I recreated red velvet cupcake cookies as a simple copycat, and in my Easy Baking Recipes post I reveal the one ingredient swap that makes them stand out.
I’m obsessed with these Easy Crumbl Red Velvet Cupcake Cookies, a simple copycat that honestly tastes better than the real deal. I kept fiddling with this Crumble Cookie Recipe and my Tasty Baking experiments until the texture felt right, and the cream cheese frosting makes it borderline dangerous.
I use all purpose flour so the cookies stay tender, soft but with a little chew, and the red is so bold it stops people in their tracks. Try them, tell me what you changed, or keep it secret, either way you will want more.
Ingredients
- All purpose flour: mostly carbs, little protein gives structure and tender crumb, not fibrous.
- Cocoa powder: deep chocolate flavor, antioxidants, bitter notes, adds color without extra sugar.
- Unsalted butter: rich fat for tenderness, taste, high in saturated fat.
- Sugars: granulated sweetens brown adds moisture and caramel notes, raises sweetness.
- Egg: binds ingredients, adds protein and moisture helps structure when baked.
- Buttermilk and vinegar: tangy acidity reacts with baking soda for lift, adds tenderness.
- White chocolate chips: optional pockets of sweet creamy bites, adds texture.
- Cream cheese frosting: tangy creamy finish, adds richness and balances chocolate.
- Vanilla extract: boosts aroma and perceived sweetness, small but mighty.
Ingredient Quantities
- 1 1/4 cups (150 g) all purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
- 1/2 cup (113 g) unsalted butter, softened
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1 large egg, room temp
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons red food coloring (liquid), or more for deeper color
- 2 tablespoons buttermilk
- 1 teaspoon distilled white vinegar
- 1/2 cup white chocolate chips (optional)
- 4 ounces (113 g) cream cheese, softened (for frosting)
- 2 tablespoons (28 g) unsalted butter, softened (for frosting)
- 1 to 1 1/2 cups (120 to 180 g) powdered sugar, sifted
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract (for frosting)
- Pinch of salt (for frosting)
How to Make this
1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or silicone mat and set aside.
2. Whisk together 1 1/4 cups (150 g) all purpose flour, 2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder, 1 tsp baking soda, 1/2 tsp baking powder and 1/2 tsp fine salt in a bowl so it’s evenly mixed.
3. In a large bowl beat 1/2 cup (113 g) softened unsalted butter with 1/2 cup granulated sugar and 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar until light and a little fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes. Scrape the bowl, then add 1 large egg, 1 tsp pure vanilla extract and 2 tbsp red food coloring and mix until combined.
4. Stir in 2 tbsp buttermilk and 1 tsp distilled white vinegar (the vinegar reacts with the baking soda to help rise). Mix just until incorporated, dont overbeat it.
5. Add the dry ingredients in two additions and fold gently until just combined. If using, fold in 1/2 cup white chocolate chips. The dough should be soft but scoopable.
6. Chill the dough 15 to 30 minutes if it’s very soft; this helps prevent excessive spreading and gives a more cupcake-like shape. If you want a deeper red color, add a little more food coloring now.
7. Scoop dough into rounded tablespoons or a small ice cream scoop (about
1.5 tbsp to 2 tbsp each), place 2 inches apart on the prepared sheet and gently flatten the tops so they look like little cupcakes.
8. Bake 9 to 11 minutes until edges are set and centers look slightly underdone; rotate the pan halfway through for even baking. Let cookies cool on the sheet 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
9. For frosting beat 4 oz (113 g) softened cream cheese with 2 tbsp (28 g) softened unsalted butter until smooth. Gradually add 1 to 1 1/2 cups (120 to 180 g) sifted powdered sugar until you reach desired sweetness and pipeable consistency, then add 1/2 tsp vanilla and a pinch of salt. Spread or pipe onto fully cooled cookies, store in fridge if not serving right away and bring to room temp before eating.
Equipment Needed
1. Oven (preheat to 350°F)
2. Rimmed baking sheet plus parchment paper or silicone baking mat
3. Mixing bowls, at least one large and one medium
4. Electric hand mixer or stand mixer, or a whisk if you wanna do it by hand
5. Measuring cups and spoons, and a kitchen scale if you got one
6. Rubber spatula and a wooden spoon for folding and scraping
7. Cookie scoop (about 1.5 tbsp) or a tablespoon and a small ice cream scoop
8. Wire cooling rack
9. Small mixer or whisk for the frosting, plus a piping bag or a zip top bag with the corner snipped and an offset spatula for spreading
FAQ
Easy Crumbl Red Velvet Cupcake Cookies Recipe Substitutions and Variations
- All-purpose flour: swap for a 1-to-1 gluten-free all-purpose blend (same volume) for gluten free baking. for a lighter, cakier crumb use cake flour instead: for each cup AP take out 2 tbsp flour and add 2 tbsp cornstarch, sift well.
- Unsalted butter: use solid coconut oil or stick margarine 1:1 by volume (so 1/2 cup butter = 1/2 cup coconut oil). if you use a liquid oil, chill the dough before baking so the cookies don’t spread too much.
- Buttermilk: make a quick sub by stirring 1 tbsp distilled white vinegar or lemon juice into 2 tbsp milk, let sit 5 minutes. you can also thin plain yogurt or sour cream with a little milk to match the 2 tbsp.
- Cream cheese (for frosting): replace with mascarpone or Neufchatel 1:1 — mascarpone is richer, Neufchatel is slightly lower fat. for a dairy free option use a vegan cream cheese 1:1, but expect a small change in flavor and texture.
Pro Tips
1. Use gel or paste red coloring instead of liquid, it gives a much deeper color without thinning the dough; if you only have liquid, add an extra tablespoon of flour to balance the wetness.
2. Chill the scooped dough 15 to 30 minutes when it feels soft, it really cuts down spreading and helps the cookies hold a cupcake-like dome.
3. Prefer natural (not Dutch-processed) unsweetened cocoa for best red velvet tone, and add it to the dry mix so it’s evenly distributed; a tiny extra pinch of salt brings out the chocolate better.
4. For the frosting, make sure cream cheese and butter are truly room temp so it whips smooth, sift powdered sugar in stages to control thickness, and refrigerate if storing — bring cookies back to room temp before serving so the flavor and texture are best.
Easy Crumbl Red Velvet Cupcake Cookies Recipe
I recreated red velvet cupcake cookies as a simple copycat, and in my Easy Baking Recipes post I reveal the one ingredient swap that makes them stand out.
12
servings
320
kcal
Equipment: 1. Oven (preheat to 350°F)
2. Rimmed baking sheet plus parchment paper or silicone baking mat
3. Mixing bowls, at least one large and one medium
4. Electric hand mixer or stand mixer, or a whisk if you wanna do it by hand
5. Measuring cups and spoons, and a kitchen scale if you got one
6. Rubber spatula and a wooden spoon for folding and scraping
7. Cookie scoop (about 1.5 tbsp) or a tablespoon and a small ice cream scoop
8. Wire cooling rack
9. Small mixer or whisk for the frosting, plus a piping bag or a zip top bag with the corner snipped and an offset spatula for spreading
Ingredients
-
1 1/4 cups (150 g) all purpose flour
-
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
-
1 teaspoon baking soda
-
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
-
1/2 teaspoon fine salt
-
1/2 cup (113 g) unsalted butter, softened
-
1/2 cup granulated sugar
-
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
-
1 large egg, room temp
-
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
-
2 tablespoons red food coloring (liquid), or more for deeper color
-
2 tablespoons buttermilk
-
1 teaspoon distilled white vinegar
-
1/2 cup white chocolate chips (optional)
-
4 ounces (113 g) cream cheese, softened (for frosting)
-
2 tablespoons (28 g) unsalted butter, softened (for frosting)
-
1 to 1 1/2 cups (120 to 180 g) powdered sugar, sifted
-
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract (for frosting)
-
Pinch of salt (for frosting)
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or silicone mat and set aside.
- Whisk together 1 1/4 cups (150 g) all purpose flour, 2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder, 1 tsp baking soda, 1/2 tsp baking powder and 1/2 tsp fine salt in a bowl so it's evenly mixed.
- In a large bowl beat 1/2 cup (113 g) softened unsalted butter with 1/2 cup granulated sugar and 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar until light and a little fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes. Scrape the bowl, then add 1 large egg, 1 tsp pure vanilla extract and 2 tbsp red food coloring and mix until combined.
- Stir in 2 tbsp buttermilk and 1 tsp distilled white vinegar (the vinegar reacts with the baking soda to help rise). Mix just until incorporated, dont overbeat it.
- Add the dry ingredients in two additions and fold gently until just combined. If using, fold in 1/2 cup white chocolate chips. The dough should be soft but scoopable.
- Chill the dough 15 to 30 minutes if it's very soft; this helps prevent excessive spreading and gives a more cupcake-like shape. If you want a deeper red color, add a little more food coloring now.
- Scoop dough into rounded tablespoons or a small ice cream scoop (about
- 5 tbsp to 2 tbsp each), place 2 inches apart on the prepared sheet and gently flatten the tops so they look like little cupcakes.
- Bake 9 to 11 minutes until edges are set and centers look slightly underdone; rotate the pan halfway through for even baking. Let cookies cool on the sheet 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- For frosting beat 4 oz (113 g) softened cream cheese with 2 tbsp (28 g) softened unsalted butter until smooth. Gradually add 1 to 1 1/2 cups (120 to 180 g) sifted powdered sugar until you reach desired sweetness and pipeable consistency, then add 1/2 tsp vanilla and a pinch of salt. Spread or pipe onto fully cooled cookies, store in fridge if not serving right away and bring to room temp before eating.
Notes
- Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.
Nutrition Facts
- Serving Size: 80g
- Total number of serves: 12
- Calories: 320kcal
- Fat: 15.8g
- Saturated Fat: 9.5g
- Trans Fat: 0.2g
- Polyunsaturated: 0.7g
- Monounsaturated: 2.9g
- Cholesterol: 50.7mg
- Sodium: 231mg
- Potassium: 83mg
- Carbohydrates: 44g
- Fiber: 0.6g
- Sugar: 32.9g
- Protein: 2.5g
- Vitamin A: 130IU
- Vitamin C: 0mg
- Calcium: 17mg
- Iron: 0.4mg
