These cookies are festive, delicious, and, best of all - homemade! Red velvet crinkle cookies are both rich and fudgy with that pop of red we all recognize and that delicious powdered sugar crackle top.
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Many people use cake mix for crinkle cookies, but we promise the extra effort to make these treats from scratch is worth it. The best part? Not only do they put you in the Christmas spirit, but they are also perfect for celebrating love on Valentine’s Day.
Most of the ingredients used can be easily found in your pantry, making this recipe simpler than ever. Plus, if you use a stand mixer, it will take no time to whip up the cookie dough in advance so you can bake the cookies when you’re ready!
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Seasonal Treats
As we already mentioned, these deep red cookies aren’t only perfect for Christmas but Valentine’s Day as well. Making cookies from scratch is a present that comes straight from the heart.
You can find some other seasonal recipes on One Hot Oven that are just as easy and delicious as these red velvet crinkle cookies!
Maple syrup is one of my favorite flavors during fall, and these Maple Syrup Walnut Muffins are a great snack or breakfast.
A tasty Christmas treat is these minty and creamy Party Mints. These red and green candies are so festive, and they are also no-bake.
Make these Irish Cream Truffles for a festive St. Patrick's Day treat.
Crinkles Ingredients
- Flour - All-purpose white flour will work perfectly.
- Cocoa powder - This provides the decadent fudge flavor.
- Baking powder - Can’t forget your leavening agent!
- Salt - Most baked goods need a pinch of salt. It really brings out all of the other flavors.
- Unsalted butter - You don’t want your cookies overly salty, so unsalted is best. Make sure it is at room temperature.
- Granulated sugar
- Eggs
- Milk - Whole is best.
- Red food coloring - For that classic red color.
- Vanilla extract
- Powdered sugar - To coat the cookies.
Let’s Make Cookies
This is such a super simple recipe, especially since it’s made with pantry staples that are easy to find. I can guarantee most of them are in your cabinets right now.
Rich and chocolatey desserts are some of my favorite things to make, and this red velvet crinkles recipe is no exception. They are soft and cake-like on the inside while maintaining a slightly crunchy exterior. Many recipes out there use a boxed cake mix, but I promise to go the extra mile to make these from scratch is worth it.
Step 1: Combine all of your dry ingredients in a medium bowl. You can mix them up using a wire whisk.
Step 2: Cream together the butter and sugar in a large bowl. It should only take a few minutes for it to become light and fluffy.
Step 3: Beat in the eggs one at a time.
Step 4: Add in the milk, food coloring and vanilla and mix until just combined.
Step 5: Slowly pour in the dry ingredients. Beat together until thoroughly combined, just be careful not to overmix.
Step 6: This cookie dough needs to chill in the refrigerator to make it easy to scoop and to keep the cookies from spreading while baking. I recommend at least 30 minutes but no longer than 24 hours.
Step 7: Heat your oven to 350 degrees F.
Step 8: Prep your baking sheet with a silicone mat or parchment paper.
Step 9: Have your powdered sugar ready in a small bowl.
Step 10: Scoop out the dough and roll it in the powdered sugar until completely covered.
Crackle cookie tip 1 ~ be very generous when rolling the cookie dough balls in the powdered sugar. I roll them in the sugar twice to get a good coating.
Crackle cookie tip 2 ~Use a cookie dough scoop if you have one to ensure all the cookies are the same size so they bake more evenly. For these cookies a 1-tablespoon cookie scoop works the best.
Step 11: Place the cookies on the baking sheet and bake for 12-14 minutes or until the tops of them start to crack. (be sure not to overbake, so the cookies don’t dry out)
Step 12: Cool completely before enjoying.
Cookie variations
- Since the food coloring doesn’t alter the flavor, try different colors! Green for St. Patrick’s Day or pink instead of red for Valentine’s Day would be great ideas.
- Swap the vanilla extract for peppermint extract for a fun holiday flavor. It goes so well with the chocolate.
Cookie Questions
More than likely the cookie dough wasn't cold enough and the dough spread too quickly in the oven. Make sure to chill the dough.
Yes, you can freeze unbaked and baked crinkle cookies.
For baked cookies, let them cool completely then layer the cookies in an airtight container between sheets of parchment paper for up to three months. Let the cookies thaw on the countertop.
For unbaked cookies scoop the cooled dough into balls and freeze the balls in an airtight container. When you are ready to bake the cookies, let them thaw for 30 minutes and then roll in powdered sugar and bake as directed.
Make these delicious red desserts
Recipe
Red Velvet Crinkle Cookies
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Equipment
Ingredients
- 1⅔ cups AP flour
- ⅓ cup Unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1½ teaspoons Baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon Salt
- ½ cup Unsalted butter room temperature
- 1¼ cups Granulated sugar
- 2 Large eggs
- 1 tablespoon Milk
- 1½ teaspoons Liquid red food coloring
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- Plan on time for chilling the cookie dough.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt
- In a large mixing bowl, cream together the softened butter and sugar until light and fluffy, mix for about three minutes. You can use a stand mixer, or a handheld electric mixer.
- Set the mixer on medium speed and mix in the eggs one at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl in between additions
- Add milk, food coloring, and vanilla then mix at medium speed until well combined. Scrape the bowl, and then mix again just to get everything combined.
- Gradually add the flour mixture while mixing on medium-low speed, scraping down the sides of the bowl in between additions. You will have a nice smooth dough when mixed.
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and chill for 30 minutes, or up to one day. You can transfer the dough into a smaller bowl and cover it with plastic wrap.
- When ready to bake, heat the oven to 350° F., and prepare two baking pans with parchment or a silicone baking mat.
- Pour the powdered sugar into a small bowl.
- Using a cookie scoop or a tablespoon, scoop the dough and roll it into balls then immediately roll in the powdered sugar
- Bake for 12-14 minutes or until cookies are set and the tops are cracked. Remove the cookies from the oven and cool them on the baking sheet for 5 minutes then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Store the cookies in an airtight container for several days.
Notes
- For baked cookies, let them cool completely then layer the cookies in an airtight container between sheets of parchment paper for up to three months. Let the cookies thaw on the countertop.
For unbaked cookies scoop the cooled dough into balls and freeze the balls in an airtight container. When you are ready to bake the cookies, let them thaw for 30 minutes and then roll them in powdered sugar and bake as directed.
Nutrition
Thank you for stopping by the One Hot Oven blog. Please leave a comment to say Hello or just let me know what you are baking these days, I always love hearing from fellow bakers. Have any questions or just want to chat about the recipe? Please visit my about page for information, and I’ll be happy to help!
About Jere'
From learning to cook on a farm in Indiana to culinary school in California, my passion for food is never-ending. Turning on my oven to bake something for friends and family is my happy place, and I am glad to be here at One Hot Oven sharing both sweet and savory family-friendly recipes for your cooking and baking inspiration.
Relle
These are so festive and perfect for the holidays. Thank you for sharing.
MacKenzie
I made these yesterday for my Christmas party and they were the hit of the party. Can’t wait to make again
Jan
Oh these were an absolute delight to bake! They are perfect for Xmas!
Heidi Bruaw
These were just the touch of color I needed for my holiday plates! I loved that I already had all of the ingredients in my pantry!
Emily
WOW! These were delicious and BEAUTIFUL! Perfect on my Christmas cookie plate