Red Velvet Crinkle Cookies Recipe tastes like a soft, cocoa-kissed brownie met a classic bakery sugar cookie and rolled through a snowy bowl of powdered sugar. It works perfectly for bakers who want something festive and impressive in under an hour, start to finish. I first baked these for a neighbor cookie swap and watched a full tray vanish before I could even grab a second one.

Why Red Velvet Crinkle Cookies Recipe Is Worth It

These cookies deliver that signature red velvet flavor: gentle cocoa, a hint of tang, and a super soft, fudgy center. The crackly powdered sugar coating adds a sweet crunch that contrasts with the tender middle in the best way.

You mix the dough in one bowl, chill briefly, roll in sugar, and bake. The recipe uses pantry staples plus a little red gel food coloring, so you skip any boxed mixes and still get bakery-level results.

“These Red Velvet Crinkle Cookies taste like bite-size brownies in holiday outfits. My kids fought over the last one, and my husband asked me to ‘lose’ the recipe so he wouldn’t eat the whole batch again.”

Ingredients You Need

Dry ingredients

2 cups (240 g) all-purpose flour
3 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
- Use natural cocoa for classic red velvet flavor; Dutch-process darkens the dough more.
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp fine sea salt

Wet ingredients

1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
1/2 cup (110 g) packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup (115 g) unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
- Use salted butter and reduce added salt to a pinch if that’s what you keep on hand.
2 large eggs, room temperature
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 tsp distilled white vinegar or apple cider vinegar
- This adds that classic red velvet tang and reacts with the leavening.

Color and coating

1–1 1/2 tbsp red gel food coloring
- Gel color works best and keeps the dough from turning runny. I like Americolor or Wilton.
1/2 cup (60 g) powdered sugar, for rolling
1/4 cup (50 g) granulated sugar, for rolling
- Double-coating in both sugars keeps the white exterior bold and crackly.

Optional add-ins

1/2–3/4 cup white chocolate chips or chunks
1/2 cup mini semisweet chocolate chips

Equipment

Large mixing bowl
Medium bowl
Whisk and rubber spatula (or a hand mixer)
Measuring cups and spoons or a kitchen scale
Small cookie scoop (about 1 1/2 tbsp) or a tablespoon
Two baking sheets
Parchment paper or silicone baking mats
Wire cooling rack

Quick Tips & substitutions

Chill the dough 20–30 minutes so it firms up and rolls easily.
Roll each dough ball in granulated sugar first, then powdered sugar, to keep the white coating from melting into the cookie.
Use gel food color instead of liquid so the dough stays thick and the color stays vibrant.
Swap butter with an equal amount of neutral oil if you need dairy-free; the texture stays soft and chewy.
Use gluten-free 1:1 baking flour in place of all-purpose flour if you need gluten-free cookies.
Add white chocolate chips for extra sweetness or mini dark chocolate chips for more cocoa flavor.
Bake one tray at a time in the center of the oven for the most even crinkles.
Pull the cookies when the edges look set but the centers still look slightly soft; they finish on the pan.

How to Make Red Velvet Crinkle Cookies Recipe

Step 1: Mix the dry ingredients

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Break up any cocoa clumps so they mix evenly. Set the bowl aside while you mix the wet ingredients.

Step 2: Combine the wet ingredients

In a large bowl, whisk melted butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until the mixture looks thick and glossy. Add eggs one at a time and whisk until smooth. Stir in vanilla and vinegar until everything blends evenly.

Step 3: Add color and adjust

Add red gel food coloring to the wet mixture and whisk until the color looks uniform. Start with 1 tablespoon, then add more drops until you see a deep red shade. The color lightens a bit once you add the flour and bake, so aim slightly darker than your final goal.

Step 4: Bring the dough together

Sprinkle the dry ingredients over the wet mixture. Use a spatula to fold everything together just until no dry streaks remain. If you use chocolate chips, fold them in now. The dough should look thick and scoopable, almost like brownie batter.

Step 5: Chill the dough

Cover the bowl and place it in the fridge for 20–30 minutes. This short chill helps the dough firm up so you roll it without a sticky mess. It also helps the cookies hold their shape and form better crinkles in the oven.

Step 6: Preheat and prep the coating

Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats. Place the extra granulated sugar in one shallow bowl and the powdered sugar in another.

Step 7: Scoop and roll

Use a small cookie scoop or tablespoon to portion dough into 1 1/2-tablespoon balls. Roll each portion between your palms to smooth it out. Roll each ball in granulated sugar first, then coat it generously in powdered sugar so no red shows through.

Step 8: Bake the cookies

Arrange the coated dough balls on the baking sheets, spacing them about 2 inches apart. Bake one sheet at a time for 9–11 minutes, until the cookies puff, crack, and the edges look set. The centers should still look slightly soft; they firm up as they cool.

Step 9: Cool and enjoy

Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes. Transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely. The texture settles into a soft, fudgy middle with a light, sugary crust on the outside.

Recipe Variations

Gluten-free: Use a 1:1 gluten-free baking flour and chill the dough a bit longer, about 40 minutes, to help the cookies hold shape.
Dairy-free: Swap butter with melted coconut oil or a neutral oil and use dairy-free chocolate chips.
Vegan: Use dairy-free butter or oil, plus two flax eggs (2 tbsp ground flax + 5 tbsp water) and a vegan-friendly sugar brand.
Low sugar: Cut the granulated sugar by 1/4 cup and use dark chocolate chips; the cookies still taste rich and chocolatey.
Cream cheese twist: Press a small cube of cold cream cheese into the center of each dough ball and wrap the dough around it for a gooey center.
Extra chocolate: Add both white and dark chocolate chips for a bakery-style double chip cookie.
Holiday sprinkle version: Skip the powdered sugar and roll the dough balls in red and white sprinkles instead.

Ways to Serve Red Velvet Crinkle Cookies Recipe

Stack them on a holiday cookie tray with classic chocolate chip and sugar cookies.
Serve warm with a glass of cold milk or hot cocoa.
Crumble a few cookies over vanilla ice cream as a quick dessert.
Pack them in tins or boxes as gifts for neighbors, teachers, or coworkers.
Use them as the “cookie” layer in an ice cream sandwich with vanilla or cream cheese ice cream.

Storage Success

Store cooled Red Velvet Crinkle Cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for 4–5 days. Slip a slice of sandwich bread or a piece of parchment-wrapped apple in the container to keep them soft. Freeze baked cookies in a freezer bag for up to 2 months and thaw at room temperature. You can also freeze the coated dough balls and bake them from frozen, adding 1–2 minutes to the bake time.