Soft Red Velvet Christmas Crinkle Cookies
These red velvet Christmas cookies bake up soft and chewy with deep cocoa flavor and a snowy powdered sugar crackle. They look like they came from a bakery window but come together with simple pantry ingredients.
The white chocolate chips add a creamy sweetness that rounds out the slight tang you expect from red velvet. No cream cheese or special equipment needed.
Why These Red Velvet Crinkles Work
The powdered sugar coating does two jobs. It gives that wintry crinkle top without any fussy decorating, and it keeps the edges tender while the inside stays fudgy.
You get all the cocoa richness of red velvet cake in a hand-held cookie. The red color stays vibrant even after baking because the dough is cool when it hits the oven, so the sugar shell seals it in.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened: brings richness and helps the cookies spread just enough.
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar: makes the edges crisp and the center soft.
- 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar: adds a hint of caramel and chewiness.
- 1 large egg: binds the dough and gives structure.
- 2 tsp vanilla extract: rounds out the cocoa and sugar.
- 1 to 2 tbsp liquid red food coloring: use enough to get a shade that reads festive red, not pink.
- 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour: spooned and leveled so the cookies stay tender.
- 2 tbsp unsweetened natural cocoa powder: gives that subtle red velvet chocolate note without bitterness.
- 1 tsp baking powder: lifts the dough for a soft crumb.
- 1/4 tsp baking soda: helps the cookies spread and crack.
- 1/2 tsp salt: balances the sweetness and boosts the chocolate flavor.
- 1 cup white chocolate chips: creamy pockets that taste great against the cocoa.
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar: for rolling and the signature crinkle top.
Variations / Substitutions
- Swap white chocolate chips for semisweet or dark chips: you get a sharper chocolate contrast, and the red still pops.
- Add 1/4 tsp peppermint extract with the vanilla: the cookies taste like candy cane bark and the mint brightens the cocoa.
- Use gel food coloring instead of liquid: start with 1/2 tsp and add more until you reach the shade you want. Gel can make the dough a little stiffer, so you may need a tiny splash of milk.
- Make them dairy free: choose a plant-based butter stick and dairy-free white chocolate chips.
- Skip the artificial color: beat in 2 tsp beet powder with the egg for a more muted, earthy red. The flavor is a little earthier, but the crinkle still works.
For another holiday cookie that shows up beautifully on a cookie tray, try a classic ginger molasses crinkle.
How To Make Red Velvet Christmas Crinkle Cookies
Step 1: Cream the Butter, Sugars, and Wet Ingredients
Beat the 1/2 cup softened butter, 3/4 cup granulated sugar, and 1/4 cup brown sugar together in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed until the mixture looks fluffy and a shade lighter, about 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides halfway through.
Add the egg, 2 tsp vanilla, and 1 tbsp liquid red food coloring. Beat on low until just combined, then check the color. It should be a vivid red that makes you think of Christmas. If it is not quite there, beat in the remaining 1 tbsp food coloring a teaspoon at a time until you get the shade you want. The dough will look glossy and uniform.
Step 2: Mix in the Dry Ingredients and Chips
Whisk the 1 3/4 cups flour, 2 tbsp cocoa powder, 1 tsp baking powder, 1/4 tsp baking soda, and 1/2 tsp salt together in a separate bowl. With the mixer on low, gradually add this dry mixture to the wet ingredients. Stop mixing the moment no dry streaks remain. Overworking the dough now will make the cookies tough later.
Fold in the 1 cup white chocolate chips with a spatula. The dough will be thick and a little sticky. If it feels too soft to roll, that is fine because the next step firms it up.
Step 3: Chill the Dough
Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or up to 24 hours if you want to work ahead. Chilling the dough is what makes the crinkle magic happen. Cold dough hits the hot oven and the powdered sugar shell cracks open as the cookies spread, giving you that snowy spiderweb pattern.
While the dough chills, preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
Step 4: Shape and Coat the Dough Balls
Pour the 1/2 cup powdered sugar into a shallow bowl. Scoop the chilled dough by rounded tablespoons and roll each portion between your palms into a smooth ball. The dough will be firm but still pliable.
Drop each ball into the powdered sugar and toss it around until the whole surface is blanketed in white. Do not shake off the excess. That thick layer is what creates the deep, snowy cracks. Place the coated balls 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets.
Step 5: Bake the Cookies
Slide the sheets into the preheated oven and bake for 10 to 12 minutes. At 10 minutes, the cookies should have spread, the tops should be crackled, and the edges should look just set but not browned. For softer centers, pull them out now. For a little more chew, let them go the full 12 minutes.
The cracks will widen as the cookies bake, and the red dough will peek through the powdered sugar. That’s the classic crinkle look.
Step 6: Cool and Serve
Let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for 5 minutes. They will continue to set as they cool. Then transfer them to a wire rack and let them cool completely. The powdered sugar will stay snowy white while the red cookie underneath darkens just a little, giving you a gorgeous contrast.
Once cool, pile them onto a holiday plate or layer them in a cookie tin. They keep their soft texture for days.
A Few Tips Before You Bake
- Chilling is not optional here. Even 30 minutes makes the difference between puffy, generic cookies and those deep crinkles. If the dough warms up while you shape, pop the tray back in the fridge for 10 minutes before baking.
- Measure the flour by spooning it into the cup and leveling it off. Scooping directly from the bag packs in too much flour and makes the cookies dry and cakey.
- For the brightest red, use liquid food coloring as written. Gel coloring works but can make the dough a touch stiff, so watch the texture and add a teaspoon of milk if needed.
- If your cookies spread more than you would like, chill the shaped dough balls for 15 minutes before baking. The cold blast sets the shape fast.
Bake times by dough ball size:
| Dough Ball Size | Bake Time |
|---|---|
| 1 tablespoon | 10 to 11 mins |
| 2 tablespoons | 12 to 13 mins |
Storing Leftover Cookies
- Room temperature: Layer the cookies in an airtight container with parchment paper between them. They stay soft for up to 5 days.
- Freeze baked cookies: Wrap them tightly and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature for 30 minutes before serving.
- Freeze the dough: Roll uncoated dough balls and freeze them on a tray. Once solid, transfer to a bag. When ready to bake, roll the frozen balls in powdered sugar, add 1 to 2 minutes to the bake time, and bake straight from frozen.
What To Serve With Red Velvet Crinkle Cookies
A warm mug of thick hot cocoa with a pillow of whipped cream plays up the chocolate in the cookie. The creaminess from the drink makes the cookie’s tang stand out more.
For an afternoon treat, serve them with a cold glass of whole milk. The cold, rich milk cuts through the powdered sugar coating and resets your palate for the next bite.
Strong black coffee is another natural match. The bitterness of the coffee brings out the deep cocoa notes that can get lost under all that sweetness.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I leave out the food coloring?
Yes, and you will get a pale cocoa cookie with the same soft texture and white chocolate. The crinkle effect still works, but the red won’t be there to peek through the cracks.
Why did my cookies not crack on top?
A thin powdered sugar coating or dough that is too warm before baking are the two most common reasons. Make sure the dough balls are fully coated in sugar and that they go into the oven straight from the fridge.
Can I use a different kind of chocolate chip?
Absolutely. Semisweet, dark, or even milk chocolate chips all work. White chocolate just keeps the look clean against the red dough.
How far ahead can I make the dough?
You can chill the wrapped dough for up to 24 hours. Longer than that and the leaveners start losing some oomph, but the cookies will still bake up fine. For longer storage, freeze the shaped dough balls as described above.
Red Velvet Christmas Crinkle Cookies Recipe
Ingredients
Method
- Beat the butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the egg, vanilla, and 1 tbsp food coloring. Beat until combined, adding more coloring for a vivid red.
- Whisk the flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together. Add to the wet mixture and mix just until no dry streaks remain. Fold in the white chocolate chips.
- Cover and chill the dough for at least 30 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line two baking sheets with parchment.
- Scoop chilled dough by rounded tablespoons and roll into balls. Roll each ball generously in powdered sugar and place 2 inches apart on the sheets.
- Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until the edges are set and the tops are deeply crackled.
- Cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Serve once cool.
