Description
Whipping up red velvet cookies brings pure joy to your kitchen, especially when topped with that silky cream cheese frosting. Chocolate-kissed and crimson-hued, these little treats will make your taste buds dance with delight.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients:
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ½ cup cocoa powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Wet Ingredients:
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 egg
Flavor and Color Enhancers:
- 1 tablespoon red food coloring
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Warm your oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper for easy cookie removal.
- Sift together 1 cup flour, ½ cup cocoa powder, ½ teaspoon baking soda, and ¼ teaspoon salt in a medium mixing bowl until thoroughly combined.
- Cream ½ cup softened butter with 1 cup sugar using an electric mixer until the mixture becomes pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
- Blend 1 egg, 1 tablespoon red food coloring, and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract into your butter mixture until the color is uniform and vibrant.
- Gradually fold dry ingredients into wet ingredients, stirring carefully until a smooth, consistent dough forms without overmixing.
- Scoop rounded tablespoons of dough onto prepared baking sheet, spacing cookies 2 inches apart to allow room for spreading.
- Bake cookies at 350°F for exactly 10-12 minutes, watching for slightly crisp edges and soft centers.
- Transfer cookies to a wire rack and let them cool completely for 30 minutes before adding frosting.
- Whip 4 ounces softened cream cheese with 1 cup powdered sugar until silky and spreadable.
- Generously spread 1 teaspoon frosting over each cooled cookie using an offset spatula.
Notes
- Gel food coloring delivers a more vibrant red color than liquid varieties for these cookies.
- Chill the dough for 30 minutes before baking to prevent spreading and maintain a perfect round shape.
- Use room temperature cream cheese and butter for the smoothest, lump-free frosting that spreads easily.
- For a gluten-free version, swap regular flour with a 1:1 gluten-free baking blend to keep the texture soft and tender.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10-12 minutes
- Category: Cookies
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 8
- Calories: 187 kcal
- Sugar: 14 g
- Sodium: 87 mg
- Fat: 9 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3 g
- Trans Fat: 0.2 g
- Carbohydrates: 25 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 28 mg