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If you adore the luscious flavor of red velvet cupcakes but wish they were a bit more portable and fun, then this Red Velvet Cupcake Cookies Recipe is going to become your new obsession. These cookies perfectly capture the rich cocoa undertones, delicate tang of cream cheese frosting, and that iconic velvety texture, all wrapped up in a chewy, tender cookie that’s easier to share and impossible to resist. Whether you’re baking for a party, gift-giving, or just a delightful treat for yourself, these cookies bring the best of both worlds in a way that’s utterly delightful from the very first bite.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Though this Red Velvet Cupcake Cookies Recipe might sound fancy, the ingredients are incredibly straightforward yet carefully chosen to bring out the classic red velvet charm. Each one plays a vital role in balancing color, texture, moisture, and flavor, making sure your cookies come out just right every time.
- All-purpose flour: The foundational base that provides structure and perfect chewiness to the cookies.
- Unsweetened cocoa powder: Adds that signature subtle chocolate flavor essential for red velvet goodness.
- Baking soda and baking powder: The duo ensures the cookies rise just enough to stay soft and tender.
- Salt: Enhances all the flavors and balances the sweetness beautifully.
- Unsalted butter: Adds richness and moisture, keeping the cookies soft and melt-in-your-mouth.
- White granulated sugar: Sweeter layers and caramelizes beautifully during baking.
- Pure vanilla extract: Brings warmth and depth to the batter and frosting alike.
- Honey: A subtle trick to lock in softness and add a hint of natural sweetness.
- White vinegar: Reacts with the baking soda for lift and enhances the traditional slight tang of red velvet.
- Large eggs: Provides structure and moisture, ensuring the cookies hold together perfectly.
- Red gel food dye: Makes these cookies stunningly vibrant without affecting flavor.
- Cream cheese: The star ingredient in the frosting, offering tang and creaminess.
- Powdered sugar: Sweetens and thickens the frosting into a smooth, irresistible topping.
- Heart sprinkles: Just the right touch of festive decoration to make these cookies festive and fun.
How to Make Red Velvet Cupcake Cookies Recipe
Step 1: Prepare Your Dry Ingredients
Start by sifting together the all-purpose flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. This ensures even distribution, avoids lumps, and sets the stage for perfectly airy cookies with that signature red velvet flavor packed evenly in every bite.
Step 2: Cream the Butter and Sugar
Using a mixer, beat the unsalted butter and white granulated sugar on high speed until pale and fluffy. This step is crucial because it incorporates air, giving your cookies that light texture despite being rich and chewy.
Step 3: Add the Wet Ingredients
Mix in the vanilla extract, honey, white vinegar, eggs, and red gel food dye into the creamed butter mixture on medium speed. The honey helps keep your cookies soft, the vinegar reacts to leaveners for lift, and the gel dye ensures a vibrant color that will wow anyone lucky enough to see and taste these.
Step 4: Combine Dry and Wet Mixtures
Add the sifted dry ingredients to your wet mixture and blend on low speed until just combined. Overmixing can lead to tougher cookies, so gentle folding here keeps them tender.
Step 5: Chill the Dough and Prepare for Baking
Let the cookie dough rest for about 10 minutes—this small wait helps control spreading so your cookies maintain their thick, cupcake-like shape. Meanwhile, preheat your oven to 350℉ and line two cookie sheets with parchment paper for easy clean-up.
Step 6: Scoop and Bake
Use a large cookie scoop to portion the dough, placing six generous scoops per tray. Bake each tray one at a time for 13 to 15 minutes until the edges are set but the centers remain slightly soft. This delightful middle softness mimics the texture of a freshly baked cupcake inside.
Step 7: Cool Before Frosting
Allow the cookies to rest on the baking sheet for five minutes before transferring to a wire rack. Cooling completely is essential before frosting to prevent the cream cheese frosting from melting and sliding off.
Step 8: Make the Cream Cheese Frosting
Sift the powdered sugar to remove lumps and set aside. Beat the butter at high speed until fluffy, then add cream cheese and continue beating until perfectly smooth. Next, fold in the powdered sugar slowly and vanilla, finishing on high speed for a creamy, pipeable frosting that’s just irresistible.
Step 9: Decorate
Using a small scoop or spoon, dollop frosting neatly atop each cooled cookie. Smooth it out with an offset icing spatula, then sprinkle on heart sprinkles to add a charming and festive touch that’s hard to resist.
How to Serve Red Velvet Cupcake Cookies Recipe
Garnishes
While the frosting and sprinkles are perfect already, you can elevate these cookies by adding a drizzle of melted white chocolate or a few fresh raspberries for a burst of freshness and added elegance. Tiny edible gold flakes also make for a stunning celebratory treat.
Side Dishes
These cookies pair wonderfully with a cold glass of milk or a warm cup of coffee or tea. Their rich, deep flavors are complemented by the creamy beverage, enhancing the overall indulgence of your treat time.
Creative Ways to Present
For a special occasion, arrange your decorated Red Velvet Cupcake Cookies Recipe on a tiered dessert tray or wrap them individually in clear gift bags tied with a red ribbon for a charming homemade gift. Even stacking them with a dollop of frosting and a sprinkling of hearts in between layers makes for an adorable cookie sandwich presentation.
Make Ahead and Storage
Storing Leftovers
You can store these cookies in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. This keeps the frosting fresh and preserves that soft, chewy texture you love in a red velvet cookie.
Freezing
Both the baked cookies and the cream cheese frosting freeze well. Freeze the unfrosted cookies in a single layer on a baking sheet, then transfer them to a freezer-safe bag for up to 3 months. Frosting can be frozen separately in an airtight container. Thaw everything in the fridge before assembling.
Reheating
To enjoy your leftover Red Velvet Cupcake Cookies Recipe just warm, pop them in the microwave for 10 to 15 seconds. This gentle heat will soften the cookie and revive that freshly baked charm without melting the frosting too much.
FAQs
Can I make these cookies without cream cheese in the frosting?
The cream cheese frosting is a classic feature of red velvet desserts, adding signature tang and richness. However, you can substitute it with a simple vanilla buttercream if you prefer, though the flavor and texture will slightly differ.
Is it okay to use regular red food coloring instead of gel?
Gel food coloring is recommended because it provides a more vibrant color without adding extra liquid to the dough, which could affect texture. Using regular liquid dye may require tweaking the wet ingredients to maintain the right dough consistency.
Why do the cookies need to rest before baking?
Letting the dough rest helps the cookies hold their shape better while baking, preventing excessive spreading and ensuring that thick, cupcake-like texture that makes this Red Velvet Cupcake Cookies Recipe so special.
Can I make these gluten-free?
Yes! Substitute the all-purpose flour with a gluten-free flour blend that includes xanthan gum for binding. Just ensure the blend is suitable for baking for the best texture and flavor results.
What is the role of vinegar in the recipe?
The vinegar reacts with the baking soda to provide lift and contributes to the subtle tanginess characteristic of red velvet treats. It also helps intensify the red color by interacting with the cocoa powder.
Final Thoughts
This Red Velvet Cupcake Cookies Recipe is such a joyous way to enjoy a timeless flavor in a fun, portable form. Whether you’re a red velvet fanatic or just looking to delight your family and friends with something special, these cookies will quickly become a beloved favorite. So grab your ingredients, preheat that oven, and get ready to bake some magic that tastes as wonderful as it looks!
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Print
Red Velvet Cupcake Cookies Recipe
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 18 minutes
- Yield: 21 cookies
- Category: Dessert, Cookie
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
Delicious red velvet cupcake cookies topped with creamy homemade cream cheese frosting and decorated with heart sprinkles. These soft, fluffy cookies combine the delightful flavors of classic red velvet cake in a cookie form, perfect for celebrations or a sweet treat anytime.
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups All-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup Unsweetened cocoa powder (Dutch process recommended)
- 1/2 tsp Baking soda
- 1/2 tsp Baking powder
- 1 tsp Salt
Cookie Dough Ingredients
- 1 cup Unsalted butter (room temperature)
- 1 1/2 cups White granulated sugar
- 1 tsp Pure vanilla extract
- 1 tsp Honey
- 1 tsp White vinegar
- 2 Large eggs (room temperature)
- 1 tsp Red gel food dye (Americolor super red recommended)
Cream Cheese Frosting Ingredients
- 3/4 cup Unsalted butter (room temperature)
- 4 oz Cream cheese (room temperature)
- 2 1/2 cups Powdered sugar (sifted)
- 1 tsp Pure vanilla extract
- Heart sprinkles (for decoration)
Instructions
- Preheat and prepare dry ingredients. Sift together the all-purpose flour, unsweetened cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside for later use.
- Cream butter and sugar. In a large mixing bowl, use a mixer on high speed to beat the room temperature butter and granulated sugar for about 2 minutes until the mixture is pale and fluffy.
- Add flavor and wet ingredients. Mix in the vanilla extract, honey, white vinegar, eggs, and red gel food dye on medium speed for 1 minute until thoroughly combined.
- Combine dry and wet ingredients. Gradually add the sifted dry ingredients to the wet mixture, mixing on low speed until just combined to form the cookie dough.
- Prepare for baking. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper. Let the dough rest for 10 minutes to reduce spreading during baking.
- Scoop the dough. Use a large cookie scoop to portion out the dough onto the prepared cookie sheets, placing about 6 dough balls per sheet.
- Bake the cookies. Bake one tray at a time for 13-15 minutes, until the cookie edges are set but the centers remain slightly underdone for a tender texture.
- Cool the cookies. Let the cookies rest on the hot baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.
- Prepare the cream cheese frosting. In a medium bowl, sift the powdered sugar and set aside. In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter on high speed for 2 minutes until fluffy. Add the cream cheese and beat on high speed for 1 minute. Scrape the sides to ensure smoothness.
- Combine frosting ingredients. Add the sifted powdered sugar and mix on low speed just until incorporated. Add the vanilla extract and beat on high speed until creamy and smooth.
- Decorate the cookies. Using a small cookie scoop, dollop the frosting on each cooled cookie. Spread it evenly using an offset spatula, then decorate with heart sprinkles. Store the finished cookies in the refrigerator to keep the frosting firm.
Notes
- Allowing the dough to rest before baking helps control spreading and yields thicker cookies.
- Baking one tray at a time ensures even cooking and perfect texture.
- Use room temperature ingredients for best mixing results.
- Store frosted cookies in the fridge to maintain frosting consistency.
- Red gel food coloring provides vibrant color without adding extra liquid to the dough.
