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Red Velvet Crinkle Cookies Recipe

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4.4 from 14 reviews

  • Author: Leila
  • Total Time: 3 hours 40 minutes
  • Yield: 40 cookies

Description

These Red Velvet Crinkle Cookies are soft, fudgy, and coated with a generous dusting of powdered sugar that creates a beautiful crinkled surface after baking. The rich red color is enhanced with cocoa powder for a classic velvet taste, and the cookies are perfect for holiday treats or anytime you want a delicious, tender cookie with a melt-in-your-mouth texture. The dough is best chilled overnight to allow flavors to develop and to make handling easier.

Ingredients

Dry Ingredients

  • 2 cups all purpose flour
  • 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Wet Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter (room temperature)
  • 3/4 cup light brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs (room temperature)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 teaspoons red gel food coloring

Coating Sugars

  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup powdered sugar

Instructions

  1. Prepare the dough: For the best flavor and texture, prepare the dough a day ahead to allow adequate chilling time. This step is crucial for easy handling and enhanced flavor.
  2. Cream butter and sugars: Using a stand or hand mixer, cream together the softened butter, light brown sugar, and granulated sugar until the mixture is smooth and creamy, ensuring good incorporation of air for a tender crumb.
  3. Add eggs, vanilla, and food coloring: Beat in the eggs and vanilla extract until the mixture is light, fluffy, and pale in color, about 2-4 minutes. Then add the red gel food coloring and mix until combined; the batter will turn a bright red that darkens once cocoa powder is added.
  4. Mix dry ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the all purpose flour, unsweetened cocoa powder, baking soda, and kosher salt to evenly distribute leavening and flavorings.
  5. Combine wet and dry: Gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet mixture until fully incorporated. The dough will be very soft and sticky at this point.
  6. Chill the dough: Transfer the dough to an airtight container or cover it tightly. Chill in the refrigerator overnight or for at least 3-4 hours. This step is not optional and is essential for dough handling and final cookie texture. Dough can be stored refrigerated for up to 3 days before baking.
  7. Preheat and prepare baking sheet: When ready to bake, preheat your oven to 350°F (177°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside for easy transfer of dough balls.
  8. Prepare coating sugars: Place 1/2 cup granulated sugar in one small bowl and 1/2 cup powdered sugar in another for rolling the cookie dough balls.
  9. Portion dough: Using a 1 tablespoon cookie scoop, portion the dough into balls. Wearing nitrile gloves is recommended for a mess-free rolling experience.
  10. Roll in sugars: Roll each dough ball first lightly in the granulated sugar, then generously coat in the powdered sugar, packing the powdered sugar on well to ensure a striking crinkle effect during baking.
  11. Arrange on baking sheet: Place the coated dough balls about 3 inches apart on the prepared baking sheet, allowing 9-10 cookies per half sheet pan to prevent sticking during baking.
  12. Bake the cookies: Bake in the preheated oven at 350°F for 9-11 minutes, or until the edges are fully set while the centers remain soft. The cookies may look slightly underbaked but will firm up upon cooling. Avoid overbaking to keep the centers fudgy.
  13. Cool: Remove the cookies from the oven and let them cool on the baking sheet for about 3 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. This helps the cookies set properly and enhances flavor.

Notes

  • Chilling the dough is critical for handling and for the best texture and flavor — do not skip this step.
  • Use gel food coloring for a more vibrant red color that won’t alter dough consistency.
  • Don’t overbake the cookies; centers should still look slightly underdone to keep them fudgy and soft.
  • Rolling the dough balls generously in powdered sugar creates the classic crinkle effect.
  • The dough can be refrigerated for up to 3 days if you want to prepare in advance but bake within that time frame for best quality.
  • Nitrile gloves are helpful for rolling the sticky dough without getting messy.
  • Prep Time: 20 minutes
  • Cook Time: 10 minutes
  • Category: Cookies
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: American

Find it online: https://recipesbyleila.com/red-velvet-crinkle-cookies-recipe/