Vegan red velvet cookies are soft and delicious with hints of chocolate and vanilla flavor, heaps of chocolate chips and a gorgeous red color!
If you love red velvet cake AND chocolate chip cookies then you’re going to be a huge fan of these vegan red velvet cookies. These cookies are a combination of the two desserts.
They’re so pretty and festive they would be great for Valentine’s Day or Christmas. But hey, let’s not limit ourselves – these cookies would be great any day of the year.
And if you love these cookies you’ll also love our vegan red velvet cupcakes.
Ingredients You’ll Need For These Cookies:
Ingredient Notes
- Vegan chocolate chips – are mixed into the cookie dough and more are pressed into the tops of the baked cookies. You can use any vegan chocolate chips, or chop up bars of vegan chocolate into chocolate chunks and use those instead.
- Cocoa powder – should be natural, unsweetened cocoa powder. Dutch process cocoa powder could also be used but it will affect the color of these cookies.
- Red gel food coloring – our favorite brand of red gel food coloring is Americolor Super Red. The gel food coloring works much better than liquid food coloring and it’s much more concentrated so you can use much less as well. Alternatives like beet powder simply won’t come out the same in terms of color.
- Soy milk – can be switched for any other non-dairy milk.
How To Make Vegan Red Velvet Cookies
You will find full instructions and measurements in the recipe card at the bottom of the post. This is a summary of the process to go along with the process photos.
- Add vegan butter and white and brown sugar to your stand mixer and beat together for around a minute until well combined.
- Add vanilla extract and red gel food coloring and beat in until combined.
- In a separate bowl sift the all purpose flour and cocoa powder and add the baking soda and salt. Mix together.
- Add dry ingredients to the wet and mix in with a spoon until crumbly.
- Add soy milk and mix into a cookie dough.
- Add vegan chocolate chips and mix in.
- Break off pieces of the dough and roll them into balls. Aim to get around 20 cookies from the batch. Place the cookie dough balls onto parchment lined baking sheets (we used two sheets).
- Bake one sheet of cookies at a time at 350°F for 12 minutes.
- As soon as the cookies come out of the oven, press more chocolate chips directly into the tops of the cookies.
- Let the cookies cool down and firm up directly on the baking sheet.
Baker’s Tips
Weigh your flour for the best results. If you have a food scale (I highly recommend getting one if you bake a lot) then weigh out the flour on your food scale for total accuracy. If you don’t have a food scale then measure the flour using the ‘spoon and level’ method. Spoon the flour into your measuring cup and then level off the top with a knife. Don’t pack the flour into the cup and don’t scoop it.
The cookie dough is quite dry, but you can still easily roll it into balls. If you can’t easily roll the dough into balls then mix in another tablespoon of non-dairy milk and try again.
The cookies usually flatten on their own. However, if they don’t, then just press on them gently with a fork to flatten as soon as they come out of the oven.
Add extra chocolate chips to the tops of the cookies. As soon as the cookies come out of the oven press more chocolate chips directly into the tops of the cookies. It looks great and you can’t go wrong with more chocolate.
Bake one sheet of cookies at a time. If you spread your cookies over two baking sheets (as we did) then bake them in the center rack of the oven, and bake them one sheet at a time. Trying to bake both cookie sheets at the same time will almost always cause uneven baking and a less than stellar result.
Recipe FAQ
Red velvet flavor contains hints of both chocolate and vanilla flavor. These cookies have a lot of chocolate chips added as well, so the flavor does lean towards chocolate but you’ll notice the subtle vanilla flavor as well.
To make these red velvet cookies gluten free use a gluten free all purpose flour blend instead of the regular flour, in the same quantity.
Storing and Freezing
Make ahead. You can make the cookie dough and store it in the fridge (covered) for up to 3 days. When you’re ready, roll the dough into balls and bake as usual.
Storing. Keep your cookies stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week. They are also fine in the fridge.
Freezing. Baked cookies are freezer friendly for up to 3 months. You can also freeze the unbaked cookie dough balls for up to 3 months and then bake them directly from frozen. Allow an extra minute or two of baking time.
More Vegan Cookie Recipes
- Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Vegan Frosted Sugar Cookies
- Vegan Peanut Butter Cookies
- Vegan Chocolate Cookies
- Vegan Peanut Butter Blossoms
- Vegan Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
Did you make this recipe? Be sure to leave a comment and rating below!
Vegan Red Velvet Cookies
Ingredients
- ½ cup Vegan Butter (113g)
- ¾ cup Light Brown Sugar (150g)
- ¼ cup White Granulated Sugar (50g)
- 2 teaspoons Vanilla Extract
- 1 teaspoon Red Gel Food Coloring
- 1 ½ cups All Purpose Flour (188g)
- 1 Tablespoon Cocoa Powder Natural, Unsweetened
- 1 teaspoon Baking Soda
- ¼ teaspoon Salt
- 2 Tablespoons Soy Milk or other non-dairy milk
- 1 cup Vegan Chocolate Chips (175g) plus more to press directly into the tops of the cookies
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C) and line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Add vegan butter and white and brown sugar to your stand mixer and beat together for around a minute until well combined.
- Add vanilla extract and red gel food coloring and beat in until combined.
- In a separate bowl sift the all purpose flour and cocoa powder and add the baking soda and salt. Mix together.
- Add dry ingredients to the wet and mix in with a spoon until crumbly.
- Add soy milk and mix into a cookie dough.
- Add vegan chocolate chips and mix in.
- Break off pieces of the dough and roll them into balls. Aim to get around 20 cookies from the batch. Place the cookie dough balls onto parchment lined baking sheets.
- Bake one sheet of cookies at a time for 12 minutes.
- As soon as the cookies come out of the oven, press more chocolate chips directly into the tops of the cookies.
- Let the cookies cool down and firm up directly on the baking sheet.
Notes
- Weigh your flour for the best results. If you have a food scale then weigh out the flour on your food scale for total accuracy. If you don’t have a food scale then measure the flour using the ‘spoon and level’ method. Spoon the flour into your measuring cup and then level off the top with a knife. Don’t pack the flour into the cup and don’t scoop it.
- The cookie dough is quite dry, but you can still easily roll it into balls. If you can’t easily roll the dough into balls then mix in another tablespoon of non-dairy milk and try again.
- The cookies usually flatten on their own. However, if they don’t, then just press on them gently with a fork to flatten as soon as they come out of the oven.
- Bake one sheet of cookies at a time. If you spread your cookies over two baking sheets (as we did) then bake them in the center rack of the oven, and bake them one sheet at a time.
- Gluten-free: To make these red velvet cookies gluten free use a gluten free all purpose flour blend instead of the regular flour, in the same quantity.
- Make ahead: Make ahead. You can make the cookie dough and store it in the fridge (covered) for up to 3 days. When you’re ready, roll the dough into balls and bake as usual.
- Storing: Keep your cookies stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week. They are also fine in the fridge.
- Freezing: Baked cookies are freezer friendly for up to 3 months. You can also freeze the unbaked cookie dough balls for up to 3 months and then bake them directly from frozen. Allow an extra minute or two of baking time.
Will using dark brown sugar affect the outcome?
It might affect the color and the texture of the cookies – but that should be fine! 🙂
Amazing recipe! I’ve baked them 4 times already, and all the batches have turned out perfect! 100% recommend!
Thanks so much Clarissa!
Everyone loves it!
Yay! Thanks Lia!
The great photo drew me in, and your recipe did not disappoint. Doubled the recipe (made 37 cookies) — came out well. Added walnuts to half. Second time making these — thank you, Alison!
Awesome! Thanks so much Constance!
Super delicious and unique!