Description
Deliciously soft and chewy red velvet cookies with a hint of cocoa, rolled in vibrant red sanding sugar for a beautiful finish. These cookies are perfect for festive occasions or everyday treats.
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 it in the microwave. Pour the melted butter onto a shallow bowl or plate and place it in the freezer for 5 to 8 minutes without letting it solidify.
- Mix Wet Ingredients: Add the cooled melted butter to a medium mixing bowl. Add the brown sugar, granulated sugar, egg, vanilla extract, and red gel food coloring. Whisk together until well combined.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, sifted cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt thoroughly.
- Mix Dough: Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and fold gently using a large spatula until just combined. Be careful not to overmix to keep cookies tender.
- Rest Dough & Preheat Oven: Let the dough rest while preheating your 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 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 edges are set and centers appear slightly puffed but underbaked. Do not overbake to retain softness. Remove from the oven and optionally sprinkle with more sanding sugar. Cookies will flatten as they cool.
- Prepare Red Sanding Sugar: Preheat oven to 250°F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. In a large plastic bag, combine 1/4 cup granulated sugar with a dollop of red gel food coloring. Shake and massage the bag until sugar is uniformly colored.
- Strain Sugar: Sift the colored sugar through a fine mesh strainer into a medium bowl, discarding any large bits. Repeat sifting several times for even color.
- Bake Sugar: Spread the sifted sugar evenly on the prepared baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes. Cool at least 15 minutes before using to roll 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 or warm in a 300°F oven for 5 to 8 minutes before serving.
- Use gel food coloring for vibrant color without affecting dough consistency; avoid liquid colorings.
- Do not overbake cookies to ensure a soft and chewy texture.
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
