Red Velvet Crinkle Cookies

These red velvet crinkle cookies are soft and fudgy, with the amazing classic taste of red velvet cake but in cookies! A beautiful red color coated with sweet powdered sugar they are perfect for Valentine’s Day, Christmas, or any time!

Crinkle cookies are a classic cookie with a slightly crunchy outside and a fudgy center, like all the best parts of a brownie turned into a cookie. These cookies add in the delicious slightly tart taste of red velvet to the classic crinkle cookie to create an amazingly delicious treat! Their festive red color makes them perfect for holidays or parties!

There are several red velvet cookie recipes out there, some that start with a red velvet cake mix, those are quick and easy, but I prefer this version that is from scratch. The little bit of extra measuring is worth it when you sink your teeth into a chewy cookie, with a hint of cocoa, and a sugary outside coating! If you love chocolate crinkle cookies you are going to go crazy for this red velvet version!

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A stack of red velvet cookies on a white plate. Behind them is a baking sheet with more cookies.

Here’s some tips for success for this cookie recipe-

Use No-Taste Gel Food Coloring-

I cannot stress this enough. If you’ve ever had heavily colored food, like birthday cake frosting, you might be familiar with the bitter taste of food coloring. Gel food coloring is more concentrated than liquid food coloring and that allows you to use less so you don’t get the bitter taste. Red is a particularly bitter flavor in large quantities so Wilton’s came up with no-taste red food coloring. This allows you to use a larger amount to have a nice vibrant deep red color to your red velvet cookies without sacrificing taste. If you only have liquid food coloring or regular red gel use it sparingly, add a little and then taste your cookie dough, only add a little at a time to avoid getting that “food coloring” taste. You can omit the food coloring entirely if desired. The reaction between the cocoa powder and apple cider vinegar creates a mild red color so the cookies are still beautiful without any additional coloring.

Don’t refrigerate your dough-

A lot of crinkle cookie recipes require refrigerating the dough prior to baking. I find that this red velvet crinkle cookie recipe turns out much better with room temperature dough. It allows them to spread beautifully creating their signature crinkle top.

Can I make the dough ahead of time?-

Yes! This dough can be made in advance and refrigerate it wrapped in plastic wrap for 3-4 days before baking. When you’re ready to bake make sure to remove it from the fridge about an hour before baking so that it has time to rise to room temperature. If the dough is too cool the baking time will be slightly longer and the cookies won’t spread as well. You can also make this dough and freeze it wrapped tightly in an airtight container for up to 3 months, allow it to thaw in the fridge overnight before baking.

Here’s what you’ll need for these red velvet crinkle cookies-

1 ½ Cups Flour– All purpose flour works best.

¼ Cup Cocoa Powder–

½ Cup Butter- I like to use salted butter but unsalted butter works well too. It will need to be softened to room temperature

1 Cup Sugar- White granulated sugar works well, I like to use cane sugar.

¼ tsp Salt- Regular salt woks well or I like to use Himalayan pink salt.

1 ½ tsp Baking Powder- Make sure your baking powder is fresh or the cookies won’t rise properly.

2 Eggs– Use fresh large eggs

1 tsp Vanilla– Make sure to use pure vanilla extract for a delicious hint of vanilla.

1 tsp Apple Cider Vinegar

1-2 tsp No-Taste Red Gel Food Coloring– See notes for why no-taste is important! You can use regular red food coloring but you’ll need to use it sparingly so the cookies don’t come out bitter.

½ Cup Powdered Sugar– Also called icing sugar or confectioners’ sugar this is for coating the cookies you’ll want to make sure it is fresh and clump free.

The ingredients for red velvet crinkle cookies laid out on a marble counter top. There is flour, eggs, butter, cocoa powder, vanilla extract, powdered sugar, baking soda and apple cider vinegar and red food coloring

Here’s how to make red velvet cookies-

First you’ll want to preheat your oven to 350 and line your baking sheets with parchment paper.

Now in a large bowl with an electric mixer, or in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment beat butter and sugar until well blended and light and fluffy. Start on low speed and gradually move up to med/high.

Add in eggs one at a time, mixing between each addition until both eggs are well incorporated.

Add in vanilla and apple cider vinegar and continue mixing until they are blended in.

In a separate, medium mixing bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, salt and baking powder until well blended.

A collage of 4 pictures showing the steps for making red velvet crinkle cookies. The first picture shows a clear glass bowl full of flour and cocoa powder. The second shows butter blended in a clear glass mixing bowl with an egg cracked in the center. The third shows chocolate cookie dough in a clear glass mixing bowl and in the fourth red food coloring has been added making the cookie dough red.

Gradually add the dry ingredients into the butter and sugar mixture, mixing on low speed between each addition. Continue until all of the flour mixture has been incorporated.

Add food coloring 1/2 tsp at a time mixing between each addition until your desired color is achieved.

Place your powdered sugar in a bowl or shallow dish.

Using a cookie scoop or spoon scoop out dough in 1- 1 1/2 tablespoons.(about 1-inch balls). Roll the dough in the powdered sugar, and then place the sugared cookie dough balls on your prepared baking sheet 1-2 inches apart leaving room for the cookies to spread. These are fairly large cookies so you want to leave them room to expand.

A collage of 2 pictures. The first shows a red velvet cookie dough ball in a plate of powdered sugar. The second shows the sugared cookie dough balls on a parchment lined cookie sheet.

Bake for 12-14 minutes until the tops are puffed and cracked and the cookies appear dry.

Remove from the oven and allow to cool on the cookie sheet for 2-3 minutes before moving to a wire rack to cool completely.

Enjoy with a cup of coffee or hot chocolate! Keep leftover cookies in an airtight container.