Red Velvet Cookies with White Chocolate Chips (Soft & Chewy)
Soft, chewy red velvet cookies with white chocolate chips and a mild cocoa flavor. Easy, bakery-style cookies ready in under an hour.
Servings: 16
Calories: 162kcal
Equipment
Ingredients
- ½ cup Butter unslated, softened
- ⅓ cup Brown sugar
- ½ cup White sugar
- 1 Egg large
- 1 tablespoon Buttermilk
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
- 1½ All-purpose flour
- ¼ cup Cocoa powder unsweetened
- 1 teaspoon Baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon Salt
- 1 teaspoon Red gel food coloring or more if needed
- 1 cup White chocolate chips or any chocolate, adjust amount to taste
Instructions
- Mix the dry ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- Cream butter & sugars: In a large bowl, beat the softened butter with both sugars until creamy and smooth (you can use a spatula, hand whisk, or mixer).
- Add egg, buttermilk & vanilla: Mix in the egg, buttermilk, and vanilla extract until fully combined.
- Add food coloring: Stir in the red food coloring. If the color isn’t as vibrant as you’d like, add a little more until you reach your preferred shade.
- Combine wet & dry ingredients: Add the dry mixture to the bowl and mix on low speed (or fold with a spatula) just until combined, do not overmix.
- Fold in chocolate chips: Gently fold in the white chocolate chips.
- Chill the dough: Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
- Preheat & prepare the baking sheet: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Portion the dough: Scoop the dough into 2-tablespoon portions (about 2-inch balls) and place them 2 inches apart on the baking sheet.
- Bake: Bake for 10–11 minutes, or until the edges are lightly set and the centers are still soft.
- Cool the cookies: Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Video
Notes
- Buttermilk: Buttermilk adds a subtle tang and helps create the classic soft red velvet texture. If you don’t have buttermilk, substitute with 1 tablespoon milk mixed with ¼ teaspoon lemon juice or vinegar and let it rest for 5 minutes.
- Food Coloring: Use gel or paste food coloring, as it is more concentrated and doesn’t add extra liquid. Start with ½ teaspoon and gradually add more until the dough reaches a deep red cocoa-toned color. Avoid adding too much, as it may affect the taste.
- Chilling the Dough: Chilling prevents overspreading, deepens the flavor, and improves the chewy texture. Don’t skip this step.
- Chocolate Chips: Use any chocolate you like, white chocolate (classic pairing), milk chocolate, dark chocolate, or chocolate chunks. The amount is flexible, so adjust to taste.
- Make-Ahead: The dough can be chilled for up to 48 hours, or rolled into balls and frozen for up to 2 months. Bake frozen dough straight from the freezer and simply add 1–2 extra minutes to the baking time.
- Storage: Store baked cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for 3–4 days, refrigerate for up to 1 week, or freeze for up to 2 months.
- For Bakery-Style Presentation: Press a few extra chocolate chips on top right before baking for a professional bakery-style look.
Nutrition
Calories: 162kcal | Carbohydrates: 18g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 28mg | Sodium: 167mg | Potassium: 66mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 17g | Vitamin A: 197IU | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 32mg | Iron: 0.3mg