Name: Red Velvet Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 11 min
Total time: 41 min
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 3/4 cups (220g) all-purpose flour (fluffed, spooned, and leveled); 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder; 1/2 teaspoon baking soda; 1/4 teaspoon salt; 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature; 1 cup granulated sugar; 1 large egg, room temperature; 1 tablespoon eggnog (or milk); 1 tablespoon red food coloring or 3/4 teaspoon gel; 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract; 1 teaspoon peppermint extract (optional for holidays); 1/4 cup sour cream, room temperature; sprinkles for decorating (optional); 4 oz. cream cheese, room temperature; 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature; 2 tablespoons eggnog (or milk); 1 teaspoon vanilla extract; 2 cups powdered sugar; 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon; pinch of ground nutmeg and salt

There’s just something irresistible about soft, tender cookies with a swirl of tangy cream cheese on top. This Red Velvet Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe is exactly that and more—a perfect treat that feels festive and comforting, all at once.

The image shows a white plate with eight red velvet cookies, each topped with a thick swirl of cream-colored frosting sprinkled with small red sugar crystals. The cookies are round, deep red, and have a slightly rough texture. The white frosting sits on top in a smooth, soft layer, with a slight spiral pattern from the spreading. The plate rests on a white marbled surface with a soft fabric partially visible at the bottom edge. The photo taken with an iphone --ar 2:3 --v 7

Jump to:

Why You'll Love This Recipe
Ingredients & Why They Work
Make It Your Way
Step-by-Step: How I Make Red Velvet Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe
Top Tip
How to Serve Red Velvet Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe
Make Ahead and Storage
Frequently Asked Questions:
Final Thoughts
Red Velvet Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe

Why You'll Love This Recipe

From my experience, these cookies balance that classic red velvet flavor with a fun cookie texture that’s not too cakey or too crunchy. Decorating them with cream cheese frosting just steps it up—you’ll be reaching for seconds before you know it.

Perfect Texture: Soft, chewy edges with a slightly crisp exterior that hold up well even after frosting.
Classic Flavor Combo: The cocoa and cream cheese frosting bring that iconic red velvet taste to cookies effortlessly.
Easy Decoration: Frost with cream cheese and sprinkle festive toppings to make them party-ready.
Adaptable: You can customize flavors, colors, and extracts to make these cookies your own.

The image shows several red velvet cookies on a white marbled surface. Some cookies have a smooth layer of cream-colored frosting sprinkled with small red sugar crystals on top, while others are plain with white chocolate chips scattered on their surface. A few cookies are decorated to look like Santa faces with three layers: a red velvet cookie base, a white frosting layer covering most of the cookie, and toppings forming facial features including dark round chocolate chips for eyes, a red candy for the nose, shredded coconut representing a beard, small red sprinkles on top forming a hat, and a tiny white marshmallow on one side. A small white bowl filled with red and white sugar crystals is placed among the cookies. photo taken with an iphone --ar 2:3 --v 7

Ingredients & Why They Work

The ingredients here come together to create a cookie that’s soft, festive, and just sweet enough. Picking quality dairy and having your ingredients at room temp make a big difference in the texture and flavor, so don’t skip that step!

Flat lay of a small mound of all-purpose flour, a small heap of unsweetened cocoa powder, a small white ceramic bowl with baking soda powder, a small white ceramic bowl of fine salt, eight tablespoons of unsalted butter cut into sticks, a small white ceramic bowl filled with granulated sugar, one large uncracked brown egg, a small white ceramic bowl of creamy eggnog, a small white ceramic bowl containing bright red gel food coloring, a small white ceramic bowl with clear vanilla extract, a small white ceramic bowl with clear peppermint extract, a small dollop of sour cream on a white ceramic plate, a small block of cream cheese, a small white ceramic bowl containing powdered sugar, a small white ceramic bowl of ground cinnamon, a tiny white ceramic bowl with ground nutmeg, and a small white ceramic bowl with fine salt, all arranged in perfect symmetry on a clean white marble surface, soft natural light, photo taken with an iPhone, professional food photography style, fresh ingredients, white ceramic bowls, no bottles, no duplicates, no utensils, no packaging --ar 2:3 --v 7 --p m7354615311229779997

All-purpose flour: Provides the right structure; fluff and spoon it into your measuring cup for accuracy.
Unsweetened cocoa powder: Adds that subtle chocolate undertone that's classic to red velvet.
Baking soda: Helps your cookies rise slightly, keeping them tender.
Salt: Balances the sweetness and enhances all flavors.
Unsalted butter: Room temperature butter ensures smooth creaming and a tender crumb.
Granulated sugar: Sweetens and helps with a slight crispness on the outside.
Egg: Binds everything and adds moisture.
Eggnog or milk: Adds extra moisture and a hint of richness—egg nog gives a festive twist!
Red food coloring or gel: This gives you that iconic red velvet pop without impacting flavor.
Vanilla extract & peppermint extract: Vanilla is essential; peppermint is optional but lovely for holidays.
Sour cream: Adds moisture and tenderness with a subtle tang that makes the cookies rich but soft.
Cream cheese: For the frosting, it’s the star that lends creaminess and a tangy flavor you can’t skip.
Powdered sugar: Sweetens the frosting while keeping it smooth.
Ground cinnamon, nutmeg, and a pinch of salt: Spice up the frosting subtly and round out flavors beautifully.
Sprinkles or decorations: Optional but fun, especially for special occasions.

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Note: You'll find the complete list of ingredients, along with their exact measurements, in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.

Make It Your Way

This recipe is super welcoming to tweaks—I've played around with the peppermint extract for a holiday feel and swapped out eggnog for milk when it’s not around. Don’t hesitate to tailor the frosting or colors to suit your mood or theme!

Flavor Variation: I love adding peppermint extract for winter or swapping it for almond extract for something subtle and nutty.
Dietary Tweaks: You can use dairy-free cream cheese and butter substitutes to make this recipe vegan-friendly with similar results.
Color Options: Natural beet powder works wonderfully instead of food coloring if you prefer something less artificial.

Step-by-Step: How I Make Red Velvet Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe

Step 1: Prep Like a Pro

Start by making sure your butter, eggs, and sour cream are at room temperature — this helps everything blend beautifully and gives your cookies that perfect texture. Line your baking sheets with parchment or silicone mats, and preheat your oven to 350°F so it’s ready when your dough is.

Step 2: Mix Dry Ingredients

Whisk the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt together in a medium bowl. Doing this well ensures even distribution of cocoa and leavening, so no surprise clumps in your dough.

Step 3: Cream Butter and Sugar

Using a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, beat your butter and sugar on medium-high until light and fluffy — this takes about 2 minutes. It’s a really important step because it traps air, making for a softer cookie.

Step 4: Add the Wet Goodies

Beat in the egg, eggnog (or milk), red food coloring, and extracts until just combined. It comes together quickly, so don’t overmix here or the cookies might turn tough.

Step 5: Combine Dry and Wet

Lower the mixer speed and alternately add half the flour mixture, then sour cream, then the remaining flour. Mixing just until combined helps keep these cookies tender and prevents overworking the dough.

Step 6: Shape the Cookies

The dough will be sticky, so spray your hands lightly with cooking spray and dust with flour to make rolling easier. Form dough balls about two tablespoons large and place them on the baking sheets spaced 2½ inches apart.

Step 7: Bake to Perfection

Bake at 350°F for 9–11 minutes until the centers are just set but still soft. Let them cool on the sheet for five minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting – frosting warm cookies can turn into a melty mess.

Step 8: Make the Cream Cheese Frosting

Beat cream cheese, butter, eggnog, and vanilla until smooth. Add cinnamon, nutmeg, and a pinch of salt before gradually mixing in powdered sugar. Adjust consistency with more eggnog if needed—frosting should be creamy but pipeable.

Step 9: Frost and Decorate

Once cookies are completely cool, frost them generously. Add sprinkles or festive decorations for a celebratory touch—this step always brings a smile to the room!

Top Tip

Making these cookies myself, I’ve learned some subtle but game-changing tricks to get the frosting and cookie texture just right.

Room Temperature Ingredients: This is non-negotiable—cold butter or eggs can cause the dough or frosting to curdle or be lumpy.
Don’t Overbake: The cookies look soft when they come out, but they’ll firm up as they cool; this keeps them chewy and tender.
Use a Cookie Scoop: It really helps you get consistent-sized cookies that bake evenly, which makes a big difference.
Cool Completely Before Frosting: Otherwise, the frosting melts and can slide right off—wait patiently, it’s worth it!

How to Serve Red Velvet Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe

Garnishes

I’m a sucker for classic colorful sprinkles or crushed peppermint candy on top during the holidays—it adds just a little crunch and a very festive look. Another favorite is mini red velvet cake crumbs sprinkled over the cream cheese for extra texture.

Side Dishes

Pair these cookies with a big mug of hot chocolate or a creamy latte for the ultimate cozy snack. They’re also a sweet complement to a simple fruit platter if you want to balance things out a bit.

Creative Ways to Present

For party trays, I like arranging the cookies in a circular pattern with sprigs of fresh mint or holly in the center for a holiday vibe. You could also pipe the frosting using a star tip to give each cookie a professional look or sandwich two cookies with frosting in the middle for a twist.

Make Ahead and Storage

Storing Leftovers

I store leftover cookies in an airtight container in the fridge since the cream cheese frosting needs to stay cool. They stay chewy for up to 4 days this way. If you want softer cookies, let them sit at room temp for 15 minutes before eating.

Freezing

You can freeze unfrosted cookie dough balls to bake later or freeze fully baked and cooled cookies without frosting. When ready, thaw and frost fresh. Freezing the frosting is trickier, so I recommend making it fresh for best texture.

Reheating

If you have frosted cookies that have been refrigerated, I warm them gently in a microwave for 8-10 seconds to take the chill off—be careful not to melt the frosting completely. For unfrosted ones, a quick 3-5 second zap revives softness perfectly.

Frequently Asked Questions:

Can I make this Red Velvet Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe without food coloring?

Absolutely! The red food coloring mainly gives the cookies their signature red hue but doesn’t affect taste much. For a natural alternative, you can use beet powder, which adds color without altering the flavor.

How long do Red Velvet Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting keep fresh?

These cookies, when frosted, keep best refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 4 days. The frosting contains cream cheese, so refrigeration is important for safety and maintaining texture.

Can I prepare the dough ahead of time?

Yes! You can shape and chill the dough balls for about 30 minutes before baking or freeze the dough balls for up to 3 months. Just thaw slightly before baking to get even cooking.

Is the peppermint extract necessary?

Peppermint extract is totally optional and mainly adds a nice holiday twist to the flavor. If you prefer a classic red velvet taste, just leave it out or replace it with vanilla or almond extract.

Final Thoughts

Making these Red Velvet Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe has become one of those feel-good kitchen moments for me, especially around the holidays. They’re not only beautiful and festive but genuinely delicious. I hope you’ll enjoy baking and sharing them as much as I do—they really make any gathering extra special.