Red Velvet Christmas Crinkle Cookies

Red Velvet Christmas Crinkle Cookies

These scratch-made red velvet crinkle cookies bake into thick, round cookies with soft centers, a light cocoa flavor, and vivid red interiors. Rolling the dough in granulated sugar and then a generous layer of powdered sugar gives the tops and sides their snowy, irregular cracks.

Chill the dough for about an hour so it is easier to shape. This is a scratch dough; cake-mix versions use a different formula and cannot be made by swapping cake mix into these directions. Makes about 20 cookies in approximately 1 hour 45 minutes, including chilling and two baking batches.

Ingredients for Red Velvet Christmas Crinkle Cookies

• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour (270g)
• 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder (10g)
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon fine salt
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened (113g)
• 1 cup granulated sugar (200g), for the dough
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• About 1 tablespoon liquid red food coloring, or gel coloring as needed
• About 1/3 cup granulated sugar (65g), for rolling
• About 1 cup powdered sugar (120g), for coating

Gel coloring is more concentrated than liquid coloring. Add it gradually until the dough is an even, saturated red; the amount needed will vary by product.

How to Make Red Velvet Christmas Crinkle Cookies

1. Combine the dry ingredients: Whisk the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl until the cocoa is evenly distributed.
2. Make the dough: Beat the butter and 1 cup granulated sugar until creamy. Mix in the eggs, vanilla, and red food coloring. Add the dry ingredients and mix just until no flour streaks remain. The dough will be soft and may be slightly tacky.
3. Chill: Cover and refrigerate for about 1 hour, until the dough is firmer but still scoopable. If it remains too sticky to roll, chill it a little longer.
4. Prepare the oven and coatings: Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350°F (175°C). Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment. Put the remaining granulated sugar and the powdered sugar in separate shallow bowls.
5. Portion and coat: Scoop about 2 tablespoons of dough per cookie and roll into evenly sized balls. Roll each lightly in granulated sugar, then generously in powdered sugar, covering the sides as well as the top. Coat the dough balls shortly before baking.
6. Bake: Arrange the balls about 2 inches apart. Bake one sheet at a time for 10–12 minutes, checking at 10 minutes. Remove the cookies when the tops are cracked and the edges look set but not deeply browned. The centers should still look soft.
7. Cool: Leave the cookies on the baking sheet for about 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack. Cool completely before stacking or cutting.

How to Get a Pronounced Crinkle Coating

Use a substantial layer of powdered sugar, not a light dusting. The granulated-sugar pre-coat followed by powdered sugar helps produce a distinct white crackle. Cover the sides of each dough ball, too, so the coating stays visible as the cookies spread.

How to Tell When the Cookies Are Done

For 2-tablespoon portions, start checking at 10 minutes. Cracked tops and set edges are better guides than the clock alone: the centers should still look soft when the cookies come out and will firm as they cool. Larger or smaller portions, or a different oven, may change the baking time.

If the Dough Is Too Sticky to Roll

Give the dough the full hour in the refrigerator. If it still sticks to your hands, chill it a little longer and use a cookie scoop or hands lightly dusted with powdered sugar. Avoid working substantial extra flour into the dough.

Serving and Storing the Cookies

For a stacked presentation, arrange several whole cookies together and set a halved cookie on top with its red interior facing out.

Once completely cool, store the cookies in an airtight container at cool room temperature. For the best soft texture, aim to eat them within about 3 days; that is a quality guideline, not a tested safety limit.

Nutrition

Approximate nutrition per cookie, based on 20 cookies: 175 calories, 2g protein, 5g fat, and 30g carbohydrates. Approximate values per 100g: 385 calories, 5g protein, 12g fat, and 66g carbohydrates. Values will vary with the amount of coating sugar that stays on the cookies.