Description
This Crumbl Red Velvet Cupcake Cookies recipe combines the rich, moist flavors of classic red velvet cupcakes with the delightful texture and portability of cookies. Featuring velvety cocoa-infused dough accented with a vibrant red hue and topped with creamy, tangy cream cheese frosting, these cookies are perfect for celebrations or simply indulging a sweet tooth.
Ingredients
Scale
Cookie Dough
- 1/2 cup butter, salted or unsalted
- 2/3 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp white vinegar
- 1-2 tsp red gel food coloring
- 1/4 cup unsweetened natural cocoa powder
- 1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 2 tbsp cornstarch
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 4 oz cream cheese, softened
- 3 tbsp butter, softened
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Baking Sheet: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside for easy cleanup and to prevent sticking.
- Cream Butter and Sugars: In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until the mixture is smooth and creamy. This ensures the cookies have a tender texture and nice sweetness.
- Add Wet Ingredients: Whisk in the egg, vanilla extract, white vinegar, and red gel food coloring until the mixture is fully combined. The vinegar brightens the red color and helps create a soft texture in the cookies.
- Incorporate Dry Ingredients: Gradually mix in the cocoa powder, all-purpose flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt until no flour patches remain. Be careful not to overmix to keep the dough tender. Reserve one tablespoon of this dough for decorating later.
- Shape and Bake Cookies: Using a large cookie scooper, portion out 9 equal cookie dough balls onto the prepared baking sheet. Gently flatten each ball to about 1/2 inch thickness. Bake in the oven for 10 minutes. Once baked, allow them to cool on the baking sheet for 10-15 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack to cool completely.
- Bake Reserved Dough Decoration: Bake the reserved tablespoon of cookie dough for 7-8 minutes to create cookie crumbs used as decoration on top of the frosting.
- Prepare Cream Cheese Frosting: In a stand mixer or large bowl, beat together the softened cream cheese and butter until smooth and fluffy.
- Add Sugar and Flavoring: Add powdered sugar and vanilla extract to the cream cheese mixture. Whip for 3-5 minutes until light and fluffy. If the frosting is too soft, chill in the fridge or freezer briefly, then whip again before using.
- Frost and Decorate Cookies: Transfer the frosting to a piping bag fitted with a large round tip or a ziplock bag with the corner cut off. Pipe generous swirls of frosting onto each cooled cookie. Sprinkle the baked reserved cookie crumbs over the frosting. Serve and enjoy your luscious red velvet cupcake cookies!
Notes
- Use natural unsweetened cocoa powder to achieve the classic rich red velvet taste.
- White vinegar enhances the red color and helps produce a softer cookie texture, so do not skip it.
- To prevent dry cookies, accurately weigh your ingredients and avoid overbaking; the cookies continue to set as they cool.
- Chilling the dough is optional; skipping it yields slightly thinner cookies, while chilling thickens them.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 230
- Sugar: 18g
- Sodium: 110mg
- Fat: 11g
- Saturated Fat: 6g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 30g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 2g
- Cholesterol: 30mg
