Valentine’s Day Red Velvet Cookies taste like a mash-up of fudgy brownies and classic red velvet cake with a hint of cocoa and a soft, chewy center. They work perfectly for anyone who wants a festive, bakery-style treat in about 30 minutes from start to finish. I test red velvet recipes way too often, so consider this my love letter from one cookie-obsessed home baker to another.
Why Make This Valentine’s Day Red Velvet Cookies at Home
Homemade Valentine’s Day Red Velvet Cookies taste fresher, softer, and richer than store-bought versions. You control the sweetness, the cocoa level, and the food coloring, so the cookies match your taste and your vibe.
You also skip weird preservatives and use pantry ingredients you probably already own. The recipe works well for last-minute classroom treats, date nights at home, or a solo baking session with your favorite playlist.
“These Valentine’s Day Red Velvet Cookies taste bakery-level fancy but come together fast enough for a weeknight treat.”
Ingredients You Need
Dry ingredients
- All-purpose flour
- Use a standard unbleached all-purpose flour.
- Avoid cake flour, since it makes the cookies too cakey and less chewy.
- Unsweetened cocoa powder
- Use natural cocoa powder, not Dutch-processed, to keep the flavor balanced and not too dark.
- I like Ghirardelli or Hershey’s regular cocoa for a classic red velvet color.
- Baking soda
- This helps the cookies puff slightly and stay soft.
- Check the date on the box and use fresh baking soda for best results.
- Fine sea salt
- Salt sharpens the cocoa flavor and balances the sweetness.
- Table salt works in a pinch, but use a tiny bit less.
Wet ingredients
- Unsalted butter, softened
- Use real butter, not margarine, for the best flavor and texture.
- Let it sit at room temperature until it yields slightly when you press it with a finger.
- Granulated sugar
- This gives structure and that classic cookie sweetness.
- You can swap up to one third of the sugar with light brown sugar for a slightly chewier cookie.
- Light brown sugar, packed
- Brown sugar adds moisture and a hint of caramel flavor.
- Store it in an airtight container so it does not dry out and clump.
- Large eggs, at room temperature
- Room temperature eggs mix more easily and help the dough stay smooth.
- If you forget to pull them out, place them in a bowl of warm water for 5 to 7 minutes.
- Vanilla extract
- Use pure vanilla extract for the best flavor.
- I like Nielsen-Massey or Costco’s pure vanilla for a good balance of quality and price.
- Red gel food coloring
- Gel food coloring gives a strong, vibrant red without thinning the dough.
- I like AmeriColor or Wilton gel colors.
- You can use liquid food coloring, but you need more of it and it can make the dough softer.
- Distilled white vinegar or buttermilk (small amount)
- A tiny splash of acid gives that subtle tang that defines red velvet.
- Vinegar works great and usually sits in most pantries, while buttermilk adds a bit more richness.
Mix-ins and toppings
- White chocolate chips or chunks
- These pop against the red cookie and add creamy sweetness.
- Ghirardelli, Guittard, or even store brands all work well.
- Optional: mini dark chocolate chips
- These balance the sweetness of the white chocolate.
- Use them if you like a slightly deeper chocolate flavor.
- Optional: sprinkles or heart-shaped sprinkles
- Use them to decorate the tops before baking.
- Choose sprinkles that hold up in the oven and do not melt into the dough.
Pantry shortcuts and substitutions
- Use pre-sifted flour if you want to skip sifting. Just fluff it with a spoon before measuring.
- Use pre-portioned cookie dough scoops to keep the cookies the same size and help them bake evenly.
- If you do not want to use food coloring, you can skip it and enjoy cocoa cookies with the same flavor, just without the red color.
- Swap white chocolate chips with cream cheese baking chips if you find them, which gives a flavor closer to red velvet cake with cream cheese frosting.
Equipment list
- Large mixing bowl
- Medium mixing bowl
- Hand mixer or stand mixer with paddle attachment
- Rubber spatula
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Baking sheets
- Parchment paper or silicone baking mats
- Cookie scoop or tablespoon
- Wire cooling rack
Tips & Mistakes
- Chill the dough for at least 20 to 30 minutes if your kitchen feels warm, so the cookies hold their shape and do not spread too much.
- Measure the flour correctly by spooning it into the cup and leveling it, so the cookies stay soft and not dry.
- Use gel food coloring instead of liquid, since liquid can water down the dough and make the color dull.
- Do not overmix once you add the flour, or the cookies turn tough instead of tender.
- Pull the cookies from the oven when the edges look set but the centers still look slightly soft, since they keep cooking on the hot pan.
- Press a few extra white chocolate chips on top of each cookie right after baking to make them look bakery-style.
- Bake one test cookie first if you worry about spreading, then adjust by chilling the dough longer if needed.
- Keep the cookies on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before moving them to a rack, so they do not break while still hot.
How to Make Valentine’s Day Red Velvet Cookies
Step 1: Mix the dry ingredients
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt until the color looks even. Break up any cocoa clumps with the back of a spoon. Set the bowl aside near your mixer so you can reach it easily.
Step 2: Cream butter and sugars
In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar with a hand mixer or stand mixer on medium speed. Mix until the mixture looks light, fluffy, and slightly lighter in color, about 2 to 3 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula so everything mixes evenly.
Step 3: Add eggs, vanilla, and color
Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition until the mixture looks smooth and glossy. Mix in the vanilla extract and the vinegar or buttermilk. Add red gel food coloring a little at a time, mixing between additions, until you see a deep red color that looks slightly darker than you want, since it lightens a bit during baking.
Step 4: Combine wet and dry
Turn the mixer to low speed and add the dry ingredients in two additions. Mix just until the flour disappears and the dough looks thick and uniform. Use a spatula to fold in white chocolate chips and any additional mix-ins, such as mini dark chocolate chips or sprinkles.
Step 5: Chill the dough
Cover the bowl and place it in the fridge for 20 to 30 minutes. This short chill time helps the dough firm up and keeps the cookies thick and chewy. If your kitchen feels very warm, chill for up to 45 minutes.
Step 6: Scoop and shape
Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Use a cookie scoop or tablespoon to portion the dough into balls, about 1 1/2 tablespoons each, and place them a couple of inches apart. Roll each portion gently between your palms to smooth the surface, then press a few extra white chocolate chips on top.
Step 7: Bake
Preheat your oven to 350°F while the dough chills. Bake one sheet at a time on the middle rack for 9 to 11 minutes, until the edges look set and the tops look slightly puffed but still soft in the center. If your cookies bake large, they may need up to 12 minutes, so keep an eye on them.
Step 8: Cool
Remove the baking sheet from the oven and let the cookies sit for 5 minutes. Transfer the cookies carefully to a wire rack to cool completely. The centers firm up as they cool, so resist the urge to overbake.
Step 9: Make them extra festive
Once the cookies cool, drizzle melted white chocolate over the tops in zigzags if you want a bakery-style finish. Add a few heart-shaped sprinkles before the drizzle sets. Let the drizzle firm up at room temperature before stacking or packing the cookies.
Variations I’ve Tried
I swap half of the white chocolate chips with dark chocolate chunks when I want a slightly less sweet cookie. I also press a small square of cream cheese frosting filling between two cooled cookies and make red velvet cookie sandwiches. Sometimes I roll the dough balls in coarse sugar before baking for a sparkly, crunchy edge.
I also like to add a tiny pinch of espresso powder to the dry ingredients, which deepens the cocoa flavor without turning the cookies into coffee cookies. If I bake for kids, I skip the espresso and add extra white chocolate chips instead. Heart-shaped cookie cutters do not work well with this dough, but I sometimes press warm cookies gently with a round cutter to make perfect circles.
How to Serve Valentine’s Day Red Velvet Cookies
Serve Valentine’s Day Red Velvet Cookies slightly warm so the centers taste soft and the chocolate chips feel melty. Pair them with cold milk, hot chocolate, or a vanilla latte for a cozy treat. Stack a few in a clear bag, tie with a ribbon, and you have an easy edible gift that looks thoughtful and festive.
You can also set them on a dessert board with strawberries, raspberries, and a small bowl of whipped cream or yogurt dip. Kids love them with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top like a cookie sundae. I also keep a small plate near the coffee maker, because nothing pairs better with morning coffee than a leftover cookie.
How to store
- Store cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for 3 to 4 days.
- Place parchment between layers if you stack them, so the cookies do not stick together.
- Chill the dough in the fridge for up to 2 days and bake fresh cookies as needed.
- Freeze unbaked dough balls on a tray until firm, then store them in a freezer bag for up to 2 months; bake from frozen and add 1 to 2 minutes to the bake time.
- Freeze baked cookies in an airtight container for up to 2 months, then thaw at room temperature.
- Reheat cookies in a 300°F oven for 3 to 5 minutes or in the microwave for about 8 to 10 seconds to bring back that fresh-baked softness.
Valentine's Day Red Velvet Cookies
Ingredients
Method
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, beat the softened butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar together until light and creamy, about 2–3 minutes.
- Add the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla extract to the butter mixture and beat until well combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Mix in the red food coloring and vinegar (or lemon juice) until the color is evenly distributed.
- Add half of the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing on low just until combined. Add the milk or buttermilk, then mix in the remaining dry ingredients until a soft, thick dough forms.
- Fold in the white chocolate chips and sprinkles (if using) with a spatula until evenly distributed.
- Scoop the dough into 1 1/2-tablespoon portions and place on the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 2 inches apart.
- Bake for 10–12 minutes, or until the edges are set and the centers look slightly soft and puffy.
- Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Serve once cooled or store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days.
Notes
Approximate per 1 cookie (1 of 24): 150 calories; fat 7 g; saturated fat 4 g; carbohydrates 20 g; fiber 0.5 g; sugars 13 g; protein 2 g; sodium 95 mg. Values will vary based on brands, add-ins, and portion size.