Red Velvet Crinkle Cookies

Tis the season for red velvet! I take that back, any season is the season for red velvet, but Christmas-time is especially the season for beautifully red baked goods. Every year I get excited as the holidays get closer to start making red velvet everything. Last year I made Red Velvet Pancakes and Peppermint Red Velvet Kiss Cookies. I’ve also posted my copycat version of Sprinkles Red Velvet Cupcakes and another red velvet recipe I posted are these Red Velvet White Chocolate Chip Cookies. So, are you starting to see I’m slightly obsessed with red velvet?  Not only is it a romantic food but it’s flavor is completely divine. I love it’s light undertone of rich cocoa that perfectly compliments those sweet hints of vanilla.

My husband brought me home some macarons from The Sweet Lobby (here in D.C.) and among the batch were several insanely delicious red velvet macarons with a cream cheese frosting. My husband must now me well, instead of bringing me home flowers he brought me home macarons. More often than not I’d rather have food (chocolate, cookies, cupcakes) over flowers (you can’t eat flowers and they die in a few days anyway). I loved those macarons so much that I made some the next day (which I’ll have to post those sometime in the future). I also had a red velvet cookie from Panera a few days ago so between the two it’s gotten me in the red velvet mood so I kept it going and made these soft, cake like crinkles today.

My oh my these things are trouble! I ate them for lunch with a cup of hot cocoa. That’s not something that happens often for me. I usually show more self control and save the desserts I’ve made for after dinner. Not today. Make these and you’ll see why.

Enjoy!

 

Red Velvet Crinkle Cookies

Prep Time: 25 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 2 hours, 40 minutes

Yield: About 30 cookies

Ingredients

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder*
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1 1/3 cups granulated sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 1 Tbsp milk or buttermilk
• 1 1/2 tsp vanilla bean paste or vanilla
• 2 tsp lemon juice
• 5 tsp red food coloring
• 1 cup white chocolate chips
• 1 cup powdered sugar

Directions

• In a mixing bowl whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt for 30 seconds, set aside. In the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, whip butter and granulated sugar until pale and fluffy. Mix in eggs 1 at a time, blending until combined after each addition. Mix in milk, vanilla bean paste, lemon juice and red food coloring. With mixer set on low speed, slowly add in dry ingredients and mix just until combined. Stir in white chocolate chips. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and chill 2 hours or until firm enough to shape into balls.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Pour powdered sugar into a bowl. Remove dough from refrigerator, scoop dough out and with buttered hands, shape into medium balls (about 2 1/2 Tbsp each). Roll cookie dough balls into powdered sugar and evenly coat. Transfer to Silpat or parchment paper lined baking sheets and flatten slightly, then bake in preheated oven 13 - 14 minutes. Allow to rest on cookie sheet several minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Store in an airtight container.
• *If you want them a little more chocolatey you can replace 2 - 3 Tbsp of the flour with 2 - 3 additional Tbsp of cocoa powder.

(Recipe Source: Cooking Classy)