Red Velvet Crinkle Cookies - easy and festive crinkle cookies made from scratch! They will be perfect for your Christmas cookie plate!
Your Christmas platter will be beautiful and festive with these cookies. Don't forget to add Sugar Cookies and Molasses Cookies too!
These cookies are also very easy to make. There is no chilling of the dough required so you can make a batch in under 30 minutes. They are super fun to make and kids love rolling the dough in powdered sugar. They have a delicate chocolate flavor, thanks to the cocoa powder. Absolute cookie success! These Red Velvet Crinkle cookies simply have to appear on your Christmas cookie plate. They look festive and are absolutely delicious! Everyone will be reaching for them!
Ingredients
- all-purpose flour
- unsweetened cocoa powder
- baking powder
- butter
- granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- apple cider vinegar
- red food coloring
- powdered sugar
Instructions
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Preheat oven and line baking sheet with parchment paper or silicone baking mat. Set aside.
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In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together dry ingredients ( flour, cocoa powder, baking powder).
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In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time. Mix well after each addition. Add vanilla and vinegar and mix well. Add food coloring and mix well.
-
With a mixer on low speed, add dry ingredients and mix just until combined. The dough will be soft and sticky.
-
Using a medium cookie scoop (1 and ½ tablespoon size), drop scoops of the dough onto powder sugar and roll the dough into balls. Place on a baking sheet, leaving 2” space between them. Bake until puffed and the tops are cracked.
How to get the red velvet color?
It took me three tries to get these babies just right. Not because I had to test the cookies recipe. It was to get the perfect red velvet color. The first batch came out with a hot salmon pink color! While still pretty, it was not what I wanted. Red velvet recipes can be so tricky, especially if you want to get the color without using tons of food coloring. But it's possible and I am here to prove it!
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These cookies have only two teaspoons of red food coloring. The rest of the color relies on a cocoa powder and vinegar mixture. It also gives my favorite chocolate cake of all time it's rich, reddish hue. These cookies are all about the perfect balance of both, food coloring and cocoa-vinegar mixture. And they bake up beautifully!
What food coloring is best?
I recommend gel food coloring because it is easier to control the amount you add to the batter. You can find gel food coloring in a bakery section of Hobby Lobby or Michael's stores.
Storing
To keep these cookies fresh and soft, I recommend storing them in a container with lid, at room temperature. Any cookie jar will work since they have a rubber seal around the lid.
More cookie recipes:
If you like this recipe and make it, snap a photo and share it on INSTAGRAM! Tag me @crunchycreamysweet so I can check it out and leave a comment! 😀
Red Velvet Crinkle Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 and ¾ cup all-purpose flour minus 3 Tablespoons
- 3 Tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1.5 teaspoon baking powder
- 8 Tablespoons unsalted butter room temperature, 1 stick
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- ¾ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar or red wine vinegar
- 2 teaspoons red food coloring
- ½ cup powdered sugar for rolling cookies
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Line baking sheet with parchment paper or silicone baking mat. Set aside.
- In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together dry ingredients ( flour, cocoa powder, baking powder).
- In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy.
- Add eggs, one at a time. Mix well after each addition.
- Add vanilla and vinegar and mix well.
- Add food coloring and mix well.
- With mixer on low speed, add dry ingredients and mix just until combined. The dough will be soft and sticky.
- Using a medium cookie scoop (1 and ½ tablespoon size), drop scoops of the dough onto powder sugar and roll the dough into balls.
- Place on baking sheet, leaving 2” space between them.
- Bake for 12 to 14 minutes, or until puffed and the tops are cracked.
- Cool on sheet for 2 minutes, then transfer onto cooling rack to cool completely.
Notes
- Please, read the recipe before proceeding with making the cookies.
- Please note, that the nutrition value can vary depending on what product you use. The information below is an estimate. Always use calorie counter you are familiar with.
Nutrition
This recipe was originally published on November 29h, 2014 and updated on December 1st, 2019.
Christine says
Hi ...when recipe calls for 2 tsp red food coloring, do you mean gel or regular?
Neha says
Hi
I tried these cookies. They look beautiful
The only problem was it was cakey
I wanted it to be thin and flat
What changes I can make to get desired results
Anna@CrunchyCreamySweet says
Hi Neha! These cookies are supposed to be cakey. To make them thin you would have to change the recipe.
Helena Heather Jean Sweet says
Hey Anna,
Thank you for so much for this recipe ♥️ it works out very well. They're so delicious and crinkle nicely. But here in Germany we definitely need a better food coloring 🙂 which one you've used? So next try for a better color!
Greetings
Hilda says
Can you chill the dough before rolling into balls?
Paulette says
How far ahead can you make these? Can the Red Velvet Crinkles be frozen?
Brittany says
How long should these keep in an air tight container? Trying to figure out if making these 3days in advance would be ok. Thank you!
Linda Fielder says
The recipe says 2 servings, so how many cookies does it actually make?
Anna@CrunchyCreamySweet says
Hi Linda! It should say 2 dozen. Fixing it now!
Anne says
Looks so beautiful. Did you use gel food color or liquid?
Anna@CrunchyCreamySweet says
Hi Anne! Thank you so much! I usually use gel food coloring butfor this recipe I used liquid. Go with what you use most often. Hope this helps! Happy baking! -Anna
Carla says
There's always something fun about eating red velvet cookies, especially now that December has begun!
Sharon says
Such pretty cookies! I love all things red velvet 🙂
Lisa says
Crinkle cookies are my favorite! Love the red velvet twist in yours. Perfect for Christmas!
Anna@CrunchyCreamySweet says
Thank you, Lisa!
Patricia says
My last batch of crinkle cookies was a disaster for some reason. Can't wait to try these - they're so festive! I LOVE that you have an alternative to using only food coloring. Thank you!
Anna@CrunchyCreamySweet says
Thank you so much, Patricia! I hope you will have a chance to try this recipe. I think you will love it!
Amanda Paa says
Red velvet cake is my favorite - so a cookie in that flavor sounds amazing! And they look so festive. Plus I love cookies that you don't have to chill. Yum!