Red Velvet Crinkle Cookie

Soft, festive red velvet cookies with a snowy powdered sugar finish—perfect for Christmas cookie trays and holiday gifting.

These Red Velvet Crinkle Cookies take everything you love about classic red velvet cake—gentle cocoa flavor, buttery richness, and that iconic deep red color—and transform it into a soft, chewy, bite-sized cookie. Rolled in powdered sugar before baking, they emerge from the oven with beautiful crackled tops that look like they’ve been dusted with fresh snow.

They’re simple to make with pantry staples, need just a short chill, and bake in minutes. Ideal for Christmas dessert tables, cookie exchanges, Valentine’s Day treats, or any time you want a cookie that looks as special as it tastes.

Why You’ll Love This Red Velvet Crinkle Cookie Recipe

• Perfectly soft and chewy: Tender centers with lightly crisp edges and a delicate cocoa flavor.
• Beautiful holiday presentation: Deep red cookies with white crinkles look stunning on Christmas platters.
• Simple ingredients: No cake mix—just basic baking staples with red food coloring.
• Great for gifting: They hold their shape well and pack beautifully into cookie boxes or tins.
• Make-ahead friendly: Dough chills well and cookies freeze nicely for stress-free holiday baking.

Ingredients

Dry Ingredients

• 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon salt

Wet Ingredients

• ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon red food coloring (gel preferred for vibrant color)

For Rolling

• ½ cup powdered sugar, for coating

Instructions

1. Prepare the Baking Sheets
   Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
2. Mix the Dry Ingredients
   In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt until well combined. Set aside.
3. Cream Butter and Sugar
   In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter and granulated sugar for 2–3 minutes until light and fluffy, scraping down the bowl as needed.
4. Add Eggs, Vanilla, and Color
   Beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add the vanilla extract and red food coloring and mix until the color is evenly distributed.
5. Combine Wet and Dry Mixtures
   Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing on low just until no streaks of flour remain. The dough will be soft and sticky—do not overmix.
6. Chill the Dough
   Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to firm up the dough. This helps the cookies keep their shape and achieve the crinkle effect.
7. Shape and Coat the Cookies
   Place the powdered sugar in a small bowl. Scoop tablespoon-sized portions of dough and roll them into 1-inch balls. Roll each ball generously in powdered sugar until fully coated.
8. Bake
   Arrange the coated dough balls on the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 2 inches apart.
   Bake for 10–12 minutes, or until the edges are set and the centers are still soft. The cookies will puff and crack as they bake, revealing the red underneath the sugar.
9. Cool
   Let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for 3–5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Once cooled, they’ll be soft, chewy, and beautifully crinkled.

Tips, Storage & FAQs

Tips for the Best Red Velvet Crinkle Cookies

• Use regular unsweetened cocoa: Not Dutch-processed, to keep the classic red velvet flavor and color.
• Choose gel food coloring: It gives a deeper red without adding extra liquid to the dough.
• Don’t skip the chill: Chilling helps prevent spreading and enhances the crinkle effect.
• Coat generously in powdered sugar: A thick coating creates a bold red-and-white contrast once baked.
• Avoid overbaking: Pull them out when the edges are set but the centers still look soft; they’ll finish setting as they cool.

Storage

• Room Temperature: Store in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
• Freezer (Baked Cookies): Freeze fully cooled cookies in layers separated by parchment in an airtight container for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature.
• Freezer (Dough Balls – Preferred Make-Ahead):
  • Scoop and roll dough into balls after chilling, then freeze on a baking sheet until firm.
  • Transfer to a freezer bag or container.
  • When ready to bake, thaw in the fridge for 1–2 hours, roll in powdered sugar, and bake as directed.

FAQs

Can I use liquid food coloring instead of gel?
Yes, but you may need more to achieve a deep red color. Avoid adding so much that it makes the dough too wet; adjust gradually.

Why didn’t my cookies crinkle properly?
Usually this happens if the dough wasn’t chilled long enough or the powdered sugar coating was too light. Make sure the dough is well-chilled and that each ball is heavily coated.

Can I add chocolate chips or white chocolate chips?
Yes. Fold in about ½ to ¾ cup of chips after mixing in the dry ingredients for extra texture and flavor.

Can I make these cookies ahead for Christmas?
Absolutely. Freeze either the dough balls or baked cookies and thaw shortly before serving or gifting.

Final Thoughts

These Red Velvet Crinkle Cookies are the perfect mix of festive look and classic flavor—soft, chewy, and gently chocolatey with a striking red hue and snowy sugar topping. They’re simple enough for a casual baking day yet special enough to grace any holiday dessert table.

Whether you’re creating a Christmas cookie platter, assembling gift boxes, or baking for a cozy winter evening, this recipe will quickly become a go-to favorite in your holiday baking rotation.

📖 Recipe

Print Pin

Red Velvet Crinkle Cookie

Soft and chewy Red Velvet Crinkle Cookies rolled in powdered sugar for a beautiful crackled finish. This easy red velvet cookie recipe is perfect for Christmas cookie trays, gifting, and holiday dessert tables. No-fuss, festive, and full of classic red velvet flavor.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword Red Velvet Crinkle Cookie

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 12 minutes minutes

Chilling Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 57 minutes minutes

Servings 24 Cookies

Ingredients

Dry Ingredients

• 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon salt

Wet Ingredients

• ½ cup unsalted butter softened
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon red food coloring gel preferred for vibrant color

For Rolling

• ½ cup powdered sugar for coating

Instructions

Prepare the Baking Sheets

• Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.

Mix the Dry Ingredients

• In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt until well combined. Set aside.

Cream Butter and Sugar

• In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter and granulated sugar for 2–3 minutes until light and fluffy, scraping down the bowl as needed.

Add Eggs, Vanilla, and Color

• Beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add the vanilla extract and red food coloring and mix until the color is evenly distributed.

Combine Wet and Dry Mixtures

• Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing on low just until no streaks of flour remain. The dough will be soft and sticky—do not overmix.

Chill the Dough

• Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to firm up the dough. This helps the cookies keep their shape and achieve the crinkle effect.

Shape and Coat the Cookies

• Place the powdered sugar in a small bowl. Scoop tablespoon-sized portions of dough and roll them into 1-inch balls. Roll each ball generously in powdered sugar until fully coated.

Bake

• Arrange the coated dough balls on the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 2 inches apart.
• Bake for 10–12 minutes, or until the edges are set and the centers are still soft. The cookies will puff and crack as they bake, revealing the red underneath the sugar.

Cool

• Let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for 3–5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Once cooled, they’ll be soft, chewy, and beautifully crinkled.

Notes

Use regular unsweetened cocoa: Not Dutch-processed, to keep the classic red velvet flavor and color.

Choose gel food coloring: It gives a deeper red without adding extra liquid to the dough.

Don’t skip the chill: Chilling helps prevent spreading and enhances the crinkle effect.

Coat generously in powdered sugar: A thick coating creates a bold red-and-white contrast once baked.

Avoid overbaking: Pull them out when the edges are set but the centers still look soft; they’ll finish setting as they cool.