Red Velvet Chocolate Chip Cookies
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These red velvet chocolate chip cookies have the most delicious red velvet flavor and are filled with white chocolate chips. They turn out soft and chewy with a beautiful red color makes them perfect for Valentine’s Day, Christmas or whenever you’re craving red velvet. 
**This recipe was originally published February 2016, and updated January 6, 2020 with updated photos and recipe tips**
I’m a totally sucker for red velvet. And these red velvet chocolate chip cookies are the perfect combination of classic red velvet cake and chewy chocolate chip cookies. They have:
- a hint of cocoa powder for the perfect red velvet flavor
- a beautiful, deep red color
- a soft and chewy texture
- and tons of white chocolate chips (or whatever kind of chocolate chips you prefer)
They’re made from completely from scratch, and the recipe is no more difficult than making chocolate chip cookies.
Red Velvet Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe
Ok – let’s talk cookie baking.
For this recipe, you’ll start by whisking together the dry ingredients: all-purpose flour, cocoa powder, cornstarch, baking soda and salt. Red velvet has just a hint of cocoa to give it a very mild chocolate flavor. I like to use natural cocoa powder (as opposed to Dutch-process cocoa powder) in these cookies. Then the cornstarch makes the cookies extra soft.
Then in a separate bowl – you’ll cream together the butter, brown sugar and white sugar. Using real butter adds flavor, while the brown sugar adds moisture to the dough to make cookies chewy. You’ll mix in the egg for tenderness, a little vanilla extract and the red food coloring. You can use gel or liquid food coloring – and add 2-3 teaspoons total. I used 3 teaspoons to get the bright color pictured.
Then you’ll carefully mix the dry ingredients into the butter mixture, and last but not least, stir in the white chocolate chips. 
Then it’s time to chill the dough. The dough for this recipe is quite soft due to the red food coloring – so chilling is 100% necessary to reduce spreading and ensure your cookies aren’t too thin. I pack my cookies full of chocolate chips – so they need to be thick. The dough will need to chill covered in the fridge for at least 3 hours, or up to 24 hours.
Baking Tips & Tricks
- If your dough feels especially sticky, stir in 1 more tablespoon of flour.
- If the dough is very hard after being chilled, let the bowl sit at room temperature for 10-15 minutes before forming into balls.
- I definitely recommend using a cookie scoop to form the cookies into balls to avoid getting red food coloring on your fingers.
- When the cookies come out of the oven – place a few chocolate chips on top of each cookie for the perfect “eat me” look.
- For extra soft cookies, underbake them slightly. The tops should be almost set when you take the cookies out of the oven – they’ll continue baking on the cookie tray as they cool on the cookie tray.
- This recipe can be easily doubled to make about 40-44 cookies total.
If you’re really craving red velvet cookies, but need to save time – check out these red velvet cake mix cookies. Or for more red velvet treats – be sure to try:
- Red Velvet Sandwich Cookies – like a soft and chewy red velvet Oreo!
- Red Velvet Cupcakes
- Easy Red Velvet Cake
Red Velvet Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour, aka plain flour
- 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 1/3 cup brown sugar, lightly packed
- 1/2 cup white sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2-3 teaspoons red food coloring, liquid or gel
- 3/4 cup white chocolate chips
Instructions
- In a large bowl whisk together the flour, cocoa, cornstarch, baking soda & salt.
- In a separate large bowl beat the butter and sugars together until light & fluffy.
- Beat in the egg, vanilla extract and food coloring.
- With the mixer on low, beat in the flour mixture about 1/2 at a time.
- Turn off the mixer and stir in the chocolate chips.
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 3 hours, or overnight.
- When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350F degrees. Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
- Using a cookie scoop, form dough into balls of about 1- 1.5 tablespoon in size and place 2 inches apart on the lined cookie sheets. Note: if the dough is too hard to form into balls, let the bowl sit on the counter for 10-20 minutes first.
- Bake 1 cookie sheet at a time on the middle rack of the oven for 7-9 minutes, or until the tops look just set.
- Remove from the oven and optionally, place a few white chocolate chips on the tops of each cookie. Cool on the cookie tray for 10 minutes, before transferring to a wire rack to continue cooling.
Notes
Nutrition
What divine cookies! I believe they turn out so soft and chewy with a fantastic red color. I especially like that they’re filled with white chocolate chips. If I could give the recipe more than 5 stars I would! I’m so eager to give it a try. All of your baking tips and tricks will surely help me avoid mistakes. Thank you so much for sharing such treasure. Your blog is beneficial. Keep up the good work! <3
hi, i tried this recipe, and it turned out great, is there any way i can make it eggless?
thankyou
The cookies are really delicious. I didnt chill them but its still good.
Thumbs up!
If I bake these cookies to serve the next day will they still be soft?
Yup!
What will happen if I don’t chill the dough?
They may spread and get too thin and crispy on the edges.
So so yummy! They turned out perfect 👌🏻 Thanks for the recipe 😊
I made these bigger so I got out 17cookies not 27. And I cooked them for 13 mins very good! Family loved them!
I’m so glad you loved the cookies – and thank you for the tip and info about making bigger cookies
i’m making these soon. can i refrigerate the dough overnight instead?
Yes – that would be fine! I’d probably flatten the balls down slightly before if you’re keeping them in the fridge overnight.
I made these cookies for my husband and his work crew the crowd went wild instead of add the white chocolate chips I made a white chocolate cream cheese frosting and sandwiched them together they were amazing
Oh my goodness – those sound delicious with white chocolate cream cheese frosting! I definitely need to try them like that next time 🙂 So glad everyone loved the cookies!
My 14 year old son found this recipe and made a batch yesterday. They were absolutely delicious and will definitely be made again soon. He hasn’t done much cooking but managed them on his own and is quite pleased with himself.
That’s so awesome that your son wanted to bake! Glad to hear your family loved the cookies
It doesn’t say when to blend the two bowls
Hi Dominique, In step 4 you’ll mix the flour mixture into the butter about 1/2 at a time 🙂