These red velvet chocolate chip cookies capture everything you love about red velvet cake; vanilla, butter and cocoa flavors except in a soft and chewy cookie. Each studded with white chocolate chips throughout!
There are 3 types of people when it come to red velvet; those who love it, those who hate it, and those that are confused by it. I'll be honest, I used to be the latter until recently.
This is forever my favorite recipe for easy red velvet chocolate chip cookies. It's been in the works for some time, after 2 trial batches and a 2 re-test batches, it's perfection. Those who have tried this recipe love it, so let's roll up our sleeves and get baking!
Why You'll Love These Red Velvet Chocolate Chip Cookies
- A thicker, slightly dense cookie
- Soft-baked in the center with perfectly chewy edges
- Buttery with hints of cocoa and vanilla flavor throughout
- Quick and easy to pull together—chilling only while the oven preheats!
- Wonderful for Valentine's Day (or Galentine’s Day), Christmas, or anytime you want festive red cookies
Ingredients You Need
- Butter: This recipe calls for slightly more butter, ¾ cup (1.5 sticks) at room temperature to give the extra buttery flavor. I always bake with unsalted butter, if you're using salted, omit the salt provided in the recipe.
- Brown Sugar: I like to use more brown sugar than granulated sugar because it not only has more flavor from the molasses, it also has more moisture which ensures a softer cookie. You'll see it with many of my cookie recipes.
- Granulated Sugar: Helps add to the sweetness and structure of the cookie.
- Eggs: You need 1 egg and 1 egg yolk for this recipe. The egg helps provide structure and the egg yolk gives the cookie a chewier texture just like these brown butter pecan cookies.
- Milk: Just a small amount to loosen up the cookie dough slightly. You can also use buttermilk.
- Red Food Coloring: The amount of red food coloring is up to you. I tested with varying amounts; to get what you see here, use 1.5 teaspoons of gel food coloring. You can use regular food coloring, about 1.5 Tablespoons but gel food coloring is more vibrant.
- Vanilla Extract: Adds key vanilla flavor.
- Flour: The all-purpose flour is the base of these cookies, not as much as non-chocolate cookie recipes since the cocoa powder also helps to provide structure.
- Cocoa Powder: This not only helps provide structure but it also gives the cookies the slight chocolate flavor.
- Baking Soda: This gives the cookies a lift.
- Salt: Adds flavor. Omit if you're using salted butter.
- Chocolate Chips: This recipe calls for semi-sweet chocolate chips but you can use any type that you'd like; dark chocolate, white chocolate, chocolate chunks or a combination.
How To Make Red Velvet Chocolate Chip Cookies
Most the work for this recipe is done by a hand mixer or stand mixer. The full recipe instructions are outlined in the recipe card below.
Start with combining the dry ingredients and set aside. Letting the mixer do the work, beat the butter until light and fluffy. Then, add the sugars, eggs, vanilla, milk, and red food coloring.
With the mixer on low, add the dry ingredients until a dough is formed. Then, add the white chocolate chips.
While the oven preheats, cover and chill the cookie dough. Then, grab 1.5-2 Tablespoons of cookie dough, rolling into a taller ball. Bake for 10 minutes or until the edges are set. The cookies will look soft—that's perfect!
FAQs
Yes, you can! It's very common to buy store bought red velvet cake mix and turn it into red velvet chocolate chip cookies. Keep in mind, those recipes often do not use any instructions from the back of the box so read ahead before starting. Here are red velvet cake mix of recipes to try.
You can! I've tested this recipe with King Arthur Gluten Free Measure for Measure Flour.
This recipe calls for semi-sweet chocolate chips but you can use any type of chocolate chips; dark chocolate, white chocolate, chocolate chunks. The possibilities are endless.
Red Velvet Chocolate Chip Cookies
Description
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ⅓ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup unsalted butter, 1.5 sticks, softened to room temperature
- 1 cup light brown sugar
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- large egg yolk
- 3 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon milk
- 1 ½ teaspoons gel red food coloring
- 1 cup white chocolate chips
Instructions
- Whisk the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt together in a large bowl. Set aside.
- Using a handheld mixer or stand mixer with a paddle attachment, beat the butter on high speed until creamy, about 1 minute. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl, if needed. Beat in the brown sugar and granulated sugar until fully combined, about 1 minute. Beat in the eggs, milk, and vanilla, scraping down the sides and bottom making sure the mixture is combined. Add the food color and beat until combined.
- With the mixer on the lowest setting, slowly add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until a soft dough is formed. If desired, add more food coloring if you prefer a brighter red. Beat in the chocolate chips. The dough will be slightly sticky.
- Cover and chill the dough in the refrigerator while the oven preheats. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Set aside.
- Using a cookie scoop, scoop 1.5 Tablespoons of dough and roll into a ball, as pictured. Place 9-11 balls onto each baking sheet. Bake each for 10 minutes until the edges are set. The cookie will look soft, that's ok. If desired, press a few chocolate chips into the tops of the warm cookies.
- Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 3 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
- Make Ahead & Freezing Instructions: These cookies stay fresh covered tightly at room temperature for up to 1 week. You can make the cookie dough and chill it in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Allow the cookie dough to sit on the counter 30 minutes before baking if the it's not in balls. Baked cookies freeze well for up to 3 months. Unbaked cookie dough balls freeze well for up to 3 months. Bake frozen cookie dough balls for an extra minute, no need to thaw!
- Red Food Coloring: I tested these cookies using beet powder instead of red food coloring using about 2 teaspoons – the color is not as vibrant but a natural alternative. Dissolve in 1 teaspoon water before mixing. Traditional food coloring can be used but you will need a bit more, about 1.5 Tablespoons. I recommend using gel food coloring for the best and most vibrant results.
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