookies