These soft, red velvet chocolate chip cookies bring together cocoa, vanilla, and pockets of melted chocolate in every bite. The dough comes together in one bowl, needs no chilling, and bakes up with those signature crinkled edges. I started making these a few years back when I wanted red velvet flavor without the frosting fuss, and they've been my go-to ever since.
If you're craving something sweet and festive, you might also love this Easy Honey Carrot Pie Recipe or these Easy Blueberry Lemon Sweet Rolls. For another simple dessert, try this Easy Lemon Cream Pie Recipe.
Why You'll Love This Red Velvet Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe
These Chewy Red Velvet Chocolate Chip Cookies are made completely from scratch with pantry staples. No cake mix, no waiting around for dough to chill. They're quick enough for a weeknight and pretty enough for a party. The texture stays tender and moist, and the red color makes them feel special without any extra effort. You get that classic red velvet flavor with chocolate chips tucked into every cookie.
Jump to:
- Why You'll Love This Red Velvet Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe
- Red Velvet Chocolate Chip Cookies Ingredients
- HOW TO MAKE Red Velvet Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Substitutions and Variations
- EQUIPMENT FOR Red Velvet Chocolate Chip Cookies
- How to Store Red Velvet Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Expert Tips
- FAQ
- Related
- Pairing
- Soft Red Velvet Chocolate Chip Cookies
Red Velvet Chocolate Chip Cookies Ingredients
Here's what you'll need to make soft Red Velvet Chocolate Chip Cookies from scratch.
See Recipe Card Below This Post For Ingredient Quantities
- All-purpose flour: Forms the structure and keeps the cookies tender without making them cakey.
- Unsweetened cocoa powder: Adds that subtle chocolate flavor that makes red velvet taste like red velvet, not just a red sugar cookie.
- Baking soda: Helps the cookies rise and spread just enough to get soft, chewy centers.
- Salt: Balances the sweetness and brings out the cocoa and vanilla.
- Unsalted butter: Creaming softened butter with sugar creates the soft, melt-in-your-mouth texture. Make sure it's at room temperature.
- Granulated sugar: Sweetens the dough and helps create those slightly crisp edges.
- Egg: Binds everything together and adds moisture so the cookies stay chewy.
- Vanilla extract: Adds warmth and depth to the flavor.
- Red food coloring: Gives the cookies their signature red velvet color. Gel works best for vibrant color, but liquid works too.
- Chocolate chips: Semi-sweet or white chocolate chips both work beautifully. You can also use a mix of both for variety.
HOW TO MAKE Red Velvet Chocolate Chip Cookies
Follow these steps for perfect chewy Red Velvet Chocolate Chip Cookies every time.
- Preheat oven: Set your oven to 350ºF (177ºC) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat.
- Mix dry ingredients: Whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. Set it aside.
- Cream butter and sugar: Beat the softened butter and granulated sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer for 2 to 3 minutes until the mixture looks light and fluffy. Add the egg and beat again, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Add flavorings and color: Mix in the vanilla extract and red food coloring on medium speed. Scrape down the sides and bottom to make sure the color spreads evenly. Beat until everything is fully combined and the dough is a deep red.
- Incorporate dry ingredients: Turn the mixer to low and slowly add the flour mixture. Mix until mostly combined. The dough might look a little crumbly at this point.
- Add chocolate chips: Stir in the chocolate chips on low speed or fold them in by hand with a spatula. The dough will be thick and a bit sticky.
- Shape cookies: Use a medium cookie scoop to portion out the dough onto your prepared baking sheet. Roll each scoop into a smooth ball with your hands, then gently press down to flatten slightly.
- Bake: Bake for 9 to 10 minutes. The cookies will puff up and the edges will look set, but the centers should still appear soft.
- Cool: Let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for 5 minutes. This helps them firm up without overbaking. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Store: Keep leftover cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days, or freeze them for up to 3 months.
Substitutions and Variations
Butter: You can use salted butter if that's what you have. Just skip the added salt in the dry ingredients.
Food coloring: Gel food coloring gives the most vibrant red, but liquid works fine. Start with the full tablespoon for that classic look.
Chocolate chips: Swap in dark chocolate, milk chocolate, or even butterscotch chips. White chocolate chips make these look extra pretty.
Cocoa powder: Dutch-process cocoa will give a deeper, richer color, but regular unsweetened cocoa works just as well.
Add cream cheese: For a tangy twist, you can add 2 ounces of softened cream cheese to the wet ingredients when creaming the butter and sugar.
EQUIPMENT FOR Red Velvet Chocolate Chip Cookies
Mixing bowls: One large bowl for the wet ingredients and one medium bowl for the dry ingredients.
Electric mixer: A handheld mixer or stand mixer makes creaming the butter and sugar fast and easy.
Cookie scoop: A medium scoop (size #50) helps you get evenly sized Red Velvet Chocolate Chip Cookies that bake at the same rate.
Baking sheet: A standard baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone mat keeps the Red Velvet Chocolate Chip Cookies from sticking.
Cooling rack: Lets air circulate around the Red Velvet Chocolate Chip Cookies so they cool evenly and stay soft.
How to Store Red Velvet Chocolate Chip Cookies
Room temperature: Store cooled Red Velvet Chocolate Chip Cookies in an airtight container for up to 5 days. They'll stay soft and chewy the whole time.
Freezing baked cookies: Place cooled Red Velvet Chocolate Chip Cookies in a freezer-safe container or bag with parchment paper between layers. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature for about 30 minutes before serving.
Freezing cookie dough: Scoop the dough into balls, freeze them on a baking sheet until solid, then transfer to a freezer bag. Bake from frozen, adding 1 to 2 extra minutes to the bake time.
Expert Tips
Use room temperature ingredients: Softened butter and a room temperature egg blend more easily and create a smoother dough.
Don't overmix the dough: Once you add the flour, mix just until combined. Overmixing can make the cookies tough instead of chewy.
Flatten the dough slightly: Gently pressing down on each dough ball before baking helps the cookies bake evenly and get those soft, chewy centers.
Watch the bake time: These cookies bake fast. Pull them out when the edges look set but the centers still look a little underdone. They'll firm up as they cool.
Measure flour properly: Spoon the flour into your measuring cup and level it off. Packing it in can lead to dry, cakey cookies.
Chill the dough if it's too soft: If your kitchen is warm and the dough feels too sticky to scoop, pop it in the fridge for 10 to 15 minutes.
FAQ
What are common red velvet cookie mistakes?
The biggest mistakes are overbaking, using too little food coloring, or not creaming the butter and sugar long enough. Overbaking makes the cookies hard instead of chewy, so pull them out when they still look soft in the center. If you skimp on the food coloring, the cookies will turn out brown instead of red. Cream the butter and sugar for the full 2 to 3 minutes to get that light, fluffy texture.
What all do I need for red velvet cookies?
You need basic pantry staples like flour, cocoa powder, butter, sugar, an egg, vanilla, and baking soda. The key ingredient is red food coloring, which gives the cookies their signature look. Chocolate chips are optional but make them extra delicious. You don't need buttermilk or cream cheese like traditional red velvet cake.
What is the secret to a perfect red velvet?
The secret is balancing the cocoa with enough red food coloring and not overbaking. Red velvet should taste like a hint of chocolate with vanilla, not like a chocolate cookie. The texture should stay soft and moist, so pull the cookies out while they still look slightly underdone in the middle.
Why are my red velvet cookies not red?
If your cookies turned out brown, you probably didn't use enough food coloring or you overbaked them. The heat can dull the color, especially if you leave them in too long. Use the full tablespoon of red dye and stick to the 9 to 10 minute bake time. Gel food coloring works better than liquid for a vibrant red.
Related
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with Red Velvet Chocolate Chip Cookies:
Soft Red Velvet Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients
Method
- Preheat your oven to 350ºF (177ºC) and line a baking sheet with parchment or a silicone mat.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt until evenly blended.
- In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 2–3 minutes. Add the egg and beat until combined, scraping down the sides as needed.
- Stir in the vanilla extract and red food coloring, mixing on medium speed until fully incorporated and evenly colored.
- Reduce mixer speed to low and gradually fold in the flour mixture until mostly combined. Dough may appear crumbly, which is normal.
- Fold in the chocolate chips gently until evenly distributed throughout the dough.
- Scoop dough into medium-sized balls using a cookie scoop or spoon, then roll into smooth mounds and press lightly to flatten. Place on the prepared baking sheet.
- Bake for 9–10 minutes, just until the cookies puff and the edges are set. Let cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days, or freeze for up to 3 months.
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