Luscious Red Velvet Cupcake Cookies Recipe

Dreamy Red Velvet Cupcake Cookies Recipe: Sweet Bliss in Every Bite

Soft, decadent red velvet cupcake cookies dance between classic dessert boundaries with irresistible charm.

These tender morsels blend the best elements of cupcakes and cookies into one delightful treat.

Rich cocoa notes mingle with a velvety smooth texture that melts in your mouth.

Crimson-hued dough promises a visual and gustatory delight that beckons sweet lovers everywhere.

Cream cheese frosting adds a luxurious finish that elevates these cookies from ordinary to extraordinary.

Each bite delivers a perfect balance of sweetness and depth.

You’ll fall in love with this simple yet elegant dessert that promises to become a new favorite in your baking repertoire.

Quick Recipe Overview

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 12 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour 2 minutes

Calories: 200 kcal

Servings: 13

Sweet Ingredients For Red Velvet Cupcake Cookies

For Wet Ingredients:
  • Butter: Adds richness and creates a tender texture, choose high-quality unsalted butter for best flavor.
  • Granulated Sugar: Provides sweetness and helps with cookie structure, opt for fine-grain sugar for smooth mixing.
  • Brown Sugar: Brings moisture and deep caramel notes, select fresh, soft brown sugar without hard clumps.
  • Egg: Binds ingredients and adds structure, use fresh room-temperature eggs for optimal integration.
  • Vanilla Extract: Enhances overall flavor complexity, choose pure vanilla extract for authentic taste.
  • Red Food Coloring: Creates signature red velvet color, select gel food coloring for vibrant, concentrated color.
  • Cream Cheese: Delivers tangy frosting base, use full-fat cream cheese at room temperature for smooth consistency.
  • Butter (Frosting): Adds creaminess and stability to frosting, ensure it's softened but not melted.
For Dry Ingredients:
  • All-Purpose Flour: Forms cookie's fundamental structure, use fresh, sifted flour for smooth texture.
  • Cocoa Powder: Provides chocolate depth and color, select high-quality dutch-processed cocoa for rich flavor.
  • Baking Soda: Helps cookies rise and spread, ensure it's fresh and not expired.
  • Salt: Balances sweetness and enhances overall flavor, use fine table salt for even distribution.
For Frosting Components:
  • Powdered Sugar: Creates smooth, sweet frosting base, sift to prevent lumps and achieve silky texture.
  • Vanilla Extract (Frosting): Adds subtle aromatic sweetness, use pure vanilla for best flavor.

Baking Gear For Red Velvet Cupcake Cookies

  • Large mixing bowl: Essential for creaming butter and sugars, and mixing dough ingredients.
  • Electric mixer or hand mixer: Perfect for achieving light and fluffy butter mixture and beating frosting.
  • Whisk: Needed to combine dry ingredients evenly.
  • Measuring cups and spoons: Crucial for accurate ingredient measurements.
  • Baking sheets: Used for baking cookies with even spacing.
  • Parchment paper or silicone baking mats: Prevents cookies from sticking and ensures easy cleanup.
  • Piping bag with star or round tip: Helps create beautiful frosting swirls on cooled cookies.
  • Spatula: Useful for scraping bowl sides and mixing ingredients thoroughly.
  • Wire cooling rack: Allows cookies to cool completely before frosting.

Steps To Make Red Velvet Cupcake Cookies Fluffy

  • Whip Up the Dough

Grab your mixing bowl and blend butter, sugars until they become a fluffy cloud. Splash in egg, vanilla, and red coloring, creating a vibrant mixture. In another bowl, combine flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt. Fold dry ingredients into wet ingredients until just mixed.

  • Chill and Rest

Cover the dough with plastic wrap and let it relax in the refrigerator for half an hour. This helps the dough become easier to handle and enhances flavor development.

  • Warm Up the Oven

Heat your oven to 350F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper, creating a cozy surface for your cookies.

  • Shape and Bake

Roll dough into small balls and place them on prepared sheets, giving each cookie some breathing room. Slide the trays into the oven and bake for 10-12 minutes. Cookies should have crisp edges and soft centers.

  • Craft the Creamy Topping

Whisk cream cheese and butter until silky smooth. Gradually introduce powdered sugar and vanilla, creating a luscious frosting. Transfer to a piping bag for elegant decoration.

  • Finish with Flair

Once cookies have cooled completely, crown each one with a swirl of frosting. Sprinkle with chocolate chips or festive decorations for extra pizzazz.

Extra Tips For Red Velvet Cupcake Cookies Fun

  • Baking Brilliance: Insider Tips for Perfect Red Velvet Cupcake Cookies
  • Butter Temperature Trick: Ensure butter is softened but not melted to achieve the perfect cookie texture and prevent spreading during baking.
  • Freezing Hack: Prepare cookie dough balls and freeze them for up to 3 months, allowing you to enjoy fresh cookies anytime without full preparation.
  • Dairy-Free Adaptation: Replace butter with coconut oil and cream cheese with dairy-free cream cheese alternative for a vegan-friendly version of these delightful treats.
  • Color Control: Adjust red food coloring amount for deeper or lighter red hue, or experiment with natural coloring like beetroot powder for a healthier alternative.
  • Gluten-Free Option: Swap all-purpose flour with gluten-free flour blend and add xanthan gum to maintain cookie structure and achieve similar texture.

Serve Red Velvet Cupcake Cookies Your Way

  • Sweet Celebration Platter: Arrange cookies on a festive white ceramic plate, creating a beautiful red and white color contrast that screams party vibes.
  • Dessert Pairing Paradise: Serve alongside cold glasses of milk, rich hot chocolate, or creamy vanilla bean ice cream for an indulgent taste experience.
  • Afternoon Tea Elegance: Present these cookies on delicate china with a warm cup of earl grey tea or smooth cappuccino, perfect for a sophisticated snack moment.
  • Gift-Worthy Presentation: Package cookies in clear gift boxes tied with red ribbons, making them a delightful homemade treat for birthdays, holidays, or special occasions.

Store Red Velvet Cupcake Cookies Soft And Sweet

  • Smart Storage Strategies: Seal freshly baked cookies in an airtight container, separating layers with parchment paper to prevent sticking and maintain texture.
  • Chilled Preservation Trick: Refrigerate unfrosted cookies for up to 5 days in a sealed container, keeping them soft and delicious.
  • Freezing Magic: Wrap undecorated cookies individually in plastic wrap, then store in freezer bags for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature before adding cream cheese frosting.
  • Frosting Care Technique: Keep cream cheese frosted cookies refrigerated and consume within 3-4 days for optimal freshness and flavor quality. Allow cookies to sit at room temperature for 15 minutes before serving to enhance taste and texture.
Print
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Luscious Red Velvet Cupcake Cookies Recipe

Luscious Red Velvet Cupcake Cookies Recipe


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4.8 from 16 reviews

  • Total Time: 1 hour 2 minutes
  • Yield: 13 1x

Description

Irresistible red velvet cupcake cookies blend classic cake flavors with chewy cookie textures. Rich cocoa and cream cheese frosting create a delightful dessert you will savor with pure culinary pleasure.


Ingredients

Scale
  • ½ cup (115 g / 4 oz) unsalted butter
  • ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
  • ½ cup (100 g) brown sugar
  • 1 ½ cups (190 g) all-purpose flour
  • 1 large egg
  • 2 tbsps unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 4 oz (115 g) cream cheese
  • 1 cup (125 g) powdered sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 tsp red food coloring
  • 2 tbsps unsalted butter
  • ½ tsp baking soda
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • ½ tsp vanilla extract
  • red sprinkles
  • white sprinkles
  • mini chocolate chips

Instructions

  1. Dough Preparation: Cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy, blending in egg, vanilla, and red food coloring for vibrant color and rich flavor profile.
  2. Dry Ingredient Integration: Whisk flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt, then gently fold into wet mixture until just combined, ensuring minimal mixing to maintain tender texture.
  3. Chilling Phase: Wrap dough in plastic and refrigerate for 30 minutes to firm up and intensify flavor development.
  4. Oven Preheation: Calibrate oven to 350F, positioning rack for optimal heat circulation and even baking.
  5. Cookie Shaping: Cover baking sheets with parchment, scoop uniform dough balls, rolling between palms for smooth, consistent shape, and spacing generously to allow spreading.
  6. Baking Process: Bake for 10-12 minutes, watching for firm edges while maintaining soft centers, then transfer to wire racks for complete cooling.
  7. Frosting Creation: Whip cream cheese and butter until silky, gradually incorporating powdered sugar and vanilla to craft a luxurious, spreadable topping.
  8. Decorative Finish: Pipe frosting with decorative tip, embellishing cooled cookies with elegant swirls and optional chocolate chip or sprinkle accents for visual appeal.

Notes

  • Chill Dough Strategically: Refrigeration develops deeper flavor complexity and prevents excessive spreading during baking, ensuring dense, structured cookies.
  • Control Food Coloring Intensity: Add red food coloring gradually to achieve vibrant red hue without compromising dough’s texture or taste balance.
  • Prevent Overmixing Danger: Blend dry and wet ingredients minimally to maintain tender, soft cookie consistency and avoid developing tough, dense texture.
  • Optimize Frosting Technique: Ensure cream cheese and butter are room temperature for smoother, lump-free frosting with perfect piping consistency.
  • Prep Time: 20 minutes
  • Cook Time: 12 minutes
  • Category: Desserts, Snacks
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: American

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 13
  • Calories: 200
  • Sugar: 18 g
  • Sodium: 150 mg
  • Fat: 9 g
  • Saturated Fat: 5 g
  • Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
  • Trans Fat: 0 g
  • Carbohydrates: 28 g
  • Fiber: 0.5 g
  • Protein: 2 g
  • Cholesterol: 30 mg
John Nicholson

John Nicholson

Lead Writer & Recipe Developer

Expertise

Recipe Testing and Development, Kitchen Hacks and Time-Saving Tips, Flavor Pairing and Ingredient Selection, Engaging Food Writing and Storytelling

Education

Johnson & Wales University

  • Program: Bachelor of Science in Culinary Arts
  • Focus: A hands-on curriculum emphasizing farm-to-table cooking, local ingredient sourcing, and creative menu development. Students gained real-world restaurant experience, learning both classic techniques and modern approaches to sustainable cooking.

John Nicholson honed his skills at Johnson & Wales University, learning how to use fresh, local ingredients and down-to-earth techniques to make cooking simple and satisfying.

His recipes blend Southern comfort flavors with a modern touch, inviting everyone to cook with ease and confidence.

Living in Charleston, John takes cues from the city’s lively food scene, local markets, and seasonal produce. He’s all about making meals stress-free through easy tips, flavor pairings, and fun experiments in the kitchen

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