Red Velvet Crinkle Cookies

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Red Velvet Crinkle Cookies are everything you love about red velvet cake in a soft, fudgy little cookie: crackly powdered sugar tops, rich cocoa flavor, and that pretty red center that looks so festive on a Christmas cookie tray. These are super moist and tender, with an almost brownie-like interior and snowy crinkle tops that make them feel extra special.

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—so they don’t dry out like some crinkle cookies can. Pile them onto your holiday platters or tuck them into cookie boxes with a bow, and watch them disappear.

Pull up a stool and let’s bake a batch of these pretty red velvet cookies together.

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 “unusual ingredient” that gives these cookies a moist, fudgy texture and a subtle tang, similar to red velvet cake with cream cheese frosting.
• Granulated sugar (1 1/2 cups)
  Sweetens the cookies and helps them spread and crackle. Creaming it well with the butter and cream cheese is important for texture.
• 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 (2 teaspoons)
  Classic liquid red food coloring gives these cookies their signature color. Use a good-quality brand for the best, most vibrant red.
• Vanilla extract (1 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)
  For rolling the dough balls before baking so they develop those pretty, snowy crinkles in the oven.

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.

🔬 The Baking Science Behind Red Velvet Crinkle Cookies

Crinkle cookies rely on a simple bit of baking science: you want the outside of the cookie to set while the inside is still expanding. As the dough warms in the oven, steam and air from the leavening cause the centers to puff and spread, while the exterior (coated with powdered sugar) dries and cracks, creating that distinctive “crinkle” pattern.

The cream cheese and butter work together to create a tender, slightly fudgy crumb. Cream cheese adds extra fat and moisture, which slows staling so the cookies stay soft longer. The baking powder reacts in the heat of the oven and helps puff the cookies up, forcing the tops to fracture through the powdered sugar.

Chilling the dough doesn’t just make it easier to handle—it also slows spread. Cold fat melts more slowly, so the cookies hold their shape, giving you those tall, round cookies with dramatic cracks and a soft, gooey center instead of flat, over-spread discs.

⭐ 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) means your cookies will hold a thicker shape and crinkle beautifully instead of spreading flat.

⭐ Don’t overbake. These cookies should come out with soft centers that firm up as they cool. Pull them when the edges are just set and the cracks look slightly glossy inside—that’s your cue for a fudgy, brownie-like texture.

⭐ Be generous with the powdered sugar. Roll the dough balls in a thick layer of powdered sugar so the coating doesn’t completely melt into the cookies as they bake. If the dough feels sticky, you can lightly coat it in granulated sugar first, then powdered sugar for extra insurance.

⭐ Work quickly with chilled dough. If your kitchen is warm, keep the bowl of dough in the fridge and only scoop out what you need for one pan at a time. Warm dough = less defined crinkles.

⭐ Use light-colored baking sheets. Dark pans can brown the bottoms too quickly. A light, shiny baking sheet lined with parchment or a Silpat gives you even baking and soft, tender 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

• If 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

✦ Do red velvet crinkle cookies need to be refrigerated?

No. Because the cream cheese is fully baked into the dough (not used as a soft frosting), these cookies are safe stored at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 3–4 days. If your kitchen is very warm or humid, you can refrigerate them to keep the powdered sugar from getting sticky—just bring to room temperature before serving.

✦ Why did my cookies spread too much and lose their crinkles?

This usually happens when the dough wasn’t chilled long enough, the flour was under-measured, or the baking sheets were warm from a previous batch. Make sure the dough is well-chilled, measure flour carefully, and always bake on cool pans.

✦ Can I use gel food coloring instead of liquid?

Yes, you can use gel food coloring, but you’ll need much less since it’s more concentrated. Start with a small amount, mix it in, and adjust until you get a deep red shade you love.

✦ Can I make these smaller or larger?

Absolutely. For mini cookies, scoop about 1 tablespoon of dough and shorten the bake time slightly. For larger cookies, use about 2 tablespoons of dough and add a minute or two, watching carefully so they stay soft in the center.

✦ Can I freeze the dough instead of the baked cookies?

Yes! Scoop the chilled dough into balls, freeze on a baking sheet until solid, then store in a freezer bag. When you’re ready to bake, let them sit at room temp for 10–15 minutes, roll in powdered sugar, and bake as directed, adding a minute 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

Super moist, fudgy, Red Velvet Crinkle Cookies with an unusual ingredient that gives them a really amazing texture! 

Prep Time20 minutes mins

Cook Time10 minutes mins

Total Time30 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
• ▢ 2 teaspoons red food color
• ▢ 1 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. Place dough in the fridge for at least 4 hours.
• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Form dough into 1 1/2 Tablespoon balls. Roll dough balls in powdered sugar and place on Silpat lined cookie sheets.
•  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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Source: The Little Kitchen

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