Get ready to discover your new favorite holiday treat: the ultimate Red Velvet Crinkle Cookies. These stunning cookies are a feast for the eyes and the palate, boasting a deep, velvety red hue, a rich cocoa-vanilla flavor, and a perfectly chewy center. The dramatic cracked surface, dusted in a snowy layer of powdered sugar, makes them a showstopper on any cookie platter. We’ve perfected this from-scratch recipe to ensure you get that beautiful crinkle and delicious, fudgy texture every single time.
Whether you’re baking for a Christmas cookie exchange, a special occasion, or just a cozy winter afternoon, these cookies are guaranteed to impress. Forget the cake mix; this recipe delivers a far superior flavor and texture that is surprisingly simple to achieve. Let’s bake some magic!
What Makes These Red Velvet Crinkle Cookies So Good?
Not all crinkle cookies are created equal. This recipe stands out by focusing on three key elements: flavor, texture, and appearance. The taste is a delicate balance of buttery vanilla and mild chocolate, thanks to a quality Dutch-processed cocoa powder. A hint of vinegar and buttermilk enhances the classic red velvet tang. The texture is irresistibly soft and chewy on the inside with a satisfyingly crisp edge. But the real star is the signature crinkle, and we have all the tips to make sure you get a gorgeous crackle every time.
Key Ingredients for Perfect Crinkle Cookies
The magic of these cookies lies in using simple, high-quality ingredients. Here’s what you’ll need to create the perfect batch of Red Velvet Crinkle Cookies from scratch.
Ready for the oven! This generous coating of powdered sugar is key to the perfect crinkle.
The Dry Ingredients
The foundation of our cookies is a precise blend of dry ingredients. All-purpose flour provides the structure, while Dutch-processed cocoa powder gives that subtle, rich chocolate flavor without being overpowering. Baking powder and baking soda provide the lift needed for a soft texture, and a pinch of salt balances the sweetness.
The Wet Ingredients
We start with unsalted butter, creamed with granulated sugar until light and fluffy. This step is crucial for incorporating air and creating a tender crumb. Two large eggs bind everything together, while pure vanilla extract adds warmth and depth. A touch of distilled white vinegar reacts with the baking soda and buttermilk to create an extra-tender texture, true to a classic red velvet cake.
The “Velvet” Touch
To achieve that iconic, vibrant red color, a good quality red gel food coloring is essential. Gels are more concentrated than liquid coloring, so you get a deep red without adding excess moisture to the dough. A splash of buttermilk provides the final touch, adding a slight tanginess that defines the red velvet flavor profile.
How to Make Red Velvet Crinkle Cookies Step-by-Step
Follow these simple steps for flawless Red Velvet Crinkle Cookies. The key to success is chilling the dough, which prevents spreading and helps create the signature crinkle.
Combine Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set it aside for later.
Cream Butter and Sugar: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the unsalted butter and granulated sugar on medium-high speed until the mixture is light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.
Add Wet Ingredients: Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in the vanilla extract, buttermilk, and white vinegar. Finally, add the red gel food coloring and mix until the color is uniform.
Combine Wet and Dry: With the mixer on low speed, gradually add the dry ingredient mixture to the wet ingredients. Mix until just combined—be careful not to overmix the dough.
Chill the Dough: Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or preferably overnight. This step is non-negotiable for the perfect crinkle!
Preheat and Prep: When you’re ready to bake, preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Place the granulated sugar and powdered sugar into two separate shallow bowls.
Roll and Coat: Scoop the chilled dough into 1.5-tablespoon-sized balls. Roll each ball first in the granulated sugar (this helps absorb moisture and creates a better crinkle) and then give it a very generous coating of powdered sugar.
Bake to Perfection: Place the sugar-coated dough balls about 2 inches apart on your prepared baking sheets. Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until the edges are set and the centers look soft. The cookies will have spread and crinkled beautifully.
The secret to the perfect texture starts with this rich, vibrant dough.
For a festive touch, you might also love our Gingerbread Crinkle Cookies, which use a similar technique with a warm, spicy flavor profile.
Pro Tips for the Perfect Crinkle Effect
Achieving that stunning cracked surface is an art, but these tips make it foolproof. First, don’t skip chilling the dough; cold dough spreads slower in the oven, forcing the surface to crack as it bakes. Second, the double-sugar roll is critical. A light coating of granulated sugar before the powdered sugar creates a barrier that helps the powdered sugar stay bright white and promotes a wider crinkle. Finally, be generous with the powdered sugar—a thick coating makes for a more dramatic, snowy contrast.
Flavor Variations & Fun Add-Ins
While the classic Red Velvet Crinkle Cookies are divine on their own, you can easily customize them. Try mixing in a cup of white chocolate chips for extra sweetness and texture. For a different twist, a teaspoon of peppermint extract added with the vanilla can turn these into festive peppermint-chocolate crinkles. If you’re a fan of rich, gooey treats, our recipe for Hot Chocolate Brownies might be your next baking adventure.
Storing Your Red Velvet Cookies
These cookies store beautifully, making them a great option for baking ahead of time. Keep them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. The cookies will remain soft and chewy. You can also freeze the baked cookies for up to 3 months. For a quick treat, you can freeze the cookie dough balls (before rolling in sugar) and bake them straight from the freezer; just add an extra minute or two to the baking time. This is a perfect trick for the busy holiday season, especially when you are preparing a variety of easy holiday cookie recipes.
The most common reason is that the dough was not chilled long enough. Chilling solidifies the fat, preventing the cookies from spreading too quickly in the oven and forcing the tops to crack. Another reason could be not using enough powdered sugar for the coating.
Absolutely! You can use a hand mixer to cream the butter and sugar. If you don’t have either, you can mix by hand with a whisk and spatula, but it will require significant effort to get the butter and sugar properly creamed.
Gel food coloring is highly recommended because it’s very concentrated and won’t add excess liquid to the dough. If you only have liquid food coloring, you may need to use the entire bottle to get a vibrant red, which could slightly affect the dough’s consistency.
While cake mix cookies are fast, a from-scratch recipe like this one provides a much richer, more authentic flavor and a superior chewy texture. You have full control over the quality of ingredients, resulting in a bakery-quality cookie.
Classic red velvet flavor is not just chocolate. It’s a unique profile with hints of vanilla and a very mild, tangy chocolate flavor from the cocoa powder and buttermilk. It’s distinctively smooth and ‘velvety’.
The Ultimate Red Velvet Crinkle Cookie Recipe
FL Recipes
Red Velvet Crinkle Cookies (The Ultimate Chewy Recipe)
This from-scratch Red Velvet Crinkle Cookies recipe delivers a perfectly chewy center, rich cocoa-vanilla flavor, and a stunning cracked powdered sugar surface. The ultimate holiday cookie!
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the unsalted butter and granulated sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.
Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each. Mix in the vanilla extract, buttermilk, and white vinegar. Add the red gel food coloring and mix until the color is uniform.
With the mixer on low speed, gradually add the dry ingredient mixture to the wet ingredients. Mix until just combined, do not overmix.
Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or overnight. This step is mandatory for the crinkle effect.
Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper. Place 1/2 cup granulated sugar and 1 cup powdered sugar into two separate shallow bowls.
Scoop chilled dough into 1.5-tablespoon sized balls. Roll each ball first in granulated sugar, then generously coat in powdered sugar.
Place dough balls 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets. Bake for 10-12 minutes, until the edges are set and centers are soft. Let cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring to a wire rack.
Nutrition
Calories: 115kcalProtein: 2gFat: 4gFiber: 1g
Notes
Do Not Skip Chilling: Chilling the dough is the most important step for preventing the cookies from spreading too much and for achieving the best crinkle effect. Be Generous with Sugar: A very thick coating of powdered sugar is key to the dramatic cracked appearance. Gel Food Coloring is Best: Gel coloring provides a vibrant red without adding extra liquid that could alter the dough's consistency.
Keyword Christmas Cookies,holiday baking,red velvet crinkle cookies
We are so excited for you to try this amazing Red Velvet Crinkle Cookies recipe! They are truly one of the best parts of the holiday season and a joy to share with family and friends. If you make them, please leave a comment below and let us know how they turned out. And don’t forget to share a photo of your beautiful cookies on Pinterest!
There's nothing better than a freshly baked batch of Red Velvet Crinkle Cookies!
Hi, I’m Emily Carter, and welcome to FL Recipes! I share simple, healthy recipes that make cooking easy, fun, and delicious for everyone. more about me »
