Name: Red Velvet Crinkle Cookies Recipe
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 12 min
Total time: 32 min
Ingredients: 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour; 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder; 1 teaspoon baking powder; 1/4 teaspoon baking soda; 1/4 teaspoon salt; 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened; 1 cup granulated sugar; 2 large eggs, at room temperature; 2 teaspoons vanilla extract; 1 teaspoon red gel food coloring; 1/2 cup buttermilk, at room temperature; 1/2 cup powdered sugar, for rolling

Red Velvet Crinkle Cookies Recipe tastes like a mash-up of fudgy brownies and classic red velvet cake, with a crackly powdered sugar crust that looks straight out of a bakery case. This recipe works for holiday cookie trays, bake sales, or weeknight “I just need something chocolatey in under an hour” cravings. I test-baked these while my kids circled the kitchen like sharks, so you know they pass the real-life snack test.

Why Red Velvet Crinkle Cookies Recipe Is Worth It

These red velvet crinkle cookies hit that perfect chewy-soft middle with lightly crisp edges and a rich cocoa flavor. The powdered sugar coating bakes into dramatic crinkles, so they look fancy even though the dough comes together in one bowl.

You chill the dough briefly, roll, and bake, and the whole process fits easily into a busy evening. The recipe uses basic pantry ingredients with a few strategic upgrades, so you get bakery-level results without special equipment.

“These Red Velvet Crinkle Cookies disappeared from the cookie tray before the chocolate chip ones. The centers stayed soft even the next day, and the color looked gorgeous on my holiday platter. My family already requested another batch next weekend.”

Ingredients You Need

Dry ingredients

1 ½ cups (195 g) all-purpose flour
¼ cup (20 g) unsweetened cocoa powder
- Use natural cocoa for classic red velvet flavor; Dutch-process gives a deeper chocolate taste.
1 tsp baking powder
¼ tsp baking soda
½ tsp fine sea salt

Wet ingredients

¾ cup (150 g) granulated sugar
¼ cup (55 g) packed light brown sugar
- Brown sugar adds moisture and chew; you can use all white sugar in a pinch.
½ cup (120 ml) neutral oil (canola, vegetable, or light olive oil)
- Oil keeps the cookies soft for days; melted butter works but yields a slightly firmer cookie.
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1 ½ tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp distilled white vinegar
- Vinegar reacts with baking soda and cocoa to boost that classic red velvet tang.
1–1 ½ tsp red gel food coloring
- Gel color gives a vibrant red without thinning the dough; if you use liquid color, add it gradually and reduce other liquid slightly.

Rolling mixture

½ cup (60 g) powdered sugar
¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar

Pantry shortcuts and notes

Use boxed red velvet cake mix in a pinch: mix with 2 eggs and ⅓ cup oil, then chill and roll in sugars. The texture turns more cakey, but it still tastes great.
Use pre-sifted powdered sugar to avoid clumps on the cookie surface.
If you keep self-rising flour on hand, you can swap it for the flour, baking powder, and salt, then reduce baking soda to a pinch.

Equipment

Medium mixing bowl
Large mixing bowl
Whisk and rubber spatula (or hand mixer)
Small cookie scoop (about 1 ½ tbsp) or tablespoon
Baking sheets
Parchment paper or silicone baking mats
Wire cooling rack

Quick Tips & substitutions

Chill the dough at least 30 minutes so the cookies hold their shape and crinkle nicely.
Roll the dough balls in granulated sugar first, then powdered sugar; this step keeps the powdered sugar from melting into the dough.
Use gel food coloring for bold red; if the dough looks dull, add a tiny bit more and mix well.
Swap all-purpose flour with a 1:1 gluten-free baking blend if you need a gluten-free version.
Use melted butter instead of oil for a richer, slightly denser cookie; cool it before mixing.
Keep cookie size consistent so they bake evenly; a small cookie scoop helps a lot.
Bake one tray at a time in the center of the oven for the most even crinkles.
Pull the cookies when the edges look set but the centers still look soft; they firm up as they cool.

How to Make Red Velvet Crinkle Cookies Recipe

Step 1: Mix the dry ingredients

Add flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt to a medium bowl. Whisk until the mixture looks uniform and no cocoa streaks remain. Set the bowl aside.

Step 2: Whisk the wet ingredients

In a large bowl, whisk granulated sugar, brown sugar, and oil until the mixture looks thick and glossy. Add eggs one at a time and whisk until smooth. Stir in vanilla, vinegar, and red gel food coloring, and mix until the color looks even and vibrant.

Step 3: Combine wet and dry

Sprinkle the dry ingredients over the wet mixture. Fold gently with a spatula until no dry flour streaks remain and the dough looks thick and sticky. Scrape down the sides of the bowl so everything mixes evenly.

Step 4: Chill the dough

Cover the bowl and place it in the fridge for 30–45 minutes. Check the dough; it should feel firm enough to scoop without sticking to your hands too much. If it still feels very sticky, chill it another 15 minutes.

Step 5: Prep the rolling sugars and pans

Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Add granulated sugar to one shallow bowl and powdered sugar to another. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) while the dough finishes chilling.

Step 6: Scoop and coat the dough

Use a small cookie scoop or tablespoon to portion the dough into balls about 1 ½ tablespoons each. Roll each portion quickly between your palms to smooth it out. Roll each ball in granulated sugar, then coat it generously in powdered sugar so no red shows through.

Step 7: Bake the cookies

Place coated dough balls on the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 2 inches apart. Bake 10–12 minutes, until the cookies puff, the tops crack, and the edges look set while the centers still look soft. Rotate the pan halfway through baking if your oven browns unevenly.

Step 8: Cool and enjoy

Remove the baking sheet from the oven and let the cookies cool on the pan for 5 minutes. Transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely so the centers finish setting. Taste one while it still feels slightly warm; that bite usually turns into two cookies, so plan accordingly.

Recipe Variations

Gluten-free: Use a 1:1 gluten-free baking flour blend and chill the dough on the longer side for better structure.
Vegan: Use flax eggs (1 tbsp ground flax + 3 tbsp water per egg) and a neutral vegetable oil; choose organic sugar if you want fully vegan ingredients.
Low sugar: Reduce granulated sugar by 2–3 tablespoons and skip the inner granulated sugar roll; keep the powdered sugar for the classic look.
Extra chocolatey: Fold in ½–¾ cup mini chocolate chips or white chocolate chips.
Cream cheese twist: Swirl in small chilled cubes of sweetened cream cheese or sandwich two cookies with cream cheese frosting.
Peppermint version: Add ½ tsp peppermint extract and sprinkle crushed candy canes on top right after baking.
Spiced red velvet: Add ¼ tsp cinnamon and a pinch of nutmeg to the dry ingredients for a cozy flavor.

Ways to Serve Red Velvet Crinkle Cookies Recipe

Stack them on a holiday cookie platter with classic chocolate chip and sugar cookies.
Pack a few in lunchboxes as a special midweek treat.
Serve warm with a glass of cold milk or hot cocoa.
Crumble them over vanilla ice cream as a quick dessert.
Wrap a few in a clear bag with a ribbon as an easy edible gift.

Storage Success

Store cooled red velvet crinkle cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for 4–5 days. Slip a small piece of bread or a marshmallow into the container to keep them soft longer. Freeze baked cookies in a single layer on a tray, then move them to a freezer bag for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature, and the texture bounces back nicely without any extra work.