Red velvet cookies are everything you love about the iconic cake – but in handheld, chewy form. With their striking crimson color, subtle cocoa flavor, and soft texture, these cookies are both eye-catching and indulgent. They offer a satisfying alternative to traditional chocolate or sugar cookies, and are perfect for everything from holidays to everyday sweet cravings.
What sets red velvet apart is its unique balance of flavors. It’s not quite chocolate, not quite vanilla – but a little bit of both. That soft hint of cocoa combined with the slight tang typically found in red velvet treats (often thanks to buttermilk or cream cheese) gives these cookies their signature taste. The addition of red coloring gives them visual flair that’s especially fitting for Valentine’s Day, Christmas cookie boxes, or anytime you want something a little more dramatic on your dessert table.
Red velvet cookies are often studded with white chocolate chips or finished with a drizzle of cream cheese glaze, both of which highlight the richness of the dough and give the cookies a creamy contrast. They’re thick, soft in the middle, and slightly crisp around the edges – the perfect texture for anyone who loves a bakery-style cookie.
Beyond their flavor, red velvet cookies are also a fun way to surprise guests or make an everyday treat feel a little more special. They look great in cookie tins, pair wonderfully with coffee or milk, and can even be turned into ice cream sandwiches or cookie sandwiches with a cream cheese filling.
If you’re a fan of red velvet cake or just looking to shake up your usual cookie routine, red velvet cookies are a stylish and satisfying choice. They’re a little unexpected, undeniably delicious, and sure to stand out on any dessert table.

Ingredients
- 1 and 1/2 cups all-purpose flour sifted
- 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter softened
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1 large egg room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon red food coloring
- 1/2 cup white chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt.
- In a separate large bowl, beat the softened butter with granulated sugar and brown sugar until creamy.
- Add the egg and vanilla extract to the butter mixture and mix well. Stir in the red food coloring.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing until just combined.
- Fold in the white chocolate chips.
- Drop tablespoons of dough onto the prepared baking sheet, spacing them about 2 inches apart.
- Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until the edges are set and the centers are slightly soft.
- Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Yummyyyy!!! Just baked a batch and my house smells fantastic. Thanks for the recipe!!
I gotta try this! It sounds so good. Glad your house smells nice! 😊
My son loved these!! Perfect for a school party. They disappeared fast!
Is red velvet even a thing? Just seems like chocolate cookies dressed up for Valentine’s day to me. They were ok but not wow. Meh.
Haha, I get what you’re saying! Red velvet does sound a bit gimmicky. But these cookies are actually really yummy if you give them a chance! They’re not just chocolate cookies, trust me!
Meh is right! I don’t see the appeal either. Who needs food coloring in cookies? Just stick to good old chocolate!
I don’t get why people love these. They taste… just okay to me.
Yum! I added nuts and they were even better! Also, I used dark chocolate chips instead of white. Highly recommend!
Sounds delicious! I love dark chocolate! Can’t wait to try it this way.
Easy recipe! Just mixed up the order of the ingredients, lol.
LOL, hope mixing it up didn’t ruin anything! I guess we’ll see how they turn out. 😅
Mixing up ingredients isn’t always bad! Sometimes the best recipes come from a little chaos. Can’t wait to try these cookies!
Red velvet is supposed to be cake, not cookies? 🤷♂️
Do we need butter? or can I leave it out? I’m not a baker, lol.
Red velvet? Thought it was just cake! But these cookies surprised me. So delicious!
Yummy! I love white chocolate chips! Seriously, this is a great recipe.
RED VELVET IS MY FAVE!!! Can’t wait to try these. Thanks for the recipe!
I hope these turn out sweet. Red velvet can be hit or miss sometimes. 🤔
Yay! Red velvet cookies sound delish! I can’t wait to indulge in those too!
I tried this recipe and it was a complete disaster. The dough was too sticky and they spread out like pancakes. 😩
Honestly, I don’t understand how it went so wrong. I followed the recipe exactly and mine turned out great.
Sorry to hear that! Maybe the dough needed a bit more flour? I usually find that helps with stickiness.
Meh, they were okay but I honestly expected more flavor. More cocoa or vanilla next time, maybe?
I don’t get the fuss about these cookies. They’re just cookies but red? Meh.
But they taste amazing! The red just makes them festive. You gotta try them before knocking them!
Cookies are cookies, man, red or not. Baking soda, flour, blah blah… Who cares about color?
Red velvet? More like red flop! Didn’t rise at all. What did I do wrong??
I tried making these but they turned out super cakey instead of chewy. Maybe I messed up the measurements?
Cakey? That’s weird. I followed the recipe exactly and mine were chewy! Maybe check your oven temp? 🤔
I think you might have added too much flour or baked them too long! It happens to the best of us. Don’t give up on trying again!
I thought red velvet was just for cakes?? Anyway, these cookies are ok, not my favorite. :/
Cookies = Happy! ❤️
Awesome recipe! But I didn’t have white chocolate chips, so I used nuts. Still yummy!
These cookies are absolutely divine! Can’t get enough of the white chocolate. 🍪❤️
These cookies were amazing! The red color makes them so festive. I baked them for a party and everyone loved them!
Turned out too cake-like for my taste. I wanted chewy cookies, not muffins! 😩
I understand how you feel! I prefer my cookies chewy too. Maybe try reducing the baking time next time? 🤔
These cookies are to die for! I could eat the entire batch in one go! YUMM.
Quick and easy to make, but I don’t think they are anything special. Just average cookies.
These cookies are absolutely delicious! A hit at the party!
Eh, I don’t think these are any better than regular chocolate chip cookies. Disappointing!
Just red food coloring and white chocolate? Seems like a gimmick to me.
I disagree! These cookies have a unique flavor. The red velvet adds something special! ❤️
Made them for a party and they disappeared in minutes! Everyone loved them, especially kids.
Made these for my bf and he didn’t even notice them! Haha, better luck next time. 😂
Not my favorite, felt kinda dry. The way it’s written seems complicated too.
Looks complicated but actually super easy! Will make again for sure!
I totally agree! They look hard, but the instructions are clear! Can’t wait to try it out myself. 😊
Complicated? Nah, it seems simple to me. Just follow the steps! But how can cookies be red? Is that normal?
I think there’s too much sugar in these – made me feel sick! Won’t try again.
Super easy to make! I substituted the white chocolate chips with dark chocolate. Delicious!
Followed this recipe step by step but ended up with a gooey mess. Not sure what went wrong. Sigh…
Delish! Making my coworkers jealous over here. Will definitely make again! 🍪❤️
Sounds amazing! I bet they taste as good as they look! 🍪❤️
Where’s the red food coloring? I don’t see why I need it…
The red food coloring is key for that classic red velvet look! Without it, they won’t look or taste the same. Trust the recipe! 😊
These cookies are delicious! My kids loved them.
I’m so glad to hear that! These cookies are a hit in my house too. 😊
Really? I don’t know, my kids didn’t like the red food coloring. Thought it was weird. 😕
Best cookies ever!!! I added nuts and they were even better. Yum!
Mmm, I ate them all in one sitting. So good!
Yummy! But my kids didn’t like them much. Too sweet, I guess? 🤷♀️
Maybe try less sugar next time? Kids can be picky about sweetness. 😅
Cookies came out flat and dry, not soft like I imagined. Wasted good ingredients.
These cookies turned out amazing! Soft and chewy, just how I like them. Thanks!
I was skeptical about the red food coloring. Is it really necessary? They still taste good though.
I get what you mean! The color does look appealing, but it’s mainly for looks. You could skip it if you want, they would still taste great without it.
Nice cookies but too sweet for my taste. I think less sugar would make them better.
I actually think these cookies are perfect as is! The sweetness really brings out the flavors. Maybe try using dark chocolate chips instead of white next time if you want less sweetness?
Are they supposed to be that chewy? Mine weren’t like in the picture.
I think the cookies looked better than they taste. Kinda bland.
I tried making these and it turned into a disaster. I’ll stick to chocolate chip, thanks.
These are the best cookies ever! So soft and chewy, plus the color is stunning. Definitely a keeper!
Totally agree! These cookies are amazing. I’m making them again this weekend!
These look fancy but were sooo easy to make! Will definitely make them again.
I followed the recipe but used green dye instead of red…worst decision ever, but they were still good.
I was skeptical at first, but these turned out great! Soft and chewy!
I don’t get it, why add the food coloring? It tastes the same without it…
These cookies are amazing! Perfect balance of flavors. Can’t wait to make them again!
I don’t usually bake, but these are easy and yum!
#NewBaker
Easy? Really? I’ve tried this kind before and they never turn out right. Maybe not all baking is good for beginners. 🤔
I’m glad you found it easy! Red velvet cookies are sooo tasty! Perfect for beginners! 😋
Just want to say the taste was incredible! I didn’t have white chocolate chips, so I used milk chocolate instead. Still so good!
I’m so glad to hear you enjoyed the cookies! Milk chocolate is a great substitution, and honestly, who’s keeping track? As long as they taste good, right? 🍪
Yummmmm! Love the color and taste. They disappeared in seconds at my party!
They disappeared so fast?! What did you do? I made some last week and they were ok but not that great.
That’s awesome! I need to make these for my next gathering. Thanks for sharing!
Not what I expected, they were too sweet for my taste.
Too sweet? Nah, that’s the point of red velvet cookies! If you don’t like sweet stuff, maybe stick to plain cookies?
I get it, they can be super sweet, especially with the white chocolate! Maybe next time try using dark chocolate chips instead?
Looks good but I’m skeptical about the red food coloring. Isn’t it bad for you?
Why is it called red velvet? There’s no velvet involved! Just confusing.
My kids loved these! We made them for Valentine’s Day and they were a hit. Will definitely make again!
I’m glad to hear your kids loved them! These cookies are sooo cute and perfect for Valentine’s Day. Can’t wait to try them out myself!
I dunno, they turned out too sweet for my taste. Maybe add less sugar next time?
What’s the point of red food coloring? It’s just cookies! Doesn’t really matter in the end.
I tried making these, but mine turned out a little dry. Not sure what I did wrong. Any tips?
Not bad! I think I missed something because they don’t taste very chocolatey. Maybe more cocoa? 🤷♀️
I don’t usually bake, but I gave it a shot. Cookies were mediocre at best. 😩
Don’t beat yourself up! Baking can be tricky, especially if it’s not something you do often. Have you tried tweaking the recipe? Maybe a little more sweetness could help? 🍪
Mediocre? Really? I think they taste better than that! I made a batch and they were gone in no time! You might just need practice. 😄
Is it really necessary to sift the flour? I just mixed mine together and they came out fine. 🤷♂️
This is a great recipe for beginners! I had never baked cookies before, and they turned out just fine. However, I think they need more chocolate flavor. Still, nice and soft!
RED VELVET FTW!!
Couldn’t find white chocolate chips here, used dark ones instead. Still came out good!
Dark chocolate is great! I bet it added a nice twist to the cookies.
But it’s not the same! White choc chips make it special. Probably taste weird now.
I was hesitant about the red food coloring but it really made them pop. Great recipe!
These cookies are amazing! The color is so vibrant and they taste divine!
Isn’t red velvet just chocolate? 🤔 I feel like it is. These cookies were okay but not super special.
Too much sugar! They were way too sweet for me. Next time I’ll cut back.
Just made these cookies and wow they are delicious!! White choco chips add a nice touch! Yum!
These cookies are amazing! My family loves them! The red color makes them festive too. ❤️
These cookies look awesome but I’m not sure about the red food coloring. Is it really necessary? Can’t we just make them without it?
I agree! They taste so good! The red color is perfect for the holidays! 🎉
I tried this recipe but I think I used too much food coloring. My cookies looked more like a traffic cone than red velvet. 😂 Taste was good tho!
Haha, love that! Traffic cone cookies sound unique! Glad they tasted good! 🤣
Not a fan of red velvet. These cookies tasted weird to me, and I don’t know why. 🤔
Best cookies ever!!! 🍪❤️ Add more chocolate next time!
These cookies are absolutely amazing! The perfect balance of chocolate and sweetness. Got rave reviews at the bake sale. Will definitely make again! 🍪❤️
These cookies are not supposed to be red, that’s not how baking is. Meh.
But it’s called Red Velvet for a reason! Red is part of the charm. Gotta try it to understand!
I dunno, man. I thought cookies were supposed to be brown or golden. Red sounds weird to me.
These cookies changed my life! I might never bake regular cookies again. 😍
I totally agree! These cookies are so good, I can’t get enough of them! 🍪❤️
Yummy! Even my kids loved them. Will definitely make again.
Red velvet? Isn’t that a cake flavor? Lol. Anyway, these cookies are tasty!
These red velvet cookies are absolutely delicious! The white chocolate chips really make a difference. Will make again!
I tried this recipe, but my cookies turned out flat. What did I do wrong? 😕
Sounds like you might have overmixed the dough or didn’t refrigerate it. Try chilling the dough for a bit before baking next time! 😊
Maybe your oven temp was off? Flat cookies can happen if it’s too hot. Just a thought. 🤔
Very simple recipe. I let the kids help and they had so much fun! Thanks for sharing!
Simple? I dunno, it seems kinda complicated for cookies. Where’s the cream cheese? That stuff’s the best in red velvet!
So glad to hear you had fun with your kids! That’s what cooking is all about! 😊