Red Velvet Cookies

Red velvet cookies will always have my heart. It’s a combination of my red velvet cake and chocolate chip cookies merged together into one beautifully, perfect red velvet cookie.

And even though people love to argue about whether red velvet is a “real” flavor or not… To me, it’s that hint of cocoa, the slight tanginess, and that bold red color that just feels special.

These are the cookies my husband reaches for first every single time, no matter what else is on the dessert table. 

I’ll make a whole batch and guess what’s gone by morning? These cookies. There’s something nostalgic about them, like holiday baking and late-night snacks all wrapped into one warm cookie.

And let’s be real, they’re not just pretty. They’re soft, rich, and full of chocolate in a way that’s so good is feels unreal.

It’s one of those flavors (or non-flavors depending on who you ask) that just feels like home in dessert form.

Key Ingredients

(full list of ingredients can be found in the recipe card)

• Bread flour and all-purpose flour: This duo gives you the best of both worlds – structure from the bread flour and tenderness from the all-purpose, creating thick cookies with a chewy bite instead of a cakey crumb.
• Sugar and brown sugar: Granulated sugar helps the cookies spread and crisp slightly at the edges, while brown sugar adds moisture and that rich, almost caramel-like flavor that keeps the centers soft.
• Egg and egg yolk: The whole egg binds everything together and adds structure, while the extra yolk brings richness and chew, making the cookies feel more bakery-style than homemade.
• Vinegar: A tiny amount goes a long way, it enhances the cocoa flavor and reacts with baking soda to help give the cookies just the right lift and tender texture.
• Red gel food coloring: Provides that classic red velvet color without thinning the dough the way liquid coloring can.
• Natural cocoa powder: Adds subtle chocolate flavor and that signature red velvet depth without overpowering the cookie. Save leftovers to make my triple chocolate cake next!
• Semi-sweet chocolate chips and white chocolate chips: Semi-sweet adds richness and balance, while white chocolate brings a creamy sweetness that makes each bite extra indulgent.
• Sour cream: Keeps the cookies soft and plush by adding moisture and a slight tang that complements the cocoa beautifully.

How To Make Red Velvet Cake Cookies

Step 1: Whisk together the dry ingredients in a large bowl – bread flour, all purpose flour, cocoa powder, cornstarch, baking soda, baking powder, and kosher salt.

Step 2: Add room temperature butter, sugar, brown sugar, and red food coloring to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium speed for 3-4 minutes, until the mixture is smooth and lightened in color. 

Step 3: Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add in the egg, eggs, and vanilla extract. Continue to mix on low speed for about 1 minute, until combined. Add in the vinegar and sour cream and mix until fully incorporated, about 20 seconds. Add in the dry ingredients and mix on medium low speed until combined and a dough forms, about 30 seconds. Use a flat spatula to fold in the white chocolate chips and semi-sweet chocolate chips. 

Step 4: Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Measure out 6oz cook dough balls, about 8-9 cookies. (do not roll into a ball) Refrigerate uncovered for 2-4 hours, until cold throughout. 

Bake!

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Bake 3 cookies at a time, 4 inches apart, for 14-17 minutes (14 minutes for a gooey cookies, 17 minutes for a more crispy cookie). Fresh out of the oven, use a small bowl to scoot around the cookies in a circular motion to create the perfect circular cookie. Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 15 minutes, then remove onto a wire rack to cool completely.