Red Velvet Cookies Recipe - House of Nash Eats (2024)

These Red Velvet Chocolate Chip Cookies have that classic buttery-sweet, light cocoa flavor of red velvet cake, but in cookie form and studded with white chocolate or semisweet chocolate chips! Perfect for Valentine's Day, Christmas, the 4th of July, or just because!

Red Velvet Cookies Recipe - House of Nash Eats (1)
Table of Contents
  1. You'll love these gorgeously fun Red Velvet Chocolate Chip Cookies
  2. Red Velvet Cookies Recipe Ingredients
  3. How to make Red Velvet Cookies
  4. Red Velvet Cookie Recipe Tips
  5. Storing Red Velvet Cake Cookies
  6. How to decorate a Red Velvet Cookie
  7. More Cookie Recipes
  8. Red Velvet Cake Cookies Recipe

You'll love these gorgeously fun Red Velvet Chocolate Chip Cookies

If you enjoy the buttery cocoa taste and vibrant color of classic red velvet cake, you’re going to love these simple red velvet chocolate chip cookies! They are crisp around the edges and chewy in the middle with that classic red velvet color and taste in an easy drop cookie that you can make in under 30 minutes!

If you love red velvet desserts, then you are also going to love Red Velvet Whoopie Pies, Easy Red Velvet Cupcakes, and my homemade Red Velvet Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting!

Red Velvet Cookies Recipe - House of Nash Eats (2)

Make no mistake, the deep red hue of these cookies comes from food coloring (affiliate link), not a chemical reaction between cocoa powder and buttermilk or some other substance.

But the classic red velvet flavor is there in full effect! It can be difficult to put into words, but I think of it as sweet and buttery with a hint of cocoa that that doesn't need to live up to the reputation of "chocolate" in order to be delicious and uniquely it's own flavor.

However, I will say that if you add semisweet chocolate chips to these red velvet cookies, it definitely will tip the scale in the chocolate direction and really up the ante. I most often make them with white chocolate chips though, partially because I love the flavor of white chocolate, but also largely because they make such a pretty visual impact that works well for lots of festive occasions and holidays!

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Red Velvet Cookies Recipe Ingredients

  • Flour: Like most of my cookie recipes, this one uses all-purpose flour.
  • Cocoa powder: I use regular unsweetened cocoa powder to make these cookies. Ghiradelli makes one of my favorite cocoa powders, but Hershey's works just fine too and is widely available. The amount should be enough for a noticeable, but light cocoa flavor.
  • Butter: I always use salted butter in my baking, unless otherwise noted.
  • Sugar: Equal parts light brown sugar and granulated sugar give a great balance of flavor and just the right amount of sweetness to these cookies.
  • Eggs: These are for binding and help keep the cookies chewy.
  • Vanilla extract: I have been using my homemade vanilla extract in my baking and it gives great results! If you haven't tried making your own vanilla, I highly recommend it!
  • Baking Soda: For leavening so the cookies puff up a bit while baking.
  • Salt: For flavor, because nobody likes bland cookies!
  • Red food coloring (affiliate link): You can really use however much you like depending on how vibrant you want the red color to be. I tend to use gel food coloring (affiliate link) because it's more potent and you need less of it than the liquid kind.
  • Chocolate chips: You can see in the pictures that I used white chocolate chips, but semisweet, milk, or dark chocolate chips will all work just as well and give a different flavor. Choose whichever you like best!

How to make Red Velvet Cookies

  1. Cream butter and sugars: Beating the butter and sugars together until light is an important step in making cookies! If your butter isn't completely softened, just beat it a little longer and it will soften up.
  2. Add eggs, vanilla, and food coloring (affiliate link): Beat in the eggs and vanilla, then go ahead and add the food coloring (affiliate link) to get the color you like. I do this before adding the flour and cocoa powder because we don't want to overwork the cookie dough once we add the dry ingredients and it's difficult to get even coloring otherwise.
  3. Mix in dry ingredients: Go ahead and add the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt, pulsing the mixer on low speed to combine. Once the dough is mostly coming together, go ahead and stir in the chocolate chips until they are evenly dispersed.
  4. Chill the dough: Chilling cookie dough is one of my pet peeves, but this particular dough does benefit from at least a short 1 hour chill in the fridge. They bake up a bit better and the dough is easier to work with, although if you really must, you could bake the cookies right away and skip the chilling. They just might flatten out a bit more.
  5. Bake: Scoop the cookie dough onto parchment-lined baking sheets, spacing them a couple inches apart. Bake for 10-12 minutes at 350 degrees F until set around the edges and just starting to lose the glossy sheen on top. I always prefer to underbake cookies so they stay soft, but it can be difficult to tell with these cookies because you can't see them brown as well on top to know when they are done.
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Red Velvet Cookie Recipe Tips

  • Quality Ingredients:Use high-quality ingredients for the best flavor. This includes real cocoa powder, pure vanilla extract, and good-quality red food coloring (affiliate link).
  • Creaming Butter and Sugar:Cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. This step is crucial for creating a tender and soft cookie texture and making sure the cookie dough mixes evenly.
  • Don't Overmix:Once you add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mix until just combined. Overmixing can lead to a tougher texture and cookies that end up dry or stale tasting.
  • Use Parchment Paper:Line your baking sheets with parchment paper to prevent cookies from sticking and make for easier cleanup.
  • Evenly Sized Cookies:Use a cookie scoop or tablespoon to ensure that your cookies are similar in size. This helps them bake uniformly.
  • Watch Baking Time:Red velvet cookies can go from perfectly baked to overdone quickly. Start checking for doneness a minute or two before the suggested baking time. The edges should be set, and the centers should be slightly soft.

Storing Red Velvet Cake Cookies

Like most chocolate chip cookies, these red velvet cookies keep best at room temperature on the counter in an airtight container for 4-5 days.

Red velvet chocolate chip cookies freeze really well! Store them in a freezer-safe airtight container for up to 2-3 months in the freezer and thaw on the counter before enjoying. I like to pop mine in the microwave for 10 seconds to reheat just a bit.

You can also freeze the dough itself before baking. Just scoop individual balls of dough onto a parchment lined baking sheet and pop them in the freezer. Once the balls are frozen (after just a couple hours), you can transfer them to a freezer-safe silicon bag for longer term storage. Then when a cookie craving hits you, you can bake straight from frozen just by adding an extra minute or two to your bake time!

How to decorate a Red Velvet Cookie

I always press a few extra white chocolate chips into the hot cookies right as they come out of the oven for a pretty presentation.

But another idea would be to leave off the chips, let the cookies cool completely, then frost them with cream cheese icing on top and sprinkle with festive sprinkles!

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More Cookie Recipes

  • White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies
  • Double Lemon Glazed Cookies
  • Chewy Brownie Cookies
  • Rocky Road Cookies
  • Pecan Chocolate Chip Cookies
  • Andes Mint Cookies

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Did you make this recipe?

Let me know what you thought with a comment and rating below. You can also take a picture and tag me on Instagram @houseofnasheats or share it on the Pinterest pin so I can see.

Red Velvet Cookies Recipe - House of Nash Eats (9)

PrintPinRate

Red Velvet Cake Cookies

4.95 from 34 votes

Amy Nash

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 10 minutes mins

Additional Time 1 hour hr

Total Time 1 hour hr 25 minutes mins

Course Cookies

Cuisine American

Servings 24 cookies

These Red Velvet Chocolate Chip Cookies have that classic buttery-sweet, light cocoa flavor of classic red velvet cake, but in cookie form and studded with white chocolate or semisweet chocolate chips! Perfect for Valentine's Day, Christmas, the 4th of July, or just because!

Ingredients

  • 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
  • ¼ cup cocoa powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ¾ cup salted butter, softened
  • ¾ cup light brown sugar, packed
  • ¾ cup granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature
  • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • 1 Tablespoon red liquid food coloring (affiliate link) or 1 teaspoon red gel food coloring (affiliate link)
  • 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips, milk chocolate chips, or white chocolate chips

Instructions

  • Beat butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar together until creamy and light, about 2-3 minutes. Add the eggs, vanilla, and food coloring (affiliate link), then beat again, scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl.

  • Add the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt, mixing just until combined. Stir in chocolate chips.

  • I highly recommend you cover and chill the dough for 1 hour, as it has a tendency to be stickier than other doughs, thanks to the food coloring (affiliate link).

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

  • Use a medium cookie scoop to scoop balls of cookie dough onto the parchment lined baking sheets, spacing them a couple inches apart so the cookies have room to spread. Bake for 10-12 minutes until set around the edges and the cookies are just starting to lose their glossy shine in the centers.

  • Immediately upon removing the cookies from the oven, press a few extra chocolate chips into the tops of each cookie for effect. Transfer to a wire cooling rack to cool completely.

Notes

  • Store the cookies in an airtight container on the counter for 3-5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
  • You can freeze individual balls of cookie dough and bake straight from frozen. Just add an extra minute or two to the bake time.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cookie | Calories: 194kcal | Carbohydrates: 26g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 29mg | Sodium: 129mg | Potassium: 84mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 16g | Vitamin A: 201IU | Calcium: 17mg | Iron: 1mg

Tried this recipe? Show me on Instagram!Mention @HouseOfNashEats or tag #houseofnasheats!

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About the author

Red Velvet Cookies Recipe - House of Nash Eats (14)

Hi, I'm Amy

I enjoy exploring the world through food, culture, and travel and sharing the adventure with mostly from-scratch, family friendly recipes that I think of as modern comfort cooking.

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Red Velvet Cookies Recipe - House of Nash Eats (2024)

FAQs

What is the best cocoa powder for red velvet cake? ›

The Best Cocoa for Red Velvet Cake Is Natural Cocoa

Natural cocoa is the best cocoa for red velvet cake for two reasons. With a higher acidity, natural cocoa works with the cake's baking soda and buttermilk to leaven the cake to a tight, tender crumb. The results are an almost melt-in-your-mouth tender cake.

What's the most eaten cookie? ›

1. Chocolate chip cookies. What is the most popular type of cookie? It might just be this one.

What is the difference between chocolate and red velvet cookies? ›

Most chocolate desserts have large amounts of cocoa powder and/or melted chocolate bars giving them an intense chocolate flavor. Red velvet on the other hand is far more complex. It has a vanilla base, but with the raw cocoa powder it has a soft and velvety crumb and a subtle chocolate flavor.

Why are my toll house cookies cake like? ›

Using too much flour will make your cookies too cakey, so try reducing the flour amount by two tablespoons. Avoid using cake flour instead; try a mix of all-purpose flour and bread flour for a more dense and chewy texture. Using too much baking powder. According to the science geeks at Serious Eats—we love you!

Why do my tollhouse cookies bake flat? ›

Flat cookies can be the result of a number of issues. Here are some of the main possibilities: OVEN TEMPERATURE: Be sure to have your oven pre-heated and ready to bake. Also be sure that the thermometer is reading correctly.

What is special about red velvet cake? ›

While red velvet cake is technically a cocoa cake, there is a key difference between standard chocolate cake and red velvet cake. Chocolate cake recipes traditionally use Dutch-processed cocoa, while red velvet cake uses unprocessed cocoa, a more acidic ingredient that produces a deeper, more intense chocolate flavor.

What does vinegar do to red velvet? ›

When bakers added vinegar, baking soda, or buttermilk to their recipes to tenderize the cakes, the acid in those ingredients reacted with the cocoa, which was not Dutch-processed, to give the cakes a red tint. That color became a signature of velvet cakes.

Why does my red velvet cake turn out brown? ›

The red food colouring makes the cake batter prone to splitting, and turns everything it touches red; a couple of grams over on the cocoa powder and the cake goes brown instead of a rich red; the cream cheese frosting has a tendency to turn to gloop at the very last minute for no apparent reason; and the list goes on.

What is the number one selling cookie in the United States? ›

Oreo is the best-selling cookie in the world. It is now sold in over 100 countries. Oreo was first produced in 1912 by the National Biscuit Company, now known as Na-Bis-Co. But did you know Oreos are a copycat product?

What is the oldest cookie in the world? ›

Pizzelles are the oldest known cookie and originated in the mid-section of Italy. They were made many years ago for the “Festival of the Snakes” also known as the “Feast Day of San Domenico”.

Can my dog eat red velvet cake? ›

The main ingredients in red velvet cake are not good for dogs, including chocolate, wheat flour, and sugar. In particular, chocolate is toxic to dogs because it contains methylxanthines like caffeine and theobromine, which dogs cannot break down as we can. Chocolate poisoning can cause severe symptoms and even death.

Is red velvet just vanilla? ›

Red velvet is a term used to describe a flavor that's a mix of cocoa and vanilla, often available in baked cookies, cakes, and cupcakes. The most distinguishing feature of red velvet is its vibrant red or deep maroon color.

What flavor is blue velvet? ›

The flavor of blue velvet cake is the same as a red velvet cake—fluffy vanilla cake with a hint of chocolate slathered in tangy cream cheese frosting. It is easy to make a blue velvet cake from scratch with a blend of cocoa powder, vinegar, buttermilk, and bright blue food coloring.

Should you refrigerate Toll House cookie dough before baking? ›

The best way to avoid sticky dough is to keep it well chilled before you begin to use it. Coating your hands with nonstick cooking spray makes the dough easier to handle, too.

Is it OK to eat Nestle Toll House cookie dough? ›

We recommend enjoying our Edible Cookie Dough as is! However, other fun ideas could be to add it to your ice cream or spread it on your freshly baked brownies! Why can't I eat your regular Toll House Cookie Dough raw? Our refrigerated cookie dough is not formulated to be consumed raw and must be baked before eating.

What if I put too much butter in my cookies? ›

Too much butter makes cookies turn out just as you'd expect: very buttery. This batch of cookies was cakey in the middle, but also airy throughout, with crispy edges. They were yellow and slightly puffy in the middle, and brown and super thin around the perimeter.

How can I make my cookies fluffier instead of flat? ›

The Fix: Chilling the Dough

Refrigerate the remaining dough until it feels firm to the touch, one to two hours. This chills the butter, so it won't spread rapidly in the oven. Although your cookies won't be as fluffy as they might have been, they won't turn into pancakes.

How to know when toll house cookies are done? ›

Open up the oven, pull out the rack a bit, and push the sides of the cookie very lightly with a spatula or your finger. If the edge stays firm and doesn't fall inwards, then your cookies are done. If you leave a noticeable indentation, then your cookies likely need a few minutes more in the oven.

How to keep toll house cookies from spreading? ›

Use a silicone baking mat or parchment paper. Coating your baking sheet with nonstick spray or butter creates an overly greasy foundation, causing the cookies to spread. I always recommend a silicone baking mat because they grip onto the bottom of your cookie dough, preventing the cookies from spreading too much.

Why red velvet cake is so expensive? ›

The cocoa powder is used in less quantity and the taste develops by the mixing of vinegar and buttermilk with the cocoa powder. The recipe involves many ingredients in small quantity. The frosting- if used cream cheese is an expensive element in itself. It tastes wow if made at home without using any premix.

How do I make my red velvet cake more red? ›

Some ways to do this is by substituting baking powder in place of baking soda, using a natural non-alkalized cocoa powder, adding more white vinegar or buttermilk to your red velvet recipe, to achieve a bright red color.

Why does red velvet cake taste different than chocolate? ›

Dutch processed refers to when cocoa beans are washed and treated with an alkalizing agent. This process reduces the cocoa's acidity so the chocolate doesn't taste as bitter as it naturally does. Red Velvet Cake is flavored with non-Dutch processed cocoa, buttermilk, and vinegar.

Which cocoa powder is used for cake? ›

We would suggest using a cocoa powder from a quality chocolate maker and there are several different ones around. Green & Black's is available in many countries and Valrhona is also widely distributed. In the US Ghiradelli is another good brand (sometimes this is sold as "baking cocoa").

Do you use sweetened or unsweetened cocoa powder for cake? ›

With its intense chocolate flavor, unsweetened cocoa powder is a staple for most bakers' pantries. When baking, you should always use unsweetened cocoa powder (rather than sweetened cocoa powder, often labeled "sweet ground chocolate") because it allows you to control the amount of sugar in the final product.

What is the best cocoa powder for frosting? ›

Dutch-Processed Cocoa Powder

It makes amazingly rich, dark, and tender cakes, fudgy, moist brownies and cookies, and incredibly luscious frosting.

Is Hershey's cocoa powder good for cakes? ›

Baking from scratch is easier than you think when you mix HERSHEY'S Cocoa with a few other simple ingredients. Bake this delicious dessert when you're hosting the next family get-together, celebrating a birthday or wanting a bite of delicious chocolate cake after dinner.

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