Crumbl Red Velvet Cookies
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A copycat Crumbl Red Velvet Cookie recipe with luscious vanilla cream cheese frosting that you can make even on weeks that don’t feature this iconic cookie on the menu, these frosted cookies taste straight from the bakery but are really fresh from your own oven!
Red Velvet Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe
My daughter, like many teens today, is absolutely obsessed with Crumbl cookies. We have three locations within a 2 hour drive so we don’t make it out very often – and when we do, sometimes our favorite cookies aren’t on that week’s rotation.
Crumbl describes their original version of this red velvet cupcake cookie as a “red velvet cookie topped with a swirl of delicious vanilla cream cheese frosting and a sprinkle of crumbly red velvet cookie crumbs” – so that’s just what we sought to recreate.
These bakery-style cookies echo the oversized, frosted look made famous by Crumbl, thick and tender with a cloud of cream cheese frosting. The crumb topping, made from one sacrificed cookie, adds a gentle crunch and a deep red contrast against the luscious, white frosting.
Made with mostly everyday kitchen ingredients, you may need to make a special purchase of natural cocoa if all you have on hand is Dutch process cocoa. Natural cocoa is the key to getting a bright red color without excessive use of food coloring – in fact, you can skip the food dye entirely for this recipe, if desired.
By making this viral copycat cookie at home, you can enjoy it anytime the mood strikes (even when it’s not on the weekly rotation at the bakery) and for a fraction of the price of purchasing them pre-made!
Homemade red velvet cookies with vanilla cream cheese frosting deliver thick, bakery-style results inspired by viral Crumbl cookies.
Why You’ll Love This Red Velvet Cookie Recipe
Why You’ll Love This Red Velvet Cookie Recipe- An affordable way to treat the whole family to Crumbl-inspired flavors – this whole batch of 10-12 cookies costs the same to make as purchasing just 2 of Crumbl’s store-bought cookies!
- Soft and chewy red velvet cookies with no need to chill the dough – perfect for last minute baking.
- Freezer-friendly cookie dough, perfect for prepping ahead or enjoying single-serving cookies when the mood strikes.
- One bowl dough that bakes in under 10 minutes.
- You can skip the food dye to make these cookies thanks to the natural reaction between the natural cocoa, vinegar and baking powder.
Snackable History Fact: Red velvet’s roots trace back to early twentieth-century American baking, when a touch of cocoa softened flour proteins and gave cakes a velvety texture. During the wartime years, beet juice and food coloring boosted the reddish hue. Cream cheese frosting later became the classic pairing, adding brightness and structure that balances the cake’s tender crumb.
Recipe FAQs
Cookies should be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
It reacts with baking powder and cocoa to create and bring out a bright red color and keeping the cookies tender. It can be swapped for buttermilk, but the red color won’t be as bright.
Yes. Chill up to 48 hours. (As a bonus, cold dough bakes thicker and develops deeper flavor.)
Freeze unfrosted cookies airtight for up to two months. Frost after thawing. (I do not recommend freezing the frosting.)
No, though the color won’t be as bright. The flavor remains the same and the natural reaction between the cocoa powder and vinegar will create a subtle red hue without the addition of food coloring.
Red Velvet Cookie Ingredients
Red Velvet Cookie Ingredients- Unsalted butter, softened
- Brown sugar
- White sugar
- Egg
- Vanilla extract
- Vinegar – essential for naturally developing the red hue of this cookie.
- Red food coloring – just a few drops, can be omitted for a more muted cookie color.
- Cocoa powder – natural cocoa only as it’s natural reaction with vinegar will enhance the red cookie hue; dutch-process cocoa alters the acidity of red velvet cookies and results in a dull-looking cookie.
- All-purpose flour
- Salt
- Cornstarch – creates a fine, tender crumb and bakery-style thickness.
- Baking powder
For the Cream Cheese Frosting:
- Cream cheese, softened at room temperature
- Unsalted butter, softened
- Vanilla extract
- Powdered sugar
Scroll down to the printable recipe card for full measurements.
Tip: you can garnish the cookies with a crumbled cookie, like the original, or opt for seasonal sprinkles or a drizzle of chocolate topping, if desired.
Kitchen Tools You May Find Helpful
- Cookie Scoop
- Mixing Bowl
- Electric Mixer
- Cookie Sheets
- Measuring Cups and Spoons
- Piping Bag
How to Make Crumbl Red Velvet Cookies
How to Make Crumbl Red Velvet CookiesPreheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a couple cookie sheets with parchment, set aside.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the sugar, brown sugar and butter. Cream until smooth, about 2 minutes.
Add in the egg, vanilla, vinegar and red food coloring. Mix to combine.
Add in the cocoa, flour, salt, cornstarch and baking powder. Mix well, scraping down the sides as needed.
Using an ice cream scoop to keep the size comparable, divide the dough into 10-12 equal size cookie balls. Place on the baking sheets.
Flatten the dough until about ½ of an inch thick, using the palm of your hand or the bottom of a cup.
Bake in the preheated oven for 10 minutes. Allow to cool completely before decorating.
For the cream cheese frosting: in the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the cream cheese and butter, mix until smooth.
Add in the powdered sugar and vanilla. Mix until combined and then bump up the speed to medium and whip until smooth and creamy, scraping the sides often.
Transfer the frosting to a piping bag fitted with a large round tip.
Once the cookies are cool, sacrifice one of them to crumble into pieces.
Pipe a swirl of frosting over the rest of the cookies and then sprinkle with the crumbs.
Red Velvet Cookie Recipe Variations:
- Buttermilk swap: Replace the vinegar with 2 teaspoons buttermilk for a softer tang and slightly richer crumb.
- White chocolate chips: Fold in ½ cup for pockets of sweetness (a fun mash-up of Crumbls’ two red velvet cookie options).
- Espresso hit: Add ½ teaspoon instant espresso powder to deepen the cocoa notes without tasting like coffee.
- Seasonal sprinkles: Skip the crushed cookie and garnish your cookies with a seasonal sprinkle or a drizzle of melted chocolate.
Tips for the Perfect Crumbl Copycats
- Bake a test cookie to ensure that you like the finished texture. These cookies are meant to be chewy and have a slightly doughy, underbaked quality about them – so bake one as directed, wait until cooled and try it for yourself. You may want to bake for more or less time to suit your personal preferences.
- Use a cookie scoop to ensure that each cookie is the same size for even baking.
- Don’t be tempted to skip the cornstarch – it creates a tender crumb and helps the cookie stay pillowy soft.
- Be sure to use natural cocoa powder for authentic red velvet flavor and a naturally red color. (Not Dutch process cocoa.)
More Copycat Crumbl Cookie Recipes
Pin this Decadent Copycat Crumbl Red Velvet Cookie recipe for your next baking session:
Printable Recipe Card:
Printable Recipe Card:Grab your free printable recipe card for our Crumbl Red Velvet Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting recipe.
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Copycat Crumbl Red Velvet Cookies with Vanilla Cream Cheese Frosting
A copycat Crumbl Red Velvet Cookie recipe with luscious vanilla cream cheese frosting that you can make even on weeks that don't feature this iconic cookie on the menu, these frosted cookies taste straight from the bakery but are really fresh from your own oven!
Ingredients
For the Red Velvet Cookie Dough:
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
- ½ cup brown sugar
- ½ cup white sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon vinegar
- Red food coloring
- ¼ cup natural cocoa powder
- 1 ¾ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 Tablespoon cornstarch
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
For the Cream Cheese Frosting:
- 4 oz cream cheese, softened at room temperature
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 cup powdered sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a couple cookie sheets with parchment, set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the sugar, brown sugar and butter. Cream until smooth, about 2 minutes.
- Add in the egg, vanilla, vinegar and red food coloring. Mix to combine.
- Add in the cocoa, flour, salt, cornstarch and baking powder. Mix well, scraping down the sides as needed.
- Using an ice cream scoop to keep the size comparable, divide the dough into 10-12 equal size cookie balls. Place on the baking sheets.
- Flatten the dough until about ½ of an inch thick, using the palm of your hand or the bottom of a cup.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 10 minutes. Allow to cool completely before decorating.
- For the cream cheese frosting: in the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the cream cheese and butter, mix until smooth.
- Add in the powdered sugar and vanilla. Mix until combined and then bump up the speed to medium and whip until smooth and creamy, scraping the sides often.
- Transfer the frosting to a piping bag fitted with a large round tip.
- Once the cookies are cool, sacrifice one of them to crumble into pieces.
- Pipe a swirl of frosting over the rest of the cookies and then sprinkle with the crumbs.
Notes
Bake a test cookie to ensure that you like the finished texture. These cookies are meant to be chewy and have a slightly doughy, underbaked quality about them - so bake one as directed, wait until cooled and try it for yourself. You may want to bake for more or less time to suit your personal preferences.
Be sure to use natural cocoa powder for authentic red velvet flavor and a naturally red color. (Not Dutch process cocoa.)
Recommended Products
As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.
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Hoosier Hill Farm Natural Cocoa Powder, 1LB (Pack of 1) -
Cookie Scoop Ice Cream Scoop Melon Scoop 18/8 Stainless Steel with Trigger Cupcake Scoops (#14)
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Chefmaster Super Red Liqua-Gel® Food Coloring | Vibrant Color | Professional-Grade Dye for Icing, Frosting, Fondant | Baking & Decorating | Fade-Resistant | Easy-to-Use | Made in USA | 0.70 oz
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
12Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 423Total Fat: 21gSaturated Fat: 13gUnsaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 69mgSodium: 157mgCarbohydrates: 55gFiber: 1gSugar: 41gProtein: 3g
Sugar, Spice and Glitter uses an auto-generate nutrition calculator. Nutrition information isn’t always accurate unless analyzed in a scientific lab, so these should be considered more of a guideline than medical information.
I hope your family loves this easy Crumbl copycat cookie recipe as much as mine does!
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