Bakery Style Red Velvet Cookies

These bakery style red velvet cookies are inspired by Levain Bakery in New York City and all the famous bakeries that make extra thick and chunky cookies. They have the perfect red velvet flavor with tons of white chocolate. Best of all - they're absolutely gigantic and verging on gooey in the middle.

Prep Time15

Cook Time14

Chilling2

Total Time2 45

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Bakery Red Velvet Cookies, Chunky Red Velvet Cookies

Servings: cookies

Author: Fiona Dowling

Equipment

Cookie Sheets

Ingredients

1¾ cup all-purpose flour (219 grams or 7.87 ounces)
1⅔ cup cake flour (135 grams or 6.68 ounces) not self rising
¼ cup natural cocoa powder (22 grams or 0.75 ounces)
1 teaspoon baking powder
¾ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup unsalted butter (226 grams or ½ lb) cold, cut into cubes
1 cup brown sugar (210 grams or 7.5 ounces ) I used light
¾ cup granulated sugar (150 grams or 5.6 ounces)
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
½ teaspoon white vinegar or distilled vinegar
2 teaspoons red food coloring I recommend gel, you can use a little more or a little less
2¼ cups white chocolate chips or chunks (about 405 grams)

Instructions

In a large bowl, sift together the flour, cake flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Give the bowl a whisk and set aside. Be sure to measure the flour and cake flour properly - either using a kitchen scale or whisk first, then spoon into dry measuring cups and level off the top.
In a separate large bowl, beat together the butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar until creamed.
Mix the eggs, vanilla, vinegar and food coloring into the butter mixture. It will be very vivid at this stage.
With the mixer on a low speed, beat the dry ingredients into the butter mixture. I typically do this about ½ at a time. The dough will be very thick. You may need to use your hands to get all the dry ingredients incorporated.
Stir in the white white chocolate chips.
Cover the bowl and place in the fridge for at least 2 hours or up to 48 hours.
When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 375℉ (190℃). Line cookie sheets with parchment paper. If the dough has been in the fridge overnight, you may need to let it sit on the counter for 5-10 minutes first so that it's easier to work with.
For the dough into large balls - you can use a ¼ cup or ⅓ cup measuring up. I like to weigh mine - each was 3.5 ounces (100 grams). Place 2½ inches (about 6 cm) apart on the lined cookie sheets.
Bake 1 sheet at a time in the middle of the preheated oven. Keep the other cookie dough balls in the fridge as you bake 1 sheet at a time. The cookies will take about 12-15 minutes, or until the tops look set.
Cool the cookies on the cookie sheets for at least 15 minutes. Note: because these cookies are very thick, do not try to transfer them to a cooling rack quickly or they will fall apart. For perfectly round cookies, when the cookies are fresh from the oven take a large biscuit cutter or very large mug (big enough to fit around the cookie without slicing it) and place around a cookie. Then make a gentle circular motion to trace the outside of the cookie.

Notes

Cake Flour: Cake flour gives these cookies an extra tender middle. Do not use self-rising. If you do not have cake flour, add an extra 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour (in addition to the 1 3/4 cups you're already using). Then add in 3 tablespoons of cornstarch (AKA cornflour in the UK and Australia).
Cocoa: For red velvet recipes, natural cocoa powder is better than using Dutch process because you want a mild chocolate flavor.
Freezing: Cookie dough balls can be baked frozen for up to 3 months. Bake from frozen as directed in the recipe. Baked and cooled cookies can be wrapped tightly then placed in a freezer bag or freezer container and frozen for up to 2 months. Thaw in the fridge then bring to room temperature before enjoying.
Nutrition: Details are an estimate only and based on 1 cookie, assuming the recipe yields 16 very large cookies.

Nutrition