Red Velvet Cookies are the ultimate Valentine’s Day treat featuring easy-to-make cut-out dough that holds its shape beautifully in the oven, delivering classic red velvet flavor with subtle cocoa and tangy buttermilk notes perfect for decorating with royal icing. These versatile red velvet cookies capture authentic red velvet cake flavor in crisp, bakery-quality cookie form with cream cheese incorporated into the dough for extra richness and that characteristic tangy depth. The pretty red color makes them instantly festive for Valentine’s Day, Christmas, or any celebration requiring eye-catching red cookies, while the dough’s make-ahead friendly nature allows convenient preparation—refrigerate up to a week or freeze up to three months before rolling and baking.
Whether you’re preparing Valentine cookie exchanges, creating decorated sugar cookies for holidays, looking for red velvet recipes beyond cake, or wanting cookies that maintain crisp edges and intricate shapes for detailed decorating, these cookies deliver consistent, impressive results. They yield approximately 60 cookies depending on cutter size, perfect for large batches and gift-giving.
Why You’ll Love This Red Velvet Cookies Recipe
These red velvet cookies prove that you can absolutely capture red velvet cake flavor in cookie form without sacrificing texture or appearance. The combination of cream cheese and butter creates incredibly rich dough with that signature tangy flavor associated with red velvet. The buttermilk powder is genius—it adds authentic buttermilk tang without introducing extra moisture that would make the dough sticky or cause cookies to spread.
The texture is ideal for decorated cookies—crispy edges with slightly soft centers that firm up completely as they cool. Unlike some sugar cookies that puff up or spread unpredictably, these maintain their shapes beautifully during baking, preserving every detail of your cookie cutter designs. This shape-holding quality makes them perfect for intricate cutters like hearts, lace patterns, or detailed holiday shapes.
The make-ahead convenience cannot be overstated. The dough actually improves with chilling—the flavors meld and the texture becomes easier to work with. You can prepare the dough days or even months ahead, then roll and bake when ready. This makes these cookies ideal for busy holiday seasons when advance preparation saves sanity.
Ingredients for Red Velvet Cookies
Cookie Dough
- 2½ cups all-purpose flour – Creates structure for cut-out cookies
- 2 tablespoons dark cocoa powder – Provides subtle chocolate flavor and deeper color
- 1½ tablespoons buttermilk powder – Adds tangy flavor without extra moisture
- ½ teaspoon baking soda – Provides slight rise and tender texture
- ½ teaspoon salt – Enhances flavors
- ½ cup butter, room temperature – Creates rich, tender texture
- 8 oz cream cheese, room temperature – Adds richness and signature tang
- 1 cup sugar – Provides sweetness
- 1 teaspoon vanilla – Enhances overall flavor
- 1 tablespoon red food coloring – Creates vibrant red color
Decoration
- Royal icing – For decorating cooled cookies
Ingredient Notes
Buttermilk Powder is Essential: The recipe specifically emphasizes using powdered buttermilk rather than liquid. Powdered buttermilk adds the characteristic tangy red velvet flavor without introducing moisture that would make the dough sticky and difficult to roll. Don’t substitute liquid buttermilk—it will ruin the dough consistency.
Room Temperature Dairy: Both butter and cream cheese must be at room temperature (soft enough to leave an indent when pressed) for proper creaming. Cold ingredients don’t cream properly and create lumpy, uneven dough.
Food Coloring Type: Gel food coloring produces the most vibrant red color with less product. The recipe notes mention McCormick as a reliable brand. Liquid food coloring works but requires more and can thin the dough slightly. Don’t experiment with new brands on important batches—stick with trusted names for consistent results.
Dark Cocoa Powder: Dark or Dutch-processed cocoa powder creates richer flavor and deeper color than regular cocoa. Regular cocoa works but produces lighter results.
Cream Cheese Quality: Use full-fat brick-style cream cheese, not whipped or spreadable varieties which contain extra air and moisture that affect dough consistency.
Sugar: Granulated white sugar creates the proper texture. Don’t substitute brown sugar, which would add moisture and affect the dough’s rollability.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1 – Prepare Dry Ingredients
In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, dark cocoa powder, buttermilk powder, baking soda, and salt until evenly distributed. Set this bowl aside.
Step 2 – Cream Wet Ingredients
In a large bowl using an electric mixer on medium-high speed, cream together the room temperature butter, room temperature cream cheese, sugar, vanilla extract, and red food coloring. Beat for 2-3 minutes until the mixture is fluffy, lighter in color, and well combined. The mixture should be smooth with no cream cheese lumps visible.
Step 3 – Combine Wet and Dry
With the mixer on low speed, gradually add the flour mixture to the creamed mixture. Mix until the dough is well combined and uniform with no dry flour streaks visible. The dough will be thick and cohesive.
Step 4 – Chill the Dough
Form the dough into a thick disk (this shape chills faster and rolls more easily than a ball). Wrap tightly in waxed paper or plastic wrap. Refrigerate for several hours or overnight—minimum 2 hours, but overnight is ideal. The chilling firms the butter and cream cheese, making the dough much easier to roll and preventing excessive spreading during baking.
Step 5 – Prepare for Baking
Preheat your oven to 350°F. Line baking sheets with silicone baking mats or parchment paper.
Step 6 – Roll the Dough
Remove the chilled dough from the refrigerator and cut it into 3 equal pieces. Return 2 pieces to the refrigerator to stay cold while you work with the first piece. Place a piece of waxed paper on your work surface and sprinkle it lightly with flour. Place one portion of dough on the floured waxed paper. Sprinkle the top of the dough lightly with more flour. Cover completely with another piece of waxed paper. Roll the dough through the waxed paper layers to ⅛-inch thickness. The waxed paper prevents sticking and eliminates the need for excessive flour that can make cookies tough.
Step 7 – Cut Shapes
Remove the top layer of waxed paper. Using cookie cutters, cut out desired shapes. Press straight down without twisting—twisting causes cookies to bake unevenly and shrink. Use a thin spatula to transfer cut cookies to the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 1 inch apart. To remove excess flour from cookies, use a small brush or place the cookie in your palm and gently tap the top.
Step 8 – Bake Until Set
Bake for 10-12 minutes. The cookies are done when the edges look set and the bottoms are very lightly colored. They should not brown. The cookies will look slightly soft when you remove them—this is correct. They’ll crisp as they cool.
Step 9 – Cool Completely
Let cookies cool on the baking sheet for 2-3 minutes, then transfer to wire cooling racks to cool completely. The cookies will crisp up during cooling. Don’t decorate until completely cool, or the icing will melt.
Step 10 – Decorate
Once cookies are completely cool, decorate with royal icing as desired. The smooth, flat surface and vibrant red color provide the perfect canvas for creative decorating.
Pro Tips for Success
Chill Thoroughly: The recipe emphasizes chilling for at least 2 hours, but overnight is even better. Well-chilled dough rolls more easily and holds shapes better during baking.
Don’t Twist Cutters: Press cookie cutters straight down and lift straight up. Twisting causes uneven baking and shrinking as the twisted dough tries to relax in the oven.
Work in Batches: Keep unused dough portions refrigerated while working with one piece at a time. Warm dough becomes sticky and difficult to handle.
Roll Between Waxed Paper: This technique eliminates the need for excessive flour on your work surface, which can make cookies tough.
Even Thickness: Roll dough to uniform ⅛-inch thickness throughout. Uneven thickness creates cookies that bake unevenly—thin spots overbake while thick spots remain underdone.
Bake Longer for Crunch: The recipe notes that these have crispy edges and slightly soft centers. For uniformly crunchy cookies, bake 1-2 minutes longer.
Flavor Variations
Chocolate Red Velvet Cookies: Increase cocoa powder to ¼ cup for more pronounced chocolate flavor similar to our double chocolate muffins.
White Chocolate Red Velvet: Fold ½ cup white chocolate chips into the dough before chilling for extra sweetness like our white chocolate cookies.
Cream Cheese Frosted: Instead of royal icing, frost with cream cheese frosting for authentic red velvet cake experience.
Red Velvet Sandwich Cookies: Sandwich two cookies together with cream cheese frosting for impressive presentation.
Sparkling Sugar Topped: Roll cookie edges in red sparkling sugar before baking for festive sparkle without needing icing.
Serving Suggestions
Serve Red Velvet Cookies arranged on Valentine-themed platters for February 14th celebrations, or use Christmas cookie cutters for holiday gatherings. Their vibrant red color makes them perfect for patriotic July 4th celebrations using star cutters. Package decorated cookies in clear cellophane bags tied with ribbons for Valentine exchanges, teacher gifts, or party favors.
Stack them in decorative tins lined with parchment paper for impressive homemade gifts. They travel well and maintain their crisp texture, making them ideal for shipping to distant loved ones. Display them on dessert tables alongside our soft Lofthouse cookies and hot cross bun cookies for diverse cookie platters.
For elegant presentation, arrange decorated cookies standing upright in clear glass containers or display them on tiered stands for impressive visual impact.
Storage and Freezing Instructions
Room Temperature: Store completely cooled, decorated cookies in airtight containers at room temperature for up to 1 week. Layer parchment paper between stacks to protect decorations.
Refrigerator: Cookies don’t require refrigeration but can be refrigerated in airtight containers for up to 2 weeks.
Freezing Dough: Wrap the disk of dough tightly in plastic wrap, then place in a freezer bag. Freeze up to 3 months. Thaw in refrigerator overnight before rolling and baking.
Freezing Baked Cookies: Freeze undecorated cookies in airtight containers for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature and decorate fresh before serving.
Make-Ahead Dough: Refrigerate wrapped dough up to 1 week. The dough actually improves with longer chilling as flavors develop.
Nutrition Facts (Per Serving)
| Nutrient | Amount |
|---|---|
| Calories | 59 |
| Protein | 1g |
| Carbohydrates | 7g |
| Fat | 3g |
| Fiber | 1g |
| Sodium | 42mg |
Based on 60 servings (1 cookie each). Nutritional values are approximate.
FAQ About Red Velvet Cookies
Can I use liquid buttermilk instead of buttermilk powder?
No, the recipe specifically emphasizes using buttermilk powder because it adds tangy flavor without introducing moisture that would make the dough sticky and difficult to roll. Liquid buttermilk will ruin the dough consistency and make it nearly impossible to work with.
Why aren’t my cookies holding their shape?
Cookies that spread usually result from dough that wasn’t chilled long enough, oven temperature that’s too low, or twisting cookie cutters when cutting shapes. Ensure you chill the dough thoroughly (minimum 2 hours), verify oven temperature with a thermometer, and press cutters straight down without twisting.
How do I get really vibrant red color?
Use gel food coloring rather than liquid—gel colors are more concentrated and produce more vibrant results. The recipe recommends McCormick brand. Start with 1 tablespoon and add more if needed. Remember that color deepens slightly during baking.
Can I make these without cream cheese?
The cream cheese is essential to this recipe—it provides richness, tang, and the characteristic red velvet flavor. Without it, you’d have regular sugar cookies. The cream cheese is what makes these authentically “red velvet.”
Red Velvet Cookies bring beloved red velvet cake flavors to convenient, decoratable cookie form perfect for Valentine’s Day and special celebrations year-round. The combination of tangy cream cheese, subtle cocoa, and vibrant red color creates cookies that taste as impressive as they look, while the shape-holding dough and make-ahead convenience make them practical for busy bakers. Whether you’re decorating intricate designs for cookie exchanges, creating festive treats for holiday gatherings, or simply enjoying red velvet flavor in new form, these beautiful cookies deliver bakery-quality results that make every occasion feel special.
