Red Velvet Sugar Cookies

Heart shaped Red Velvet Sugar Cookies topped with homemade cream cheese frosting makes a tasty Valentine’s Day treat.

My husband has two favorite cakes: carrot and red velvet. So when I saw a recipe in a magazine for Red Velvet Cookies using Betty Crockers bagged sugar cookie mix, I figured I could recreate this one  easily enough on my own.

Since it’s almost Valentines Day, I decided to make them heart shaped; then top them with his favorite frosting (cream cheese) as well. 

For this recipe, you’ll first need to purchase heart shaped cookie cutters if you want the cookies to be heart shaped. If not, then any other cookie cutter will do.

How do you make Red Velvet Sugar Cookies?

You’ll need butter, confectioners sugar, unsweetened cocoa powder, egg, vanilla extract, sour cream, red food coloring, flour baking soda and cream of tartar.

Start by creaming the butter, sugar and cocoa powder in a mixing bowl with an electric mixer until smooth; then add the egg, vanilla, sour cream and food coloring; mix well for 2-3 minutes until smooth.

Next, combine the flour, baking soda and cream of tartar in a small bowl; then gradually beat the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. The dough will be sticky.

Remove the dough from the bowl, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour. While the dough is in the refrigerator, you can make the cream cheese frosting by combining butter, cream cheese, vanilla extract and confectioners sugar until smooth. If too thick, you can add a little milk to thin out the frosting.

When ready to bake the cookies remove the dough from the refrigerator; then roll out the dough on a smooth, lightly floured surface until it is 1/4″ thick. I like to break the dough in half to work with smaller pieces. Using the cookie cutters, cut out the hearts.

You may have to re-roll the dough a few times to use it all up. Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray or line with parchment paper or a Silpat mat; then cut out the hearts and place on the pan about 1-2″ apart.

The cookies won’t spread, but they will “puff” up. Bake the red velvet cookies at 325 degrees F for dark coated pans or 350 degrees F for glass or aluminum pans for 18-20 minutes.

Allow the cookies to cool; then frost with and sprinkle with red sugar crystals or other holiday sprinkles (optional) while the frosting is still wet. This recipe made 18 cookies with a 3″ cookie cutter.

These Red Velvet Sugar Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting make a special treat for loved ones any time of year. 

The cookies are soft and not overly sweet; which is what I love about a dessert.If you are not going to eat the cookies right away, store them in an air tight container at room temperature.

Once they are frosted with cream cheese, you must keep them in the refrigerator as the cream cheese will go bad if not refrigerated. ~Enjoy! 

Red Velvet Sugar Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting

Carrie's Experimental Kitchen

Red Velvet Sugar Cookies topped with a homemade Cream Cheese Frosting make a special treat for loved ones any time of year.  

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 mins

Cook Time 18 mins

Resting Time 1 hr

Total Time 33 mins

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings 18

Equipment

• 3-inch Heart Shaped Cookie Cutout (or other 3" cookie cutter)

Ingredients

  

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For the Red Velvet Cookies

• 1 cup salted butter (softened)
• 1 1/2 cups confectioners sugar
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 large egg
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 1 tablespoon red food coloring
• 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon cream of tartar
• cooking spray
• prepared cream cheese frosting
• (optional) holiday sprinkles

For the Cream Cheese Frosting

• 8 ounces cream cheese (softened)
• 1/4 cup salted butter (softened)
• 1 cup confectioners sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

 

Directions for the Red Velvet Cookies

• Cream together the butter, sugar and cocoa powder with an electric mixer until smooth.
• Next, add the egg, vanilla, sour cream and food coloring and mix well.
• In a small bowl, combine the flour, baking soda and cream of tartar; then gradually beat into the wet mixture. (The dough will be sticky.)
• Remove the dough from the bowl, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.
• Remove the dough from the refrigerator, then roll out the dough on a smooth, lightly floured surface until it is 1/4-inch thick. (I like to break the dough in half to work with smaller pieces.)
• Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray or line with parchment paper or a Silpat mat; then cut out the hearts with a 3" cookie cutter and place on the pan about 1-2" apart. (They won't spread, but will "puff" up.)
• Bake in a preheated 325 degrees F oven for dark coated pans or 350 degrees F for glass or aluminum pans for 18-20 minutes.
• Allow to cool, then frost with Cream Cheese Frosting and sprinkle with red sugar crystals or other holiday sprinkles (optional) while the frosting is still wet. 

Directions for the Cream Cheese Frosting

• Cream together all ingredients until smooth. If you like your frosting a little sweeter, add more sugar.

Keyword cookies, valentines day

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*Originally shared February 2013/Updated January 2019