Description
Deliciously soft and vibrant Red Velvet Cookies topped with a creamy eggnog-infused cream cheese frosting and optional festive decorations. Perfect for holiday celebrations or any time you crave a rich, chocolatey treat with a peppermint twist.
Ingredients
Scale
Cookies
- 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 ¾ teaspoon gel
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon peppermint extract (optional for holidays)
- 1/4 cup sour cream, room temperature
- sprinkles for decorating (optional)
Eggnog Cream Cheese Frosting
- 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
Instructions
- Prep: Ensure your sour cream, egg, and butter are at room temperature. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or nonslip mats. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: Whisk together the all-purpose flour, unsweetened cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside.
- Mix Wet Ingredients: Using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the unsalted butter and granulated sugar at medium-high speed until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the egg, eggnog or milk, red food coloring or gel, vanilla extract, and optional peppermint extract. Beat until combined, about 30 seconds.
- Combine Dough: Reduce mixer speed to low and gradually add half the flour mixture, then the sour cream, followed by the remaining flour mixture. Mix until just combined into a sticky dough.
- Form Cookie Balls: Use a cookie scoop to roll the dough into 2 tablespoon balls. Since the dough is sticky, spray your hands with cooking spray and dust with flour to handle easier. Space dough balls 2 ½ inches apart on the prepared baking sheets.
- Bake Cookies: Bake in the preheated oven at 350 degrees F for 11 minutes or until the centers are barely set. Let cookies cool for 5 minutes on the baking sheet, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely before frosting.
- Make Frosting: In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together room temperature cream cheese, unsalted butter, eggnog or milk, and vanilla extract until smooth. Add cinnamon, nutmeg, and a pinch of salt, then gradually beat in powdered sugar until frosting is creamy. Add additional eggnog if needed to achieve the desired spreading consistency.
- Frost and Decorate: Once cookies are completely cooled, frost the tops with the eggnog cream cheese frosting. Decorate with sprinkles, candy canes, or festive holiday designs as desired.
Notes
- Red food coloring is optional but gives the cookies their signature vibrant red color.
- For coloring, you can use ¾ teaspoon gel red coloring, 1 tablespoon liquid red food coloring, or 2 teaspoons beet powder as a natural alternative without impacting flavor.
- If dough is too sticky, spraying hands with cooking spray and dusting with flour helps with shaping the cookie balls.
- Allow cookies to cool completely before frosting to prevent the frosting from melting.
- Store frosted cookies in an airtight container in the refrigerator to keep frosting fresh.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 190 kcal
- Sugar: 18 g
- Sodium: 110 mg
- Fat: 9 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 26 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 30 mg
