Description
These Red Velvet Cupcake Cookies combine the rich flavors of classic red velvet cake with the soft, chewy texture of a cookie. Topped with silky cream cheese frosting and festive heart sprinkles, they’re perfect for special occasions or anytime you want a delightful sweet treat.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients for Cookies
- 2 1/2 cups All-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup Unsweetened cocoa powder (Dutch process recommended)
- 1/2 tsp Baking soda
- 1/2 tsp Baking powder
- 1 tsp Salt
Wet Ingredients for Cookies
- 1 cup Unsalted butter (room temperature)
- 1 1/2 cups White granulated sugar
- 1 tsp Pure vanilla extract
- 1 tsp Honey
- 1 tsp White vinegar
- 2 Large eggs (room temperature)
- 1 tsp Red gel food dye (Americolor super red recommended)
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 3/4 cup Unsalted butter (room temperature)
- 4 oz Cream cheese (room temperature)
- 2 1/2 cups Powdered sugar (sifted)
- 1 tsp Pure vanilla extract
Decoration
- Heart sprinkles (for decoration)
Instructions
- Sift dry ingredients: In a medium bowl, sift together the all-purpose flour, unsweetened cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Set this mixture aside for later.
- Beat butter and sugar: In a large mixing bowl, use a mixer to beat the room temperature butter and granulated sugar on high speed for about 2 minutes until the mixture is pale and fluffy.
- Add wet ingredients and dye: Incorporate the vanilla extract, honey, white vinegar, eggs, and red gel food dye into the butter-sugar mixture. Mix on medium speed for 1 minute until fully combined.
- Combine dry and wet mixtures: Slowly add the sifted dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and mix on low speed until just combined, being careful not to overmix.
- Preheat oven and prepare sheets: Preheat your oven to 350℉ (175℃) and line two cookie sheets with parchment paper. Let the dough rest for 10 minutes to reduce spreading during baking.
- Scoop cookie dough: Using a large cookie scoop, portion out the dough, placing 6 scoops per cookie sheet to allow space for spreading.
- Bake cookies: Bake one tray at a time for 13-15 minutes until cookie edges are set but centers remain slightly underdone for softness.
- Cool cookies: Allow the cookies to rest on the hot baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a cooling rack to cool completely before frosting.
- Prepare frosting sugar: In a medium bowl, sift the powdered sugar to remove lumps and set aside.
- Beat butter and cream cheese: In a large bowl, beat the butter on high speed until fluffy (about 2 minutes), then add the cream cheese and beat for an additional minute. Scrape down the bowl and beat again until smooth.
- Mix in powdered sugar and vanilla: Add the sifted powdered sugar to the mixture and blend on low speed until just combined, then add vanilla extract and beat on high speed until creamy.
- Frost cookies: Using a small cookie scoop, dollop frosting on each cooled cookie. Smooth frosting with an offset spatula and decorate with heart sprinkles.
- Store: Place decorated cookies in the refrigerator to keep the frosting firm and fresh until serving.
Notes
- Allowing the dough to rest before baking prevents excessive spreading for a better cookie shape.
- Using room temperature ingredients helps achieve smoother batter and frosting.
- For best red color, use a gel food dye rather than liquid to avoid thinning the batter.
- The cream cheese frosting must be chilled to maintain its texture on the cookies during storage.
- Store cookies in an airtight container in the fridge for up to five days.
