Red Velvet Cream Cheese Cookies
Red velvet cream cheese cookies combine soft homemade cookies with a creamy layer of tangy frosting.
A little cocoa gives the dough its chocolate flavor, while the bright red color makes these a fun addition to Christmas cookie trays and Valentine’s Day treats.
Find more baking ideas in my red velvet desserts collection.
The dough comes together with everyday baking ingredients, and you can spread or pipe the frosting depending on how you want them to look.
Make a batch for a cookie exchange, tuck a few into gift boxes, or share them with your family after dinner this week.
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Why You’ll Love These Cookies
- Made from scratch: The dough uses flour, cocoa powder, butter, and two kinds of sugar.
- Homemade frosting: Cream cheese frosting adds a tangy finish that balances the sweet cookies.
- Easy to decorate: Spread the frosting with a knife or pipe a swirl on top.
- No chilling step: This recipe goes straight from mixing to scooping and baking.
What Do You Need to Make Red Velvet Cream Cheese Cookies?
- This cookie recipe is made from scratch with flour, unsweetened cocoa powder, baking soda, salt, butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, an egg, vanilla, and red gel food coloring.
- The cream cheese goes into the homemade frosting, along with butter, powdered sugar, vanilla, and a pinch of salt.
A few ingredient choices make a difference:
- Use unsweetened cocoa powder: It gives the cookies their light chocolate flavor.
- Choose red gel food coloring: It gives the dough a stronger color without adding much liquid.
- Use brick-style cream cheese: Full-fat cream cheese helps the frosting hold its shape, especially if you plan to pipe it.
- Soften the butter and cream cheese: They should blend smoothly without lumps, but shouldn’t be melted.
How to Make Red Velvet Cream Cheese Cookies
- Start by whisking together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt, then beat butter, sugars, egg, vanilla, and red food coloring.
- Stop mixing once the flour is incorporated. Overmixing can make the cookies tough.
- Mix in the dry ingredients and scoop dough onto baking sheets.
- Bake the cookies – checking them at the 8 minute mark. Use the set edges as your guide rather than waiting for the centers to look completely firm. and let them cool before frosting.
Make the cream cheese frosting and spread the frosting over the cooled cookies with a butter knife or small spatula. For a piped finish, transfer it to a piping bag and add a swirl to each cookie.
Don’t Forget To…
- Scroll down to print the full recipe with step-by-step instructions and exact measurements.
- Check out my Kitchen Essentials for the pans, mixing bowls, and baking tools I use to make this recipe a breeze.
- Save or share this recipe on Pinterest!
Yes. Keep these frosted cookies in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
More Recipes to Try
Try my red velvet cake mix cookies for another cookie option, or browse these red velvet cake recipes when you need a larger dessert to share.
Tools You’ll Need:
CUNSENR Cooling Rack for Baking and Cooking – 10HONGBAKE Baking Sheet Pan Set of 3, Cookie Sheets for Oven, Nonstick Half/Quarter/Jelly Roll Pans with Diamond Texture Pattern, 0.8mm Thick Heavy Duty Cookie Tray, Champagne Gold
JUNADAEL J Medium Cookie Scoop, 2 Tablespoon Cookie Scoops for Baking, Cookie Dough Scoop, Spring-Loaded, Comfortable Grip, Non-Slip, For Making Cookies Muffin Cupcake Pancake Ice Cream Meatball
Reynolds Kitchens Cookie Baking Sheets, Pre-Cut Baking Parchment Paper Sheets for Cookies, Oven-Safe up to 425 Degrees, Reusable Up to 3X, No-Mess Cleanup, 12 in x 16 in, 22 Count
Red Velvet Cream Cheese Cookies
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter softened
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup brown sugar packed
- 1 large egg
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 tsp red gel food coloring
For the Frosting
- 4 oz cream cheese softened
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter softened
- 1 ½ cups powdered sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In a bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt.
- In another bowl, beat the butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until light and fluffy.
- Mix in the egg, vanilla, and red food coloring.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients until just combined.
- Drop rounded tablespoons of dough onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing them 2 inches apart.
- Bake for 8–10 minutes, or until the edges are set.
- Let cookies cool completely on a wire rack.
- Beat cream cheese and butter until smooth.
- Gradually mix in powdered sugar and vanilla until creamy.
- Spread or pipe the frosting onto the cooled cookies.
- Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
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