Description
These Red Velvet Cookies are buttery, soft, and perfectly sweet with a classic red velvet flavor enhanced by cocoa and a vibrant red gel food coloring. Rolled in homemade red sanding sugar, they offer a delightful crunch on the outside with tender, slightly underbaked centers.
Ingredients
Scale
For Cookies
- 1/2 cup (113 g) unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon (110 g) light brown sugar
- 1/4 cup (50 g) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 teaspoons red gel food coloring
- 1 1/4 cups (160 g) all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons cocoa powder, sifted (Dutch-process or Hershey’s Special Dark)
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup red sanding sugar for rolling
For Red Sanding Sugar
- 1/4 cup (50 g) granulated or coarse sugar
- dollop of red gel food coloring (do not use liquid food coloring)
Instructions
- Melt Butter: In a small saucepan, melt the butter over medium-low heat or melt in the microwave. Pour the melted butter onto a shallow bowl or plate and freeze for 5 to 8 minutes, making sure it does not solidify.
- Mix Wet Ingredients: Add the cooled melted butter to a medium mixing bowl along with the brown sugar, granulated sugar, egg, vanilla extract, and red gel food coloring. Whisk everything together until well combined.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. This ensures an even distribution of leavening and cocoa.
- Mix Dough: Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and fold gently with a large spatula until just combined. Avoid overmixing to maintain a tender texture.
- Rest Dough and Preheat Oven: Let the dough rest while preheating the oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Shape Cookies: Using a medium cookie scoop, portion the dough into approximately 2-ounce balls. Roll each ball in the prepared red sanding sugar and place them on the baking sheets, spacing 2 to 3 inches apart.
- Bake Cookies: Bake the cookies for 10 minutes or until the edges are set and the centers are slightly puffed but still look underbaked. Do not overbake. Remove from oven and optionally sprinkle with more sugar. The cookies will deflate as they cool.
- Prepare Red Sanding Sugar: Preheat the oven to 250°F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Place the granulated sugar and a dollop of red gel food coloring into a large plastic bag. Shake and massage the bag until the sugar is uniformly colored.
- Sift and Bake Sugar: Sift the colored sugar through a fine mesh strainer into a medium bowl, discarding any clumps. Repeat until sugar looks uniform. Spread the sifted sugar evenly on the prepared baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes. Remove and cool for at least 15 minutes before using for rolling the cookies.
Notes
- Store cookies tightly covered at room temperature for up to 5 days to maintain freshness.
- Cookies can be frozen for up to 3 months. Wrap tightly in two layers of plastic wrap, then place in a large plastic freezer bag. Defrost at room temperature before serving or warm in a 300°F oven for 5 to 8 minutes.
- Use gel food coloring to avoid adding extra liquid to the dough which can affect texture.
- Sifting the dry ingredients prevents lumps and ensures even mixing.
- Do not overbake cookies; they should be slightly underbaked for a soft center.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 180 kcal
- Sugar: 15 g
- Sodium: 110 mg
- Fat: 9 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 22 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 30 mg
