For a crowd-pleasing holiday treat, try these gluten-free red velvet crinkle cookies!
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The Origin of the Iconic Red Velvet
To start, the red velvet cake, popularized by the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel but often associated with the South, was inspired by devil's food cake. Unlike devil's food, which uses chocolate, red velvet uses cocoa powder. Traditionally iced with a time-consuming French Style ermine icing, it's now commonly paired with cream cheese frosting. Originally a cake, red velvet has many variations today, including cake pops, cookies, cupcakes, and pancakes. While it’s a favorite during Christmas and Valentine's Day, it can be enjoyed year-round.
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Why You'll Love This
Red velvet cookies are a decadent treat for any occasion, and during the holidays, adding powdered sugar turns them into delightful Red Velvet Crinkle Cookies. With a hint of cocoa powder and vanilla, red velvet desserts are often paired with cream cheese frosting. This recipe creates cookies with a crispy exterior and fluffy interior, perfect for gatherings and celebrations. Enjoy these crowd-pleasers year-round!
Ingredients
Here’s a rundown of the ingredients you'll need for this recipe and their purposes.
- Gluten-free baking flour: Binds ingredients and gives dough consistency.
- Unsweetened cocoa powder: Provides concentrated cocoa flavor.
- Baking soda: Leavens cookies to the desired consistency.
- Baking powder: Increases fluffiness and lightens texture.
- Salt: Balances sweetness and enhances flavors.
- Unsalted butter: Combines ingredients into dough.
- Cane sugar: Adds sweetness.
- Brown sugar: Deepens flavor and moistens dough.
- Eggs: Provides liquid and dough consistency.
- Vanilla extract: Adds depth of flavor.
- Red food coloring: Gives cookies their red color.
- Powdered sugar: Dusts cookies for a crinkle effect and extra sweetness.
See recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements!
Substitutions & Variations
If you're missing ingredients or want to make adjustments:
- Red Coloring: Use concentrated beet juice instead of red food dye for a vibrant.
- Non-GF: Substitute regular baking flour for gluten-free flour.
Please note that this recipe has not been tested with any other substitutions or variations than the ones listed above. Please be mindful that if you replace or add any new ingredients not mentioned above that the recipe results may change.
Equipment
For these red velvet crinkle cookies, you’ll need a few mixing bowls, two baking sheets, and a cookie scooper. If you don’t have a scooper, you can shape the cookies by hand.
Instructions
To start, we’ll work with dry ingredients. This recipe uses Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour, which has xanthan gum included and provides the ideal cookie texture—crispy outside and fluffy inside.
First: Sift gluten-free baking flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, salt, and baking soda together into a bowl. This ensures an even texture and prepares the mix for easier blending with wet ingredients. Set aside.
Second: In another bowl, cream softened unsalted butter with cane and brown sugar using an electric mixer. Add room temperature eggs, almond milk, vanilla extract, and a teaspoon of red food coloring. Mix until combined.
Third: Gradually sift in the dry ingredients, mixing between additions. Chill the dough in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes (up to 1 hour) to prevent spreading. Preheat oven to 350°F and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
Next: Shape the cookies using a cookie scooper or by hand. Roll each ball in powdered sugar before placing on the prepared baking sheets to achieve the crinkle effect.
Finally: Bake for 15-17 minutes for the perfect texture—crispy exterior and light, fluffy interior. Allow to cool before enjoying.
Serving Suggestions
These cookies pretty much speak for themselves. Although, they would pair well with other chocolatey dishes or even peppermint! You can get a little creative and add some peppermint chocolate to your cookies to add some extra chocolaty gooey-ness. Other than that, plate on a beautiful platter and watch the stack disappear!
Expert Tips
Make sure to equally size each cookie to the best of your ability (if you do not use a cookie scooper). This will ensure each cookie is baked equally and to perfection. Other than that, these cookies are very beginner friendly and hard to mess up!
Storage
I can almost guarantee that these cookies will be all gone if brought for a gathering or celebration of any kind for others to enjoy. However, they're may be leftovers as this dessert is very rich! So, if you are left with some extra cookies to enjoy during the rest of the week, I would recommend storing in a sandwich bag and in your pantry! Cookies are such an easy dessert to store as they do not need to be refrigerated. Just seal them up in a bag and store in a dry area. Cookies also tend to last a good amount of time!
FAQ
You absolutely do not have to. This will affect the color of your cookies! You will instead find the cookies stick to the natural coloring of the cocoa powder. Either way, the flavor of your cookies will not be affected with or without the food dye!
Absolutely! This one is easy to double up and batch. Perfect for baking for a gathering or huge family event. Happy baking!
Related
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Pairings
If you are looking for entrees to pair with these delicious cookies, here is what I recommend:
Red Velvet Crinkle Cookies
Course: DessertDifficulty: Easy18
servings15
minutes13
minutesThese easy to make, gluten-free Red Velvet Crinkle Cookies taste even better than they look!
Ingredients
2 cups of gluten-free baking flour
¼ cup of unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon of baking soda
½ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon of salt
½ cup unsalted butter, room temperature and softened
½ cup cane sugar
½ cup brown sugar
2 eggs, room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon of red food coloring
¼ cup powdered sugar
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Combine the dry ingredients in one bowl. Mix together the baking flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt before setting to the side.
- In another bowl, add the softened butter, cane sugar, and brown sugar. Use an electric mixer on medium-low speed to cream together for two to three minutes.
- Then, add two room temperature eggs and mix again. Add the vanilla extract and red coloring before mixing on low to combine.
- Add the dry ingredients half at a time and mix between to thoroughly combine.
- Use a medium cookie scooper to shape the cookie dough.
- Add the powdered sugar to a bowl and roll each ball of cookie dough in the sugar before placing on the prepared baking sheet.
- Bake for 13-15 minutes, then enjoy!
Recipe Video
Notes
- Store in an air tight container at room temperature up to six days
[…] Red Velvet Crinkle Cookies: Red velvet cookies are the perfect decadent treat for any occasion! If you aren't familiar with the flavor profile, red velvet is simply made with aa small amount of cocoa powder and has a hint of vanilla. Red velvet desserts are often in cake or cupcake form and usually paired with a cream cheese frosting. In this recipe we will be baking a cookie version! […]