Red Velvet Cupcake Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe

Meet your new favorite hybrid treat: Red Velvet Cupcake Cookie Delights. Imagine all the lush flavor and velvety tang of a classic red velvet cupcake, wrapped up in a gloriously chewy cookie and finished with a swoosh of dreamy cream cheese frosting. These cookies are perfect for celebrations, gifting, or simply making an average day feel incredibly special.

Ingredients You’ll Need

Every single ingredient in these Red Velvet Cupcake Cookie Delights works together to build that unforgettable flavor and perfect texture. There’s nothing complicated here—just a short list of essential ingredients that will give your cookies their gorgeous color, tender crumb, and irresistible frosting swirl.

• Butter (salted or unsalted): Provides richness and a soft, luxurious chew. Room temperature is best for easy mixing!
• Brown Sugar: Keeps the cookies extra moist and adds a hint of caramel flavor.
• Granulated Sugar: Balances the brown sugar and keeps the crumb light and somewhere between a cookie and a cupcake.
• Egg: The binder that gives your cookies structure and pillowy softness.
• Vanilla Extract: Enhances all those classic red velvet notes.
• White Vinegar: Adds that signature tang and reacts with the baking powder/cocoa for the most tender crumb.
• Red Gel Food Coloring: Gel gives an intensely vibrant hue without thinning your dough—essential for that eye-catching red!
• Cocoa Powder: The backbone of red velvet’s unique flavor; just enough to be chocolatey, never overpowering.
• All-Purpose Flour: Forms the sturdy, soft base for your cookies.
• Salt: Brings all the sweet and tangy flavors into sharp, delicious focus.
• Cornstarch: A secret ingredient for bakery-style softness—your cookies stay thick and tender.
• Baking Powder: Gives your cookies just the right lift.
• Cream Cheese: For that tangy, irresistible cupcake-style frosting.
• Powdered Sugar: Blends seamlessly into the frosting for a smooth, creamy finish.

Variations

Want to put your own spin on your Red Velvet Cupcake Cookie Delights? There’s so much room for creativity! These cookies are wonderfully adaptable—whether you need to tailor them for dietary needs or just want to play around with flavors and mix-ins, the options are endless.

• Gluten-Free Twist: Swap the all-purpose flour for your favorite 1:1 gluten-free baking blend to make these cookies celiac-friendly and just as delicious.
• Chocolate Chip Addition: Fold in a handful of white or dark chocolate chips for little pockets of melty chocolate inside every bite.
• Nuts for Crunch: Add chopped pecans or walnuts for a little extra texture and a nutty contrast to the sweet-tart frosting.
• Natural Coloring: Prefer natural? Use beet powder in place of food coloring for a subtle, earthy hue that’s just as beautiful.

How to Make Red Velvet Cupcake Cookie Delights

Step 1: Prepare the Oven and Baking Sheet

Start by preheating your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper—this makes cleanup a breeze and ensures your cookies bake up with perfectly crisp bottoms. Set the tray aside while you mix the dough.

Step 2: Cream the Butter and Sugars

In a large bowl (or stand mixer), blend together the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar. Beat until light, fluffy, and creamy—about 2-3 minutes. This helps whip air into your dough for that cupcake-soft texture in every cookie.

Step 3: Incorporate Wet Ingredients and Coloring

Add the egg, vanilla extract, white vinegar, and red gel food coloring right into the butter mixture. Whisk or beat until everything is fully combined and your dough turns a rich, vibrant red. Don’t be shy with the color—this is what makes your Red Velvet Cupcake Cookie Delights look so amazing!

Step 4: Mix in the Dry Ingredients

Gently mix in the flour, cocoa powder, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt. Stir just until the last streaks of flour disappear; overmixing can make the cookies tough. Save a tablespoon of this lush red dough to crumble on top of your frosted cookies later.

Step 5: Shape and Bake the Cookies

Using a large cookie scoop, portion out nine big balls of dough and arrange them on your prepared baking sheet. Gently flatten each ball to about half an inch thick—these are meant to be plush! Bake for 10 minutes until the edges look set. Let the cookies cool on the tray for 10-15 minutes (they’ll finish setting up), then transfer to a rack to cool completely.

Step 6: Make the Cream Cheese Frosting

Beat together the softened cream cheese and butter until smooth, then add the powdered sugar and vanilla. Whip for 3-5 minutes until the frosting is fluffy and cloud-like. If it feels a bit soft, a few minutes in the fridge will help it firm up for beautifully piped swirls.

Step 7: Finish and Decorate

Bake the reserved tablespoon of red velvet dough in a separate mini cookie for 7-8 minutes, then crumble. Pipe a generous swirl of frosting on each cooled cookie, then shower with those deep red cookie crumbs for a true Crumbl touch. Now—just try not to eat one while you frost the rest!

How to Serve Red Velvet Cupcake Cookie Delights

Garnishes

A sprinkle of those reserved red velvet cookie crumbs is the classic (and prettiest!) finishing touch. For something extra special, a dusting of white chocolate shavings or a few festive sprinkles will make your Red Velvet Cupcake Cookie Delights feel tailor-made for any occasion—from Valentine’s Day to birthdays or just because you deserve it!

Side Dishes

Pair these cookies with a chilly glass of milk, a frothy latte, or even a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream to create a dreamy dessert plate. If you’re hosting a party, a platter of fresh berries alongside your cookies adds a bright, refreshing contrast that rounds out the treat beautifully.

Creative Ways to Present

Stack them in a towering “cookie cake,” tie them up in clear gift bags with a little ribbon for edible gifts, or display on a vintage cake stand with a mound of frosting and extra crumbs. For a party, you can even make mini versions and serve on sticks as sweet cookie pops!

Make Ahead and Storage

Storing Leftovers

Store your frosted Red Velvet Cupcake Cookie Delights in an airtight container in the refrigerator. They’ll stay perfectly moist, chewy, and flavorful for up to four days—if you can resist them that long!

Freezing

You can freeze the unfrosted cookies for up to three months—just layer with parchment in an airtight container. Let them come to room temp before frosting for best results. Even the frosting itself can be made ahead and frozen; just thaw and whip before piping.

Reheating

If you love a warm cookie, pop an unfrosted cookie in the microwave for a few seconds. Once frosted, keep them chilled but let them sit out for 10-15 minutes before serving for that cloud-like, creamy bite.

FAQs

Final Thoughts

Every bite of these Red Velvet Cupcake Cookie Delights delivers the best of both worlds—chewy, cake-like cookie and fluffy, tangy frosting. If you adore those iconic bakery cookies, you’ll absolutely love making them at home. Go ahead and treat yourself (and anyone lucky enough to share)—you deserve a batch fresh from your oven!

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