Red Velvet Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting
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These Red Velvet Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting taste exactly like red velvet cake and are covered in a tangy cream cheese frosting!
These red velvet cookies were inspired by my everlasting love for red velvet cake. I’m not sure if it’s the unique flavor, bright red color or the luscious cream cheese frosting (probably a combination of all 3) but there is no cake flavor that has ever been able to top it as my favorite. So you can trust me when I tell you that these cookies taste exactly like red velvet cake. They’re so easy and fun to make with no chill time!
What is Red Velvet?
Contrary to popular belief, red velvet is not just chocolate cake dyed red. The three ingredients that create red velvet’s distinct flavor are buttermilk, white vinegar and a little bit of cocoa powder!
Ingredient Breakdown
All-purpose flour – this gives the cookies structure.
Baking soda & baking powder – both leaveners are needed to help the cookies rise.
Butter – provides flavor and structure. I always recommend using unsalted butter but salted butter works if that’s all you have on hand, just be sure to omit the 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Do not use cold or melted butter.
Granulated sugar and brown sugar – both sugars are necessary for sweetness and texture.
Eggs – binds the ingredients and provides structure.
Vanilla extract and salt – enhances flavor. Always use pure vanilla extract instead of imitation for best flavor.
Cocoa powder, buttermilk and white vinegar – gives the cookies their red velvet flavor
How To Make Red Velvet Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting
1. Make the Red Velvet Dough: in a small bowl combine the all-purpose flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, salt and baking powder.
2. Use a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment to cream softened butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar until light and fluffy.
3. Add eggs one at a time. Then add the buttermilk, vanilla, white vinegar and red food coloring to desired shade. Scrape the sides of the bowl.
4. Add the dry ingredients all at once and mix on low speed until just combined. Do not over mix the dough because it will make the cookies tough.
5. Using a 3 tablespoon cookie scoop, scoop dough onto lined baking sheets (be sure to adjust the baking time if your cookies are smaller/larger).
6. Bake red velvet cookies at 350°F for 14 minutes then cool on the baking sheet.
7. Make the Cream Cheese Frosting: using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or a hand mixer cream the butter and cream cheese. Mix in the confectioners’ sugar and vanilla extract until smooth. Add salt to taste. Decorate cooled cookies as desired. Store frosted Red Velvet Cookies in an airtight container for up to a week in the fridge and unfrosted Red Velvet Cookies in an airtight container for up to 5 days at room temperature.
Pro Tips For Red Velvet Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting
- Weigh your ingredients using a kitchen scale! Measuring ingredients by volume is not accurate.
- Use gel food coloring! It yields a deeper color without using a ton of dye and throwing off the consistency of the batter the way liquid food coloring does.
- Don’t over mix the dough! Only mix until the dry ingredients are just combined. Over mixing = more gluten development which means tough cookies. We don’t want any tough cookies here!
- Bake one tray at a time on the middle oven rack. This ensures that there is even heat circulation.
- Don’t over bake them! The red velvet cookies will continue to bake as they cool on the baking sheet.
- Wait until the cookies are COMPLETELY COOLED before decorating them otherwise the cream cheese frosting will melt and slide off.
- Do not over mix the cream cheese frosting otherwise it will begin to break down and become runny.
My Favorite Cookie Tools
- Kitchen scale I love this scale, I’ve been using it for years!
- Stand Mixer
- Baking sheets
- Parchment Paper
- Cookie Scoop
- Red gel food coloring
More Cookie Recipes To Try
- Fudgy Chocolate Crinkle Cookies
- Pumpkin Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting
- Mini Chocolate Chip Shortbread Bars
- Soft and Chewy Snickerdoodles
- Salted Brownie Cookies
- Chewy Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Almond Butter Blossoms
If you try this recipe then please leave a rating/comment below to let me know how you liked it and feel free to ask any recipe questions you may have! 🙂
Red Velvet Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting
Equipment
- Stand mixer or hand mixer
- Baking sheets
- Cookie scoop (I use a 3 tablespoon scoop)
Ingredients
Red Velvet Cookie Dough
- 300 g (2 1/2 cups) all-purpose flour
- 20 g (1/4 cup) cocoa powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp baking powder
- 226 g (1 cup) unsalted butter, softened
- 200 g (1 cup) granulated sugar
- 100 g (1/2 cup) brown sugar
- 2 eggs
- 30 g (2 tbsp) buttermilk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp white vinegar
- red food coloring
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 56 g (4 tbsp) unsalted butter, softened
- 4 oz cream cheese, softened
- 210 g (1 3/4 cups) confectioners' sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- salt, to taste
Instructions
Red Velvet Cookie Dough
- Preheat oven to 350°F and line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
- In a small bowl combine the all-purpose flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, salt and baking powder.
- Use a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment to cream softened butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar until light and fluffy.
- Add eggs one at a time. Then add the buttermilk, vanilla, white vinegar and red food coloring to desired shade. Scrape the sides of the bowl.
- Add the dry ingredients all at once and mix on low speed until just combined. Do not over mix the dough because it will make the cookies tough.
- Using a 3 tablespoon cookie scoop, scoop dough onto lined baking sheets (be sure to adjust the baking time if your cookies are smaller/larger).
- Bake red velvet cookies for 14 minutes then cool on the baking sheet.
Cream Cheese Frosting
- Using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or a hand mixer cream the butter and cream cheese. Mix in the confectioners' sugar and vanilla extract until smooth. Add salt to taste. Decorate cooled cookies as desired.
Notes
- Weigh your ingredients using a kitchen scale! Measuring ingredients by volume is not accurate.
- Butter: I recommend using unsalted butter. You can use salted butter, just be sure to omit the 1/2 tsp salt.
- Store frosted Red Velvet Cookies in an airtight container for up to a week in the fridge and unfrosted Red Velvet Cookies in an airtight container for up to 5 days at room temperature.
