Print

Cozy Red Velvet Crinkle Cookies: Easy Holiday Recipe

red velvet crinkle cookies - featured image
Print Recipe

These soft, pillowy red velvet crinkle cookies with a crackled powdered sugar top are the perfect holiday treat. Made with simple pantry ingredients, they’re easy to make and guaranteed to be a crowd-pleaser.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 ¼ cups (280g) all-purpose flour
  • ¼ cup (20g) unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 2 tablespoons buttermilk powder (optional but recommended)
  • ½ cup (113g) unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg, at room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 tablespoons milk (whole milk preferred)
  • 1 to 1 ½ tablespoons red food coloring (gel preferred)
  • ½ cup (60g) powdered sugar, for rolling

Instructions

  1. Whisk the dry ingredients together. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, cocoa powder, cornstarch, baking powder, salt, and buttermilk powder (if using). Whisk until evenly combined. Set aside.
  2. Cream the butter and sugar. In a separate large bowl, beat the softened butter and granulated sugar together with an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl once or twice.
  3. Add the egg and vanilla. Crack the egg into the butter mixture and add the vanilla. Beat on medium until fully incorporated, about 30 seconds. The mixture might look slightly curdled—that’s okay.
  4. Add the milk and food coloring. Pour in the milk and the red food coloring. Beat on low until the color is evenly distributed. If using gel coloring, keep mixing until it’s all one uniform shade of red. Add more coloring if needed.
  5. Combine wet and dry ingredients. With the mixer on low, gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture. Mix just until the flour disappears. Do not overmix. The dough will be soft and slightly sticky.
  6. Chill the dough. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for exactly 1 hour. Do not skip this step.
  7. Preheat the oven. About 15 minutes before the dough is done chilling, preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
  8. Scoop and roll. Place the powdered sugar in a small bowl. Using a cookie scoop or tablespoon, scoop out rounded balls of dough (about 1.5 tablespoons each). Roll each ball between your palms until smooth, then drop it into the powdered sugar. Roll it around until completely coated. Place the coated balls on the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 2 inches apart.
  9. Bake. Bake one sheet at a time in the center of the oven for 10 to 12 minutes. The cookies will look puffy and cracked, and the edges should be set but not browned. The centers will look slightly underdone.
  10. Cool completely. Let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for 5 minutes. After 5 minutes, transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely. The crinkle effect will become more pronounced as they cool.

Notes

For best results, chill the dough for exactly 1 hour. Be generous with the powdered sugar coating—roll each dough ball until completely covered. Bake one sheet at a time for even heat distribution. Let cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring. These cookies taste even better the next day. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days; place a piece of bread in the container to keep them soft. Freeze baked cookies for up to 3 months, or freeze unbaked dough balls for up to 3 months (bake from frozen, adding 2-3 minutes).

Nutrition

Keywords: red velvet crinkle cookies, holiday cookies, easy cookie recipe, soft cookies, chocolate cookies, Christmas cookies, Valentine's Day cookies

Find it online: https://forkifyfun.com/cozy-red-velvet-crinkle-cookies-easy-holiday-recipe/