Red Velvet Crinkle Cookies

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Red Velvet Crinkle Cookies are soft, fudgy cookies with crackly powdered sugar tops, a rich cocoa flavor, and that signature red velvet color. They have an almost brownie-like texture in the center and a beautiful crinkled exterior that makes them perfect for Christmas cookie trays, holiday cookie boxes, and festive dessert platters.

These cookies are a favorite of my sister, Alise, and her daughter, Kennedy. In fact, whenever I visit them, Kennedy and I almost always end up in the kitchen making a batch together. The secret to their incredible texture is a touch of cream cheese in the dough. It adds moisture, richness, and a subtle tang that keeps these cookies soft for days while helping create an extra tender crumb. Combined with a generous coating of powdered sugar, the result is a bakery-style cookie that’s as pretty as it is delicious.

If you love festive holiday cookies, be sure to try my Chocolate Crinkle Cookies, Italian Christmas Cookies, Christmas Sugar Cookies, and Christmas Cookie Recipes collection next.

Before You Begin

✨ Chill time matters. This dough is soft and sticky when first mixed, so that 4-hour chill (or overnight) is key. It helps the dough firm up, roll easily, and keeps the cookies from spreading too much in the oven.

✨ Use a good, vibrant red food color. A classic liquid red food coloring works great here and gives you that deep red velvet hue that really pops against the powdered sugar.

✨ Measure the flour correctly. Spoon and level your flour into the measuring cup so you don’t pack in too much. Too much flour = dry, cakey cookies instead of moist and fudgy.

✨ Double-coat in powdered sugar (optional but helpful). If your kitchen is warm or the dough feels a bit sticky, you can give each ball a light roll in granulated sugar first, then powdered sugar. It helps the crinkles stay nice and snowy.

✨ Bake one sheet at a time. For the most even baking and prettiest crinkles, bake your cookies on the center rack, one sheet pan at a time.

Red Velvet Crinkle Cookies Ingredients + Key Notes

For the Cookies

All-purpose flour (2 1/4 cups)
Provides structure. Measuring lightly (spooned and leveled) keeps the crumb tender instead of dense.

Unsweetened cocoa powder (1/3 cup)
Gives gentle chocolate flavor without turning these into full-on chocolate cookies—exactly what we want for red velvet.

Baking powder (1 1/2 teaspoons)
Helps the cookies puff up and crack on top. Using the right amount gives height without making them cakey.

Salt (1/4 teaspoon)
Balances the sweetness and makes the cocoa and vanilla taste richer. Don’t skip it.

Unsalted butter, softened (1/2 cup)
Creamed with the sugar and cream cheese, it traps air in the dough for a lighter, soft interior.

Cream cheese, softened (2 ounces)
The secret ingredient that keeps these cookies extra soft and moist. It adds a subtle tang and creates the rich, fudgy texture that sets these cookies apart from traditional crinkle cookies.

Granulated sugar (1 1/2 cups)
Sweetens the cookies and contributes to their tender texture. Properly creaming the sugar with the butter and cream cheese helps create the cookies’ signature crinkled tops.

Eggs (2 large)
Bind everything together and add richness. They also help create that shiny, slightly chewy crust under the powdered sugar.

Red food color (1 tablespoon)
Gives these cookies their classic red velvet color. A full tablespoon creates the vibrant red center that contrasts beautifully with the snowy powdered sugar coating.

Vanilla extract (2 teaspoon)
Rounds out the chocolate and cream cheese flavors and keeps the cookies tasting like a true red velvet dessert.

Powdered sugar (3/4 cup)
Coats the dough balls before baking and creates the cookies’ signature crackled appearance. Don’t be shy—a generous coating produces the prettiest results.

How to Make Red Velvet Crinkle Cookies

First, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl and set it aside. In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter and cream cheese together with an electric mixer until smooth, then add the sugar and mix until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Beat in the eggs, red food color, and vanilla until well combined. Using a spatula, gently fold in half of the flour mixture just until combined, then fold in the remaining flour mixture, being careful not to overmix. Cover the bowl and refrigerate the dough for at least 4 hours, or overnight, until very firm.

When you’re ready to bake, preheat your oven to 350°F and line baking sheets with a Silpat or parchment. Scoop the chilled dough into 1 1/2-tablespoon balls, roll each one generously in powdered sugar, and place on the prepared baking sheets, leaving space for spreading. Bake, one sheet at a time, for about 10 minutes, or until the cookies are puffed, cracked on top, and just set around the edges (the centers will look soft). Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for about 15 minutes to finish setting, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.

⭐ Pro Tips for the Best Red Velvet Crinkle Cookies

⭐ Let the dough chill fully. Because the dough contains butter and cream cheese, it starts out quite soft. Giving it a full 4-hour chill (or even overnight) helps the cookies hold their shape and develop those beautiful crackled tops.

⭐ Don’t overbake. The centers should still look slightly soft when you remove the cookies from the oven. They’ll continue to set as they cool, giving you that fudgy, brownie-like texture.

⭐ Be generous with the powdered sugar. Roll each dough ball in a thick coating of powdered sugar so it doesn’t melt completely into the cookies as they bake. A heavy coating creates the prettiest crinkles.

⭐ Use room-temperature butter and cream cheese. They’ll blend together more smoothly, creating a uniform dough and tender texture.

⭐ Use a cookie scoop for uniform cookies. Keeping the dough balls the same size helps them bake evenly and gives you consistent results from batch to batch.

⭐ Use light-colored baking sheets. Dark pans can brown the bottoms too quickly. A light-colored baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a Silpat promotes even baking and soft centers.

Storing + Reheating + Freezing + Make-Ahead Tips

Storing: Once completely cooled, store your red velvet crinkle cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days. Because the cream cheese is fully baked into the cookies (not a soft filling), they’re safe at room temp, but keep them away from heat or direct sunlight so the powdered sugar doesn’t get sticky.

Reheating: f you love that just-baked softness, you can warm a cookie on a microwave-safe plate for about 5–10 seconds. It’ll taste freshly baked again, with a slightly gooey center and soft edges.

Freezing: These cookies freeze beautifully. Arrange the baked, cooled cookies in a single layer on a baking sheet and freeze until firm, then transfer to a freezer bag or airtight container and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature in a single layer to keep the powdered sugar coating looking pretty.

Make-Ahead: You can make the dough up to 24 hours in advance and keep it well covered in the refrigerator. For longer storage, scoop the dough into balls, freeze on a baking sheet until solid, then store in a freezer bag. Let the dough balls sit at room temperature for 10–15 minutes, roll in powdered sugar, and bake, adding 1–2 extra minutes if needed.

Red Velvet Crinkle Cookies FAQs

✦ Why Didn’t My Red Velvet Crinkle Cookies Crack?

Crinkle cookies get their signature appearance when the outside of the cookie sets before the center finishes expanding. If your cookies didn’t crack, the dough may not have been chilled long enough, the powdered sugar coating may have been too light, or your oven may not have been fully preheated. For the best crinkles, chill the dough thoroughly and coat each dough ball generously in powdered sugar before baking.

✦ Do I Have to Chill the Dough?

Yes. Chilling the dough is one of the most important steps in this recipe. Because the dough contains both butter and cream cheese, it’s quite soft when first mixed. Refrigerating the dough for at least 4 hours makes it easier to handle, prevents excessive spreading, and helps create the thick, crackly cookies that Red Velvet Crinkle Cookies are known for.

✦ Can I Use Gel Food Coloring Instead of Liquid?

Absolutely. Gel food coloring works very well in this recipe and can create an even more vibrant red color since it’s more concentrated than liquid food coloring. Start with a small amount and add more as needed until you achieve the deep red velvet shade you’re looking for.

✦ Can I Make These Smaller or Larger?

Yes! For smaller cookies, scoop about 1 tablespoon of dough and reduce the baking time slightly. For larger bakery-style cookies, use about 2 tablespoons of dough and add a minute or two to the baking time. No matter the size, keep an eye on the centers and remove the cookies while they still look slightly soft for the best texture.

✦ Can I Freeze the Dough Instead of the Baked Cookies?

Yes, cookie dough freezes beautifully. Scoop the chilled dough into balls and place them on a baking sheet until frozen solid. Transfer the frozen dough balls to a freezer-safe bag or container and freeze for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to bake, let the dough sit at room temperature for 10 to 15 minutes, roll generously in powdered sugar, and bake as directed, adding an extra minute or two if needed.

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Thanks for stopping by my kitchen today — happy cooking, friends! 💗 Kathleen

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Red Velvet Crinkle Cookies

These Red Velvet Crinkle Cookies are soft, fudgy, and loaded with classic red velvet flavor. A touch of cream cheese in the dough keeps them extra moist and tender, while a generous coating of powdered sugar creates their signature crackled tops. Perfect for Christmas cookie trays, holiday cookie exchanges, and festive dessert platters.

Prep Time30 minutes mins

Cook Time10 minutes mins

Total Time4 minutes mins

Servings: 24 cookies

Author: Kathleen

Ingredients

• ▢ 2 1/4 cups flour
• ▢ 1/3 cup cocoa powder
• ▢ 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• ▢ 1/4 teaspoon salt
• ▢ 1/2 cup unsalted butter softened
• ▢ 2 ounces cream cheese softened
• ▢ 1 1/2 cups sugar
• ▢ 2 eggs large
• ▢ 1 tablespoons red food color
• ▢ 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ▢ 3/4 cup powder sugar

Instructions

• In a medium bowl, whisk flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt; set aside.   
• In a large bowl, mix butter and cream cheese with an electric mixer. Add sugar and mix until light and fluffy; a couple of minutes.
• Add eggs, food color, and vanilla extract and mix until well combined. Gently fold half the flour and cocoa mixture to the egg mixture until just incorporated, then fold in second half the same way.
• Cover the bowl tightly and refrigerate the dough for at least 4 hours or overnight. The dough will be soft before chilling. Chilling helps prevent spreading and creates the cookies' signature crinkle pattern.
• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Form the dough into 1 1/2-tablespoon balls. Roll each dough ball generously in powdered sugar, making sure it's completely coated on all sides.

  Arrange the dough balls 2 inches apart on Silpat- or parchment-lined baking sheets. The heavy coating of powdered sugar helps create the cookies' signature crackled appearance as they bake.
• Bake cookies in preheated oven for approximately 10 minutes. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheets for approximately 15 minutes then transfer to wire racks and cool completely.

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Nutrition

Serving: 1cookie | Calories: 156kcal | Carbohydrates: 26g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 26mg | Sodium: 38mg | Potassium: 64mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 16g | Vitamin A: 170IU | Calcium: 20mg | Iron: 1mg

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