Red Velvet Cupcake Cookies Recipe
Transform your love for red velvet into bite-sized delights with these soft, chewy cookies topped with a luscious cream cheese frosting. Perfectly vibrant and irresistibly flavorful, they’re a treat for any occasion.
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Servings: 9 cookies
Ingredients
For the red velvet cookies:
- ½ cup 1 stick / 115g unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- ½ cup 100g packed brown sugar, light or dark
- ½ cup 100g granulated sugar
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil or any neutral-flavored oil
- 1 large egg at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon white vinegar
- 1 to 2 teaspoons red liquid-gel food coloring *see notes
- 1 & ½ cups 180g all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
- ¼ cup 20g unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 tablespoon instant milk powder
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
For the cream cheese frosting:
- 6 tablespoons 90g unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 3 ounces 85g block cream cheese
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 & ½ cups 195g powdered sugar
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and prepare two large baking sheets by lining them with parchment paper. Set them aside for later use.
- In a medium bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, cocoa powder, milk powder, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Whisk these dry ingredients thoroughly to ensure they’re evenly distributed, then set the bowl aside.
- In a separate large bowl, mix the softened butter, oil, and both brown and granulated sugars until the mixture is smooth and creamy. You can use a whisk for this step.
- Next, incorporate the egg and vanilla extract, whisking until fully blended. Add the white vinegar and food coloring, mixing thoroughly until you achieve your preferred shade of red. Note that the dough's color will appear vivid at this stage but will deepen once the dry ingredients are mixed in.
- Gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet mixture, combining them just until a sticky, thick dough forms. Be careful not to overmix. Using a large cookie scoop (3 to 4 tablespoons), portion the dough onto the prepared baking sheets, ensuring about 3 inches of space between each cookie to allow for spreading.
- Place the baking sheets in the center of the preheated oven and bake for 12 to 15 minutes. The cookies are ready when they have puffed up, spread slightly, and the bottom edges show a light golden hue.
- Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheets for about 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. It’s essential to let them reach room temperature before applying the frosting.
- To make the frosting, beat the cream cheese and butter in a medium bowl until smooth and free of lumps. Add the vanilla extract and powdered sugar, mixing until the frosting reaches a creamy consistency. If the frosting seems too soft, refrigerate it for 30 to 60 minutes to firm it up.
- Spread or pipe the frosting onto the cooled cookies. For a decorative touch, crumble any leftover or oddly shaped cookies and sprinkle the crumbs over the frosted tops.
- Enjoy these red velvet cookies with their luscious cream cheese frosting!
Notes
If liquid-gel food coloring isn’t available, regular gel food coloring is an excellent alternative! You may need to use less, so add it gradually until you achieve the desired shade. Avoid liquid food coloring, as it can disrupt the dough’s moisture balance. Powdered food coloring is another option, though it can be harder to find. Since it's highly concentrated, add it sparingly and adjust to your preferred color intensity.