Decadent & Easy Red Velvet Crinkle Cookies: No Chilling Required!
Imagine sinking your teeth into a cookie that’s soft, chewy, and bursting with rich, chocolatey red velvet flavor, all without the long wait of chilling dough. These homemade red velvet crinkle cookies are exactly that – a perfect balance of convenience and decadent taste, ready to impress in under an hour. Forget about complicated steps or extensive prep; this recipe is designed for maximum enjoyment with minimal fuss.
Red velvet is a classic for a reason. Its unique combination of mild cocoa, a hint of tang, and striking crimson color makes it a showstopper in any form, whether it’s classic cakes, delightful cupcakes, or creamy cheesecakes. These red velvet crinkle cookies are a delightful addition to the legacy, offering all the beloved flavors and textures in a convenient, handheld treat. They are incredibly soft and delightfully chewy, with a deep, sophisticated chocolate essence that defines true red velvet.
The magic of crinkle cookies lies in their appearance. Before baking, each cookie dough ball is generously rolled in granulated sugar, then powdered sugar. As the cookies bake, they naturally spread, causing the powdered sugar coating to crack and reveal the vibrant red dough beneath. This creates the iconic, beautiful crinkled effect that makes them so visually appealing and utterly irresistible.
This recipe is a fantastic choice for any celebration, from festive birthdays and cozy Christmas gatherings to romantic Valentine’s Day surprises. But honestly, red velvet is always a good idea, no matter the season or occasion. Its comforting yet elegant flavor profile ensures these cookies will be a hit year-round!
Essential Red Velvet Crinkle Cookie Ingredients
If you’re new to baking red velvet desserts, don’t be intimidated! No exotic ingredients are required for these cookies. The distinctive red velvet flavor comes from a careful balance of cocoa powder and vanilla extract, while the iconic color is achieved with red food coloring. Let’s delve into the key ingredients that make these cookies so special:
- All-Purpose Flour: This forms the foundational structure of your cookies. It’s crucial to measure flour correctly to ensure the perfect texture. Always use the spoon and level method: spoon flour into your measuring cup, then level off the top with a straight edge. Too much flour can lead to dense, cakey cookies that don’t spread properly, while too little can result in overly flat or crumbly cookies.
- Cocoa Powder: Just 3 tablespoons of cocoa powder provide that classic, mild chocolate flavor synonymous with red velvet. This recipe uses baking powder as its leavening agent, which means you have flexibility with your cocoa powder choice. Both natural unsweetened cocoa powder (which is acidic) and Dutch-process cocoa powder (which is alkalized) will work beautifully here, delivering slightly different nuances in flavor and color depth. Natural cocoa tends to yield a brighter red, while Dutch-process can produce a deeper, browner red.
- Sugars: We use a trio of sugars to achieve the ideal sweetness, texture, and signature crinkle.
- Granulated Sugar (in dough): Contributes to the overall sweetness and helps create a tender crumb.
- Brown Sugar (in dough): Adds moisture and a delicious, subtle molasses flavor, contributing to the cookies’ signature chewiness.
- Granulated Sugar (for coating): The first layer of the coating. This coarse sugar provides a textured surface for the powdered sugar to adhere to, preventing it from dissolving too quickly into the warm dough during baking.
- Powdered Sugar (for coating): The magic ingredient for the crinkle effect! A generous coating ensures those beautiful cracks form as the cookies expand in the oven, giving them their unique festive look.
- Unsalted Butter: Softened unsalted butter is essential for creaming with the sugars, a process that incorporates air into the dough, leading to a lighter, softer cookie. Using unsalted butter allows you to control the exact amount of salt in your recipe. Ensure it’s at true room temperature for optimal results.
- Eggs (Whole Egg + Yolk): Eggs bind the ingredients together and add richness. The addition of an extra egg yolk contributes significantly to the cookies’ chewiness and tender texture, making them irresistibly soft. Ensure your eggs are at room temperature for optimal emulsification with the butter and sugar, creating a smoother, more uniform dough.
- Vanilla Extract: Pure vanilla extract enhances the overall flavor profile, complementing the mild chocolate and giving the cookies a warm, inviting aroma. Do not substitute with imitation vanilla for the best taste.
- Baking Powder & Salt: Baking powder is our leavening agent, ensuring the cookies rise nicely and have a soft, slightly cakey interior. Salt is crucial for balancing the sweetness and enhancing all the other delicious flavors in the cookies, preventing them from tasting flat.
- Red Food Coloring: This is key for the vibrant, iconic red hue. We’ll use one tablespoon of liquid red food coloring, but you can adjust the amount slightly based on your desired intensity and the type of coloring you use. Gel food coloring can also be used, typically in smaller quantities.
Step-by-Step Guide: Crafting Your Red Velvet Crinkle Cookies
One of the best features of this red velvet cookie recipe is how straightforward it is, especially since there’s no need to chill the dough! You can go from mixing bowl to baked cookies in no time. Follow these simple steps for perfect results:
- Prepare Your Baking Sheets: Start by preheating your oven to 350°F (180°C). This ensures your oven is at the correct temperature when the cookies go in, which is crucial for proper spreading and texture. Then, line two large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. This crucial step prevents sticking and ensures even baking, making cleanup a breeze. Set them aside while you prepare the dough.
- Combine the Dry Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, the first step is to thoroughly combine your dry ingredients. I highly recommend sifting the all-purpose flour and cocoa powder together. Sifting not only removes any lumps but also aerates the flour, resulting in a lighter, more tender cookie. After sifting, whisk in the baking powder and salt until everything is uniformly mixed. This ensures the leavening agent and salt are evenly distributed throughout the dough.
- Cream Butter and Sugars: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or using a handheld mixer in a large bowl), beat the softened unsalted butter until it’s smooth and creamy. Next, add the brown sugar and granulated sugar. Beat this mixture for 1 to 2 minutes on medium speed until it’s light, fluffy, and well combined. This creaming process incorporates air, which is vital for achieving a soft, airy texture in your final cookies, preventing them from becoming dense.
- Incorporate Wet Ingredients: To the creamed butter and sugar mixture, add the large egg, egg yolk, pure vanilla extract, and the red food coloring. Mix until just combined, being sure to stop and scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl with a spatula as needed. This ensures all ingredients are fully incorporated and prevents streaks of unmixed batter or uneven coloring.
- Combine Wet and Dry: Gradually add the dry ingredient mixture to the wet ingredients. Mix on low speed, just until the dough comes together and no streaks of flour remain. It’s important to avoid overmixing your cookie dough, as this can overdevelop the gluten in the flour, leading to tough, less tender cookies. Mix only until the ingredients are incorporated.
- Scoop the Cookie Dough: Using a 1.5-tablespoon cookie scoop is ideal for creating uniformly sized cookie dough balls. This ensures that all your cookies bake evenly at the same rate, resulting in consistent texture and appearance. Place the scooped dough balls onto your prepared baking sheets, making sure to leave ample space (about 2 inches) between each to allow for spreading without touching.
- Roll in Sugar for the Crinkle Effect: This is where the magic happens! To ensure the powdered sugar coating creates that beautiful crinkle and doesn’t just melt away, follow a two-step rolling process. First, roll each cookie dough ball generously in granulated sugar. This rougher sugar layer provides a surface for the finer powdered sugar to adhere to. Second, roll the granulated sugar-coated balls in powdered sugar, ensuring a thick, even coating. Don’t be shy with the powdered sugar – the more, the better for pronounced crinkles!
- Bake to Perfection: Return the sugar-coated dough balls to the prepared baking sheets. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or just until the tops of the cookies appear set. It’s better to slightly underbake them than overbake, as this will keep them wonderfully soft and chewy. The centers might still look a little soft, but they will continue to set as they cool on the hot baking sheets.
- Cool and Enjoy: Once baked, remove the cookies from the oven and allow them to cool on the baking sheets for 5 to 10 minutes. This resting period allows them to firm up slightly before you attempt to move them, preventing breakage. Then, carefully transfer the warm cookies to a wire rack to cool completely. Cooling completely is important for the crinkle effect to fully set and for the cookies to achieve their final, delightful texture.
Frequently Asked Questions About Red Velvet Crinkle Cookies
What’s the Best Food Coloring for Red Velvet Cookies?
For achieving that iconic vibrant red, the type of food coloring matters. I typically use a liquid food coloring, such as McCormick, which requires a full tablespoon for this recipe to get a rich, deep red hue. Liquid food colorings are widely available and easy to use, making them a convenient choice for most home bakers.
Alternatively, you can use gel food coloring. Gel colors are much more concentrated, so you’ll only need about one to two teaspoons to achieve the same vibrant color throughout the entire batch of cookie dough. Gel colors often yield a more intense and consistent color, especially for darker shades, and can be a good option if you want to avoid adding too much liquid to your dough. Whichever you choose, add it gradually and mix well to ensure an even distribution for beautifully colored cookies.
Can the Dough Be Made in Advance?
Absolutely! Preparing the red velvet cookie dough in advance is a fantastic time-saver, especially when entertaining or during busy holiday seasons. You can scoop the dough into balls as directed, then arrange them on a parchment-lined baking sheet and freeze for 1 to 2 hours until solid. Once frozen, transfer the individual cookie dough balls to a freezer-safe bag or airtight container. They will keep well in the freezer for up to three months.
When you’re ready to bake, simply thaw the desired number of frozen cookie dough balls overnight in the refrigerator. Once thawed, proceed with rolling them in granulated sugar, then powdered sugar, and bake as directed in the recipe. This makes fresh-baked cookies incredibly convenient, even on busy days, allowing you to enjoy warm, homemade treats whenever the craving strikes!
Can the Recipe Be Made with Boxed Cake Mix?
While this recipe is made from scratch to deliver the absolute best flavor and texture, you can certainly use a red velvet cake mix for a quicker, semi-homemade version. If you prefer to reduce the prep work, I highly recommend following a dedicated red velvet cake mix cookie recipe. Using a cake mix usually involves different proportions and additional ingredients (like oil and eggs) that are specific to the mix, so simply substituting it directly into this from-scratch recipe wouldn’t yield the same results.
Generally, for cake mix cookies, you would scoop the dough, coat the cookie dough balls in both granulated sugar and powdered sugar, and then bake according to the specific cake mix cookie recipe’s instructions. While the convenience is undeniable, the scratch-made version truly stands out with its rich depth of flavor and perfect chewy-soft texture that’s hard to beat.
Storage and Freezing Instructions
Proper storage ensures your delicious red velvet crinkle cookies stay fresh and enjoyable for as long as possible, whether you plan to devour them quickly or save them for later:
- At Room Temperature: Once completely cooled, store your baked cookies in an airtight container at room temperature. They will maintain their freshness, soft texture, and delightful flavor for up to five days. To help keep them extra soft, you can even place a half-slice of plain bread inside the container; the cookies will absorb moisture from the bread, keeping them tender (just remember to replace the bread every day or two).
- In the Freezer (Baked Cookies): For longer storage, baked red velvet crinkle cookies freeze beautifully. Once cooled, place them in a single layer on a baking sheet and freeze for about an hour until solid. This prevents them from sticking together. Then, transfer the frozen cookies to a heavy-duty freezer bag or an airtight freezer-safe container, separating layers with parchment paper if stacking. They can be frozen for up to three months without compromising quality. When you’re ready to enjoy them, simply thaw them to room temperature before serving, or warm them slightly in the microwave for a fresh-baked feel.
Expert Baking Tips for Perfect Crinkle Cookies
Achieving bakery-worthy red velvet crinkle cookies is easy with a few simple tricks that make all the difference:
- Room Temperature Ingredients are Key: Always bring your eggs and butter to room temperature before starting this recipe. Room temperature butter creams better with sugar, creating a smoother emulsion and incorporating more air, leading to a lighter, softer cookie. Room temperature eggs also integrate more smoothly into the batter, preventing curdling and ensuring a uniform dough. If you forget, quickly warm eggs by placing them in a bowl of warm (not hot!) water for 5 to 10 minutes.
- Don’t Skimp on the Sugar Coating: The generous coating of powdered sugar is what creates those distinctive crinkles. Be sure to completely cover each ball of cookie dough, ensuring no red dough peeks through before baking. A sparse coating will result in fewer, less defined crinkles.
- Master the Double Roll Technique: This is a crucial step for achieving perfect crinkles and preventing the powdered sugar from disappearing. Roll the cookie dough in granulated sugar first, then immediately roll it in powdered sugar. The granulated sugar provides a slightly abrasive, sticky surface for the powdered sugar to cling to, preventing it from being absorbed into the moist cookie dough as it bakes. This ensures a thick, stable layer of white sugar for those beautiful cracks to form.
- Avoid Overbaking: Red velvet crinkle cookies are best when they are soft and chewy. Bake them just until the tops are set and the edges are lightly golden, typically 10-12 minutes. The centers might look slightly underdone, but they will continue to cook as they cool on the hot baking sheet, ensuring a perfectly moist and tender interior. Overbaking leads to dry, hard cookies.
- Get Creative with Add-ins: While perfect on their own, these cookies are also great for customization! You can mix in 1 cup of chocolate chips – white chocolate, dark chocolate, or semi-sweet all work wonderfully – for an extra layer of chocolatey goodness. Consider adding a pinch of espresso powder to deepen the chocolate flavor, a teaspoon of almond extract for a subtle nutty note, or a touch of peppermint extract for a festive twist during the holidays.
- Use an Oven Thermometer: Ovens can vary widely in temperature accuracy. An inexpensive oven thermometer can help ensure your oven is truly preheated to 350°F (180°C), which is essential for consistent baking results and preventing issues like over-spreading or underbaking.
- Don’t Overcrowd the Baking Sheet: Give your cookies space to spread. Placing too many cookie dough balls on a single sheet can lead to uneven baking, poor airflow, and cookies sticking together. Bake in batches if necessary.
More Delicious Cookie Recipes to Try!
If you loved these decadent and easy red velvet crinkle cookies, you’re sure to enjoy these other fantastic cookie creations from our kitchen:
- Red Velvet Cookie Cups
- Soft and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Snickerdoodles
- Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
- Classic No-Bake Cookies
- Lemon Crinkle Cookies
Red Velvet Crinkle Cookies
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Ingredients
For the red velvet cookies
- 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour spooned and leveled (220 grams)
- 3 tablespoons natural unsweetened or Dutch process cocoa powder (16 grams)
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter softened (115 grams)
- ¾ cup packed light brown sugar (150 grams)
- ¼ cup granulated sugar (50 grams)
- 1 large egg at room temperature
- 1 large egg yolk at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon liquid red food coloring (15 ml)
For the coating
- ¼ cup granulated sugar (50 grams)
- ½ cup powdered sugar (60 grams)
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats and set aside.
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In a large mixing bowl, sift the flour and cocoa powder together, then whisk in the baking powder and salt until well combined.
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In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or in a large mixing bowl using a handheld mixer, beat the butter until smooth. Mix in the brown sugar and granulated sugar for 1 to 2 minutes or until well combined.
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Mix in the egg, egg yolk, vanilla extract, and red food coloring, making sure to stop and scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
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Mix in the dry ingredients until just combined.
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Using a 1.5 tablespoon cookie scoop, scoop the cookie dough onto the prepared baking sheets.
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Roll each ball of cookie dough in the granulated sugar (this will help the powdered sugar stick to the cookies better), then generously coat in the powdered sugar.
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Return to the prepared baking sheets, making sure to leave 2-inches between each ball of cookie dough.
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Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until the tops of the cookies are set. Remove from the oven and allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheets for 5 to 10 minutes, then carefully transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.
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Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to five days.
Notes
Baked cookies will also freeze well for up to 3 months, thaw to room temperature before serving.