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These red velvet crinkle cookies bring all the charm of classic red velvet cake in a festive, crackly cookie. With a soft center, crisp edges, and a snowy sugar coating, they’re as delicious as they are eye-catching.
What Makes These Santa’s Favorites
- Sweet Snowy Magic: Rolling these in granulated sugar before the powdered sugar gives you the snowiest crinkle cookies ever!
- Cake Meets Cookie: All the rich cocoa flavor of red velvet cake, but in a soft cookie with chewy edges and a melt-in-your-mouth center.
- Holiday Showstoppers: Their bold red color and crackly tops make them the star of any cookie tray.
Red Velvet Crinkle Cookies Ingredients
- Red Food Coloring: Gel or paste food coloring gives the brightest, most vibrant red without adding too much liquid.
- Cocoa Powder: Use unsweetened, high-quality cocoa for rich chocolate flavor.
How to Make Red Velvet Crinkle Cookies
If you love classic chocolate crinkle cookies or festive gingerbread crinkle cookies, you’re going to adore these red velvet crinkles cookies as well. They’re just as soft, chewy, and full of flavor, but with that bold, holiday red color.
- Whisk Dry Ingredients: Add the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, cornstarch, and salt to a medium bowl and whisk until combined.
- Combine Butter and Sugar: Add the butter, sugar, and brown sugar to a large bowl. Beat with a hand mixer or stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment for 2-3 minutes, until fluffy.
- Finish Mixing Wet Ingredients: Add the eggs, vanilla, and red food coloring, and beat until combined.
- Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients: Add the flour mixture to the sugar mixture and mix on low speed until combined. Cover and chill in the fridge for at least 1 hour.
- Roll in Granulated Sugar: Once the dough has chilled, preheat the oven to 350ºF and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Scoop the dough into 3 tablespoon portions using a medium cookie scoop. Roll the dough into uniform balls with your hands. Roll the balls in granulated sugar until fully coated.
- Roll and Bake: Then, roll them in the powdered sugar until fully coated. Place the cookies on the prepared baking sheets, leaving 2 inches between them. Bake for 11-13 minutes, or until the tops crack and the edges have set. The centers will still look slightly wet, but the cookies will continue to bake as they cool. Let the red velvet crinkle cookies cool on the baking sheet for at least 3 minutes. Then, transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling.
Alyssa’s Pro Tip
One Step At a Time: It’s a good idea to form all the dough into balls before rolling in sugar. This way, your hands aren’t covered in powdered sugar while shaping the next dough ball.
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Add the 2 cups all-purpose flour, ⅓ cup unsweetened cocoa powder, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon cornstarch, and ½ teaspoon salt to a medium bowl and whisk until combined.
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Add the ½ cup unsalted butter, ¾ cup granulated sugar, and ½ cup packed brown sugar to a large bowl and beat with a hand mixer or stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment for 2-3 minutes, until fluffy.
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Add the 2 large eggs, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, and 1 ½ teaspoons red food coloring, and beat until combined.
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Add the flour mixture to the sugar mixture and mix on low speed until combined. Cover and chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour.
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Once the dough has chilled, preheat the oven to 350℉ and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
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Scoop the dough into 3-tablespoon portions using a medium cookie scoop and roll the dough into uniform balls with your hands.
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Roll the balls in the ½ cup granulated sugar,then in the ⅔ cup powdered sugar, until fully coated.
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Place the cookies on the prepared baking sheets, leaving 2 inches between them. Bake for 11-13 minutes, or until the tops crack and the edges have set. The centers will still look slightly wet, but the cookies will continue to bake as they cool.
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Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for at least 3 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack to finish cooling.
- Room Temp: Store in an airtight container at room temperature for 3 to 4 days.
- Freezer: Freeze in a sealed bag for up to 2 months; thaw at room temperature.
Calories: 182kcalCarbohydrates: 32gProtein: 2gFat: 5gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.3gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 29mgSodium: 68mgPotassium: 71mgFiber: 1gSugar: 22gVitamin A: 166IUCalcium: 21mgIron: 1mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
More Holiday Cookie Recipes
These red velvet crinkle cookies are fun to make and fun to eat. Want more festive treats? Try some of my other top holiday cookies. They are all sweet, soft, and full of joy!
