Red Velvet Chocolate Chip Cookies combine classic red velvet flavor with melty chocolate chips for soft, gooey cookies that make any day feel special. These chewy treats have the perfect balance of cocoa and sweetness to make them a favorite.
Why You'll Love This Red Velvet Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe
These cookies are soft and chewy with a tender crumb that melts in your mouth, while the chocolate chips add pockets of rich, melty sweetness. The subtle cocoa flavor of the red velvet base gives them a unique twist that sets them apart from a classic chocolate chip cookie.
- Soft and chewy texture: Each cookie bakes up tender with just the right amount of chew for the perfect bite.
- Classic red velvet flavor: A subtle cocoa base with red velvet charm makes these cookies stand out from ordinary chocolate chip cookies.
- Melty chocolate chips: Rich chocolate pockets throughout add sweetness and gooey delight in every bite.
Ingredients Overview
This recipe uses pantry staples like butter, sugar, eggs, flour, and cocoa powder to create a soft red velvet cookie base. Red food gel colorant gives the cookies their signature color, while vanilla adds depth of flavor. Chocolate chips are folded in to add melty, sweet pockets throughout each cookie.
Pro Tip
Any red gel food colorant is preferred over red liquid food color. The gel colorant is more concentrated than the liquid food color and eliminates the water from the recipe, which can cause a cake-y texture since so much liquid food color is needed.
For a great natural gel colorant, use The Sugar Art's Ruby gel color. For another great option, use Americolor's Crimson. You'll only need about a teaspoon of either!
Full ingredient amounts and preparation instructions are in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.
How To Make Red Velvet Chocolate Chip Cookies
You will start by creaming the butter and sugars, mix dry ingredients and colorant to make the red velvet batter, then fold in chocolate chips before scooping onto a baking sheet. The visual step-by-step tutorial will walk you through each part of the process so you can bake these cookies with confidence.
Step 1: In a large mixing bowl or stand mixer, beat the softened butter until cream, about 2 minutes. Add the brown sugar and the granulated sugar and mix on high for 2-3 minutes until fluffy.
Step 2: Add the eggs, vanilla extract, vinegar, Red Velvet Emulsion (optional) and the red gel colorant. Mix for 3 to 4 minutes.
Step 3: In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, cornstarch, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and the salt so that all the dry ingredients are mixed well.
Step 4: Add the flour mixture in increments to the fluffy sugar mixture, making sure to scrape the bowl. Mix until just combined. Fold in the milk chocolate chips and white chocolate chips.
Step 5: Using a 4 oz cookie scoop, make 12 large cookie balls and set them on a parchment covered cookie sheet. Freeze for 2 hours, or overnight.
Step 6: To bake, preheat your oven to 350F. Place 3 to 4 frozen cookie balls on a parchment covered cookie sheet and bake for 18 to 20 minutes.
Step 7: Remove from the oven and set on the counter (I set on top of the oven). They will look slightly underdone, but will continue to cook on the hot cookie sheet.
Step 8: Let the cookie cool on the cookie sheet for 20 minutes to firm up before transferring to a cooling rack.
Pro Tip
This recipe makes 12 large cookies. I often double this recipe because the really go fast, and they are so good. For step-by-step guidance, see How To Scale A Recipe.
Serving Suggestions
If you love chocolate chip cookies, try our Inside‑Out Chocolate Chip Cookies or Bakery Style Chocolate Chip Cookies also.
Serve these red velvet cookies as part of a festive cookie platter with other favorites like snowball cookies or chocolate brownie crinkle cookies. They also work beautifully for Valentine's Day alongside Red Velvet Bundt Cake for a coordinated red velvet dessert spread.
Substitutions and Variations
Some useful tips and substitutions when making this recipe:
- Swap the chocolate chips: Use white chocolate, milk chocolate, or semi sweet chocolate chips for a different twist on the classic cookie.
- Use vanilla bean paste: Replace vanilla extract with vanilla bean paste for a richer, more aromatic flavor.
- Make them bite-sized: Scoop smaller portions to create mini cookies that bake faster and are perfect for gift boxes or cookie platters.
Tips for Success
Helpful tips to help you when making this recipe:
- Use room temperature butter and eggs: This ensures the batter mixes evenly and helps create soft, tender cookies.
- Do not overmix the dough: Overmixing can make cookies tough instead of soft and chewy.
- Chill the dough if needed: Slightly chilled dough helps prevent spreading and keeps cookies thick and chewy.
- Space cookies evenly on the baking sheet: This allows them to bake uniformly and hold their shape.
- Cool completely before storing: Let cookies cool on a wire rack to set their texture and prevent them from becoming soggy.
Storage Options
Here is how I store leftovers when making this recipe:
- Room Temperature: Store cookies in an airtight container for up to 3 days to keep them soft and chewy.
- Refrigerate: Keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week, especially in warmer climates.
- Freeze: Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and foil or place in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months.
- Freeze Individual Cookies: Freeze single cookies for easy grab-and-go treats or portion-controlled servings.
- Thawing: Let frozen cookies thaw at room temperature before serving to maintain their soft texture.
Related Recipes
- Bakery Style Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Chocolate Reese's Pieces Cookies
- Blue Velvet Cookies
- Cream Cheese Red Velvet Bundt Cake
Frequently Asked Questions
Pull the cookies from the oven when the edges are set and the centers still look slightly underbaked, then let them finish setting on the baking sheet. This helps them stay soft and chewy rather than dry and crisp.
Yes, you need to freeze these cookies for at least 2 hours before baking. This allow the butter to be absorbed better by the dry ingredients. Baking frozen also keeps the cookies from spreading and the centers ooey, gooey, and chewy.
Gel food coloring is preferred because it gives a deeper red hue without adding extra liquid that could change the cookie texture.
Cookies can spread too much if the dough is too warm or if too little flour is used, so be sure to freeze the cookie balls and measure accurately to help the cookies keep their shape
Scoop the dough into 2-ounce portions for smaller cookies. Bake for 12 to 14 minutes, keeping an eye on the edges so they still stay soft and chewy.
Valentine's Day Recipes
Get The Recipe!
Chewy Red Velvet Chocolate Chip Cookies
Equipment
- Large Rimmed Cookie sheet with cooling racks
- Parchment Paper Sheets
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter salted or unsalted, room temperature
- 1 cup brown sugar light or dark, packed
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 1½ teaspoon vanilla extract or vanilla paste
- 1 teaspoon vinegar
- 1 tablespoon Red Velvet Emulsion optional
- 1 teaspoon Red Gel Colorant natural SugarArt Ruby, or Americolor Crimson
- 2¼ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons cocoa powder Dutch processed
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup milk chocolate chips or semi sweet
- ¾ cup white chocolate chips
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl or stand mixer, beat the softened butter until cream, about 2 minutes. Add the brown sugar and the granulated sugar and mix on high for 2-3 minutes until fluffy.1 cup butter, 1 cup brown sugar, ¼ cup granulated sugar
- Add the eggs, vanilla extract, vinegar, Red Velvet Emulsion (optional) and the red gel colorant. Mix for 3 to 4 minutes.2 large eggs, 1½ teaspoon vanilla extract, 1 teaspoon vinegar, 1 tablespoon Red Velvet Emulsion, 1 teaspoon Red Gel Colorant
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, cornstarch, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and the salt so that all the dry ingredients are mixed well.2¼ cups all-purpose flour, 2 tablespoons cornstarch, 2 tablespoons cocoa powder, ¼ teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon salt
- Add the flour mixture in three or four increments to the fluffy sugar mixture, making sure to scrape the bowl so everything gets mixed in. Mix until just combined.
- Fold in the milk chocolate chips and white chocolate chips.¾ cup milk chocolate chips, ¾ cup white chocolate chips
- Using a 4 oz cookie scoop, make 12 large cookie balls and set them on a parchment covered cookie sheet. Freeze for 2 hours, or overnight.
- To bake, preheat your oven to 350F. Place 3 to 4 frozen cookie balls on a parchment covered cookie sheet and bake for 18 to 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and set on the counter (I set on top of the oven). They will look slightly underdone, but will continue to cook on the hot cookie sheet.
- Let the cookie cool on the cookie sheet for 20 minutes to firm up before transferring to a cooling rack.
Kelly Bloom says
My family loved this!