Happy Holidays bakers!
Roll up your sleeves and preheat the oven because the Holiday Cookie Countdown from Baking With Dan has begun! I figured that there was no better way to start than with these bright red, eye catching red velvet cookies!
This recipe took me a good bit of experimenting to perfect and is my best red velvet cookie. These cookies have that signature red velvet tang, a mild chocolate flavor and a smooth sweetness thanks to some white chocolate chips. Use whatever vinegar you have on hand, but I prefer cider vinegar for its sweet tang.
The BEST Red Velvet Cookies
Dan: Dan
Serves: 18 cookies
Ingredients
- 4 ounces unsalted butter (1 stick)
- 1 ounce cream cheese, at room temperature
- ⅓ cup plus 2 tablespoons white sugar (100 grams)
- ⅓ cup plus 1 tablespoon light brown sugar (85 grams)
- 1 egg yolk
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon vinegar, cider vinegar is preferred
- 2 teaspoons red food dye
- 1½ cups all purpose flour (188 grams)
- 3 tablespoons cocoa powder, dutch process or natural
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon corn starch, optional but makes a chewier cookie
- ½ cup of chopped white chocolate chips
- ¼ cup mini chocolate chips for finishing, optional
- Handful white chocolate for finishing, optional
Instructions
- Melt the butter in a small bowl until it is just barley liquid, set aside
- Whisk together the flour, cocoa, baking soda, salt and cornstarch and set aside
- In the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the sugars and the cream cheese. Add the melted butter and cream until smooth
- Add the egg yolk, vanilla, vinegar and red food dye and beat until well blended. Scrape bowl/beater
- With the mixer on low, add all of the dry ingredients then add the white chocolate
- Blend on low until all of the flour is absorbed
- Scoop the cookie dough out onto a parchment lined baking sheet, cover and refrigerate for 1 hour or up to overnight to allow the cookie dough to chill before baking
- Once the dough has chilled, preheat your oven to 350*F
- Transfer the dough to a second sheet if necessary, leaving some room for the cookies to spread during baking. Flatten the cookies just a bit
- Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until the edges feel set and the centers are puffed
- Once cool, finish the cookies as shown in the video
Hi Dan,
Really enjoying your channel and website. I like to make cookie batters and scoop them, then put them in the freezer to bake at a later stage. Would this recipe be ok for this, or would the reaction between the soda and vinegar prevent this?
Thanks,
Dan
Hello Dan! Freezing this dough would be totally fine. The vinegar is there more for the tangy red velvet taste than it is for leavening. Should work perfect!
Enjoy!
Dan
Hi Dan. I was wondering if you think this recipe would work for making cookie shots? I wasn’t sure if the ingredients would need to be adjusted. Thanks!
Hi Fran! Those are fun- I haven’t tried them with this recipe. You may want to try a 50/50 butter shortening mix if you try the cookie shots. You’ll just want the dough to have a higher melting point so that it holds it shape.
Enjoy!
Dan
Hi, I’d love to try this recipe. But I was wondering if I could use a regular vinegar (the one that is used for cooking) if I don’t have a cider vinegar? Thank you so much!
HI Kyra- Yes absolutely. Use whatever vinegar you have on hand. Enjoy! -Dan