These red velvet cookies combine the indulgent flavour of classic red velvet cake with a luscious, tangy cream cheese frosting, making them an irresistible Valentine’s treat. They are soft, fudgy, and utterly delicious and easy to make
Valentine’s Day is just around the corner, making it the perfect opportunity to whip up a delightful treat! When you think of red velvet, cake comes to mind. But why not try something a bit different this year?
I have taken the classic red velvet flavours and turned them into soft, indulgent cookies that are perfect for Valentine. These cookies are incredibly easy to make and come together in no time, ensuring you can enjoy a delicious treat without any fuss.
Why you will love this recipe
- These red velvet cookies capture all the rich flavours of a classic red velvet cake. You’ll enjoy a perfect balance of sweetness and tang with each bite.Â
- They are easy to make.
- Soft-baked cookies with perfectly crisp, buttery edges
Red Velvet Cookie Ingredients
- Flour- Plain or all-purpose flour gives the cookies its structure
- Cocoa powder-Gives the cake its chocolate flavour. My favourite to use is  Cacao Barry Amber Cocoa Powder Extra Brute
- Unsalted Butter- Gives the cookies flavour and keeps them moist.Â
- Brown Sugar- The molasses in the sugar adds flavour to the cookies.
- Caster or granulated sugar-Helps the cookies spread and makes the cookies crisp up when baked
- Baking soda- It reacts with the acid in the buttermilk causing the cookies to rise.
- Salt- Enhances the flavour and balances the sweetness.
- Egg- Helps bind the ingredients together while also adding moisture to the cookies.
- Vanilla extract -Enhances the flavour of the cookies.
- Buttermilk -adds a distinct tangy flavour, characteristic of red velvet cake
- Red food colouring- gives the signature vibrant red hue of red velvet cake.
Make the cookie dough
In a large mixing bowl of the mixer beat butter, sugar, and cream cheese until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes.
Sift together flour, cocoa powder and baking soda, and set aside.
Add the egg, vanilla extract, buttermilk, and red food colouring to the butter mixture, mixing until well combined. Scrape down sides as needed.
Slowly add the flour mixture and beat until combined.
The dough will be sticky, so cover it with cling film and chill until firm, for at least 4 hours or ideally overnight.
Scoop the dough and roll it into balls. For uniform cookies, weigh each portion—I used 50 grams per cookie.
Place the dough balls on a parchment-lined baking tray, spacing them 2 inches apart to allow for spreading.
Bake for 10-12 minutes. The centre will look soft.Â
Let the cookies cool on the baking tray for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Make Cream Cheese Frosting
Many cream cheese buttercream recipes start by beating the cream cheese and butter together, but I find this results in a runny consistency. In the UK, cream cheese is sold in tubs, whereas in the USA, it comes in blocks, which affects the texture.
To avoid this issue, I beat the butter and icing sugar together first before adding the cream cheese. For a more stable buttercream, you can replace half the butter with vegetable shortening.
To make the frosting, beat room-temperature butter until light and fluffy. Gradually add sifted icing sugar, followed by cold cream cheese, whipping or double cream, salt, and vanilla extract. Continue beating until the frosting is smooth, thick, and creamy.
Let the cookies cool completely before frosting to prevent it from melting.
You can spread the icing with an offset spatula, but I prefer using a 1M piping tip—it creates beautiful rosettes that elegantly top each cookie.
Tips for success
Measure ingredients accurately. I recommend using a scale for precision.
Use room temperature ingredients. Room-temperature butter and eggs blend more easily with other ingredients, resulting in a smoother dough.
Chill the dough. This prevents it from spreading too much
Weigh your cookies, that way you will have the same size cookies.Â
For more red velvet recipes, check out these out
Red Velvet Cream Cheese Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting
Print Pin RateIngredients
- 120 grams unsalted butter, room temperature
- 135 grams brown sugar
- 50 grams caster or granulated sugar
- 210 grams plain / all purpose flour
- 15 grams cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon buttermilk, room temperature
- 1-2 teaspoons red food colouring
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 115 grams unsalted butter, room temperature
- 200 grams icing sugar sifted
- 200 grams icing sugar sifted
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- pinch of salt
- 50 whipping or double cream, cold
Instructions
- In the stand mixer bowl with a paddle attachment or with a hand mixer, beat butter, sugar, cream cheese and sugars until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes.
- Sift together flour, cocoa powder and baking soda, and set aside.
- Add the egg, vanilla extract, buttermilk and red food colouring, then mix until well combined. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed to ensure everything is fully incorporated.
- Slowly add the flour mixture and beat until combined. Mix on low speed until combined. The dough will be sticky.
- Cover the dough and chill it in the fridge for at least 1 hour. The dough can be chilled for up to 3 days. If chilling for more than 2 hours, allow the dough to sit at room temperature for at least 10 minutes before rolling and baking.
- Preheat oven to 170 °C
- Remove the dough from the fridge and allow to soften for 10 minutes,
- Line your baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. This will prevent the cookies from sticking and make clean-up easier.
- Use a cookie scoop or tablespoon to portion out the dough. For uniform cookies, weigh each portion—I used 50 grams per cookie. Place dough on a baking tray leaving 2 inches between cookies.
- Place the baking tray in the pre-heated oven and bake for 10 - 12 minutes.
- Remove the baking tray from the oven and allow the cookies to cool on the tray for 5 minutes. This helps them set up and makes them easier to transfer. After 5 minutes, transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.
Cream Cheese Frosting
- Beat butter until light. With the mixer on low speed slowly add icing sugar and beat until well combined. Mix in vanilla extract and salt. Add cream cheese, whipping, or double cream and melted chocolate and beat until fluffy.
- Cover and store in the fridge. It can be kept for up to 5 days in the fridge or 3 months in the freezer.
Assemble the Cookies
- Fit a piping bag with a piping tip. I used a Wilton Star Tip 1M. Fill the piping bag with cream cheese buttercream.
- Hold the piping bag over the cookie and slowly pipe a spiral starting in the centre and working your way out.
- Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Leave a Reply