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Homemade Red Velvet Crinkle Cookies are the perfect blend of festive charm and indulgent flavor. With their signature crimson color, soft chewy centers and crackly powdered-sugar coating, they’ll bring a touch of elegance to any Christmas cookie tray.
Red Velvet Crinkle Cookies Recipe
These cookies come together easily offering the rich cocoa notes of classic red velvet in a bite-sized treat that’s ideal for holidays, parties or anytime you want something a little special.
What you need to know about this recipe…
- These made-from-scratch cookies (no cake mix) are made with basic pantry ingredients like flour, cocoa powder, granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
- Next we add cream cheese, butter, a whole egg and one egg yolk (for richness), a little vanilla and liquid red food coloring.
- For this recipe we roll the cookies in granulated sugar first, then powdered sugar. This helps prevent the powdered sugar coating from soaking into the cookies. They stay bright and beautiful for days!
- We recommend using only liquid food coloring like the McCormick (affiliate link) brand pictured above. We don’t recommend using gel style food coloring that’s best for tinting frosting and icing.
- Block cream cheese adds a subtle tang to the cookies replacing the white vinegar traditionally found in red velvet recipes.
How to Make Red Velvet Crinkle Cookies
- Whisk together the dry ingredients and set aside.
- Combine the cream cheese and butter. Blend until smooth and creamy. Add the sugar then the egg, egg yolk, vanilla and red food color.
- Once combined add the flour mixture blending just until the flour disappears.
- Refrigerate the dough for at least one hour or up to 24 hours if desired.
- Roll the dough into balls, then roll in granulated sugar and powdered sugar. Bake, cool and enjoy!
Why you’ll love this recipe!
- The cookies are so pretty with their iconic red color and snowy powdered-sugar coating.
- Each and every cookie cracks beautifully showing off that gorgeous red cookie hiding underneath.
- These homemade cookies are crispy on the outside edges but soft and chewy in the middle. This recipe is not as cakey as some made with cake mix, which I love.
- They’re quick to make with simple common ingredients.
- The dough only needs to chill for about 1 hour but can be refrigerated for up to 24 before baking.
- They look gorgeous on your holiday cookie tray!
Helpful Tips for Success
To ensure the vibrant red color, don’t skimp on the red food coloring. You’ll need a full one-half ounce. The bottle pictured above is sold in a 1-ounce size so you’ll have enough for two batches of crinkle cookies.
Be sure to refrigerate the dough for at least one hour before rolling into balls and baking. This will help prevent the cookies from spreading too much.
Roll the dough balls in both granulated and powdered sugar. This helps keep the powdered sugar in place without soaking into the cookies.
Serving suggestions
- These are beautiful on holiday platters
- Gift boxes
- Paired with hot cocoa or coffee
- Great for Christmas or Valentine’s Day!
Storing and Freezing
- These cookies keep well at room temperature for up to 5 days.
- Refrigerate for longer storage.
- The dough balls can be frozen before they’re baked. Thaw for 30 minutes at room temperature then roll in the sugars.
- Frozen dough balls will keep for up to 3 months well sealed in an airtight container.
- The cookie dough can be made ahead and refrigerated for up to 24 hours before baking.
- Baked cookies can also be frozen well sealed in an airtight container.
Red Velvet Crinkle Cookies
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour (252g)
- ¼ cup natural unsweetened cocoa powder (26g)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 ounces cream cheese (57g) room temperature
- ½ cup unsalted butter (113g or 4oz) room temperature
- 1 ⅓ cups granulated sugar (300g)
- 1 large egg
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon liquid red food color (1/2 oz)
For rolling:
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar (74g)
- ¾ cup powdered sugar (90g)
Instructions
- In a medium bowl whisk together the flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt until blended; Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl combine the cream cheese and butter. Beat until creamy. Add the sugar and blend again until lightened and fluffy. Add the egg, egg yolk, vanilla and food color. Mix on low until blended. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl. With the mixer on low, add the flour mixture in three additions blending just until the flour disappears. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl and blend again.
- Refrigerate the dough for a minimum of 1 hour or overnight.
- Preheat oven to 350℉. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- Pour 1/3 cup granulated sugar into a shallow bowl for coating the dough balls. In another shallow bowl add the powdered sugar; set aside.
- Portion out 1 and 1/2 tablespoons of cookie dough (25 to 26 grams each). Roll the dough into a ball, roll the ball in granulated sugar and then in powdered sugar. Place the dough balls 2-inches apart on the prepared baking sheet. Bake the cookies for 10-12 minutes. The edges should be just set. Don’t over-bake. Transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool. Store in an airtight container.
Recipe Notes
- Always cool the cookie sheet before baking the next batch. Or, use multiple sheets of parchment paper and a rimless baking sheet that you can easily slide the parchment on and off.
- I like to roll all the dough balls at the same time and place them on a small pan until needed in the next step.
- You can store the dough balls in the refrigerator to bake later or freeze before they’re baked.
- Baked Red Velvet Crinkle Cookies freeze beautifully! Seal well in an airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months. Set the cookies out at room temperature to thaw
Nutrition
More Great Recipes To Try
If you love red velvet treats you should also try these fudgy Red Velvet Brownies with the signature shiny cracked top.
I can’t wait to hear what you think about these cookies! If you make this recipe please leave a comment and / or a review. Your insights are helpful to me and all our readers.
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