Red Velvet Crinkle Cookies

The red kitchen timer on the counter had been my grandmother's, and I'd inherited it along with her love for baking things that made people stop and stare. These cookies caught my eye in an old community cookbook, wedged between pages stained with vanilla extract. The first batch I made disappeared before they'd even cooled completely.

My neighbor knocked on the door while I was rolling dough balls in powdered sugar, my hands absolutely covered in the stuff. She laughed and asked if I'd been fighting with a ghost. I handed her a still-warm cookie from the test batch, and she cancelled her dinner plans to help me finish the rest.

Ingredients

• All purpose flour: The structure that holds everything together without making these cookies tough or cakey
• Unsweetened cocoa powder: Dutch process works beautifully here for that deep, almost black red color
• Baking powder: Gives the cookies their lift and creates those gorgeous cracks as they bake
• Salt: Just enough to wake up the chocolate flavor without tasting salty
• Unsalted butter: Melted creates a denser, fudgier texture than creamed butter would
• Granulated sugar: Sweetens and helps create that crisp edge while keeping centers soft
• Eggs: Room temperature eggs incorporate better and help the dough hold together
• Vanilla extract: Pure vanilla adds warmth that balances the cocoa's slight bitterness
• White vinegar: Reacts with baking powder for extra lift and enhances the red color
• Red food coloring: Gel coloring gives the most vibrant red with less liquid
• Buttermilk: The secret to keeping these cookies incredibly soft and tender
• Powdered sugar: Generous coating is essential for the crinkle effect to form properly

Instructions

Whisk the dry ingredients together:

Combine flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl until no streaks of cocoa remain visible.

Beat the wet mixture:

Whisk melted butter and sugar until combined, then add eggs one at a time before stirring in vanilla, vinegar, and food coloring.

Combine everything gently:

Add dry ingredients alternately with buttermilk, mixing just until combined to keep cookies tender.

Chill the dough thoroughly:

Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours so the dough firms up enough to roll into balls.

Prepare your baking space:

Preheat oven to 350°F and line baking sheets with parchment paper.

Coat in powdered sugar:

Roll chilled dough into generous balls and coat them completely in powdered sugar.

Bake until crackled:

Bake for 11 to 13 minutes until puffed with visible cracks but still soft in the center.

Cool briefly before serving:

Let cookies rest on the baking sheet for 5 minutes to set, then cool completely on a wire rack.

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My daughter declared these the official Christmas cookie after she took them to her school holiday party and came home with an empty container and three requests for the recipe. Now we make double batches and give them in pretty tins to everyone who's made our year brighter.

Making The Color Pop

Gel food coloring is worth seeking out for these cookies. Liquid coloring works but can affect the dough consistency, and the payoff is a red so deep it almost looks like velvet. Don't be afraid to add a little more than the recipe calls for that dramatic holiday red.

Getting Perfect Crinkles

The magic happens when the powdered sugar coating cracks as the cookies spread and rise in the oven. If your cracks aren't forming dramatically, your dough might be too warm or your sugar coating too thin. Work quickly when rolling and really press that sugar into the dough.

Storage And Serving Suggestions

These cookies actually improve after a day as the flavors meld and the texture becomes even more fudgy. Store them in an airtight container with parchment paper between layers.

• Bring to room temperature before serving for the softest texture
• Package them in clear bags tied with red ribbon for gifting
• They freeze beautifully for up to three months

Pin It

There's something joyful about biting through that snowy powdered sugar into the soft, red velvet center. Hope these bring as much color and warmth to your kitchen as they have to mine.

Recipe Questions

→ What gives these crinkles their red color?

The vibrant red hue comes from added red food coloring, available in liquid or gel form for deeper shades.

→ How do I achieve the crackled powdered sugar coating?

Rolling chilled dough balls generously in powdered sugar before baking creates the signature crackled surface as they expand.

→ Can I substitute the butter used in the dough?

Unsalted butter is recommended for richness, but margarine or coconut oil could be used, noting slight texture changes.

→ Why is the dough chilled before baking?

Chilling firms the dough, helping the cookies maintain shape and develop the characteristic crinkles during baking.

→ How should these treats be stored to maintain freshness?

Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week to keep them soft and flavorful.