Red Velvet Powdered Cookies
E
By Emma
Certified Culinary Professional
•
Recipe tested & approved
Sweet red velvet cake mix blended with creamy whipped topping and egg to create a sticky dough. Rolled in powdered sugar, these cookies bake up soft, slightly chewy, topped optionally with a chocolate heart for contrast. Lower oven temp for even baking. Watch texture and aroma over clock. Simple ingredients, flexible and quick. Substituting ingredients changes outcome but keeps ease. Classic red velvet flavor reimagined in cookies form, with a delicate crackled sugar exterior and tender crumb inside.
Prep:
20 min
Cook:
12 min
Total:
32 min
Servings:
18 cookies
#cookies
#red velvet
#cake mix
#powdered sugar
#baking tips
#American desserts
Red velvet still on my mind after all these years. Cake mix cookies? Skeptical once but learned to trust sticky batter. The whip injects moisture, makes crumb tender. Egg binds but keeps them chewier, less like cake. Powdered sugar coating—not just eye candy but creates crackle, locks in moisture, gets that slight crust. Lower oven temp than box calls for; I noticed edges burn if too hot. Smell is that sweet cocoa with tang cranberry twist. Chocolate heart optional but that slight bittersweet contrast—game changer. Roll dough balls with sugar layering so no mess but brittle surface. Tried with cream cheese instead of whipped topping but texture off. This combo—trust me. Sticky dough handled by cookie scoop and powdered sugar dusting. Forget exact time, watch dough set and edges firm, then out!
Ingredients
- 1 box red velvet cake mix (15.25 oz)
- 2/3 cup whipped topping (like Cool Whip), thawed
- 1 large egg
- 1 cup powdered sugar, plus more for coating
- Chocolate hearts or chips (optional, for topping)
About the ingredients
Whipped topping substitution? Real whipped cream works but watch for runny dough, maybe chill ball briefly before sugar roll. Could swap cake mix flavor — strawberry or chocolate, play with colors and sugar zest. Egg binds; no swap or expect crumbly mess. Powdered sugar critical. Regular sugar? Nah, dough too sticky, won’t coat evenly. If dough too soft, refrigerate briefly. Silicone mat preferred—keeps bottoms from overbrowning, eases removal. Chocolate hearts optional but I love that texture pop; melted chips fine too. Store airtight to keep surface crackle intact. Tried oil instead of whipped topping once—bled flavor, too greasy. Keep dry and sticky balance, that’s the trick here.
Method
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- Heat oven to 320 degrees F, slightly lower than typical cookie heat. Line cookie sheet with silicone mat or parchment to prevent sticking and uneven browning.
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- Combine in large bowl the cake mix, whipped topping, and egg. Use a sturdy spoon or sturdy spatula. Don’t overmix—lumps won’t hurt. Dough is sticky, tacky, almost too soft to roll; that’s right.
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- Pour 1 cup powdered sugar in small bowl. Take heaping tablespoon of dough—cookie scoop helps beyond words—roll dough ball around in sugar until fully coated, almost dry. Place on sheet 2-3 inches apart; these spread little.
- Keep rolling and placing. If dough sticks to scoop, dust scoop with dry powdered sugar or coat with nonstick spray lightly.
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- Bake 11 to 15 minutes. Listen for faint crackling sound, edges firming. Center looks set but soft. Color deepens, not burnt red but rich. Don’t overbake or they dry out.
- Remove pan, cool five minutes before adding chocolate heart center if using, so it gently melts slightly but not too much.
- Let cool completely before lifting with thin spatula or offset spatula. They’re fragile early on. Store airtight. Last several days but best first two.
- Repeat process till dough gone.
Cooking tips
Don’t rush mixing. Combine until just blended; lumps mean less gluten developed, cookie stays tender. Dough sticky? Perfect! Too dry means over mix or substitute wrong. Powdered sugar coats so they keep shape. Too little sugar, they’ll spread into sad flats. Use heaping large scoops; small ones bake too fast, dry out. Baking slower at 320 degrees means cookies puff, set edges gently while centers stay soft. Listen for soft crackle. Pull early if unsure; overbaking gives tough edge and dry inside. Rest on pan five minutes helps structure before moving cookies. Chocolate heart pressed after partial cool—too early and it melts into mess, too late and no adhesion. Use spatula under cookie eying sides gently; hot pan sticky otherwise. Batch baking? Rotate trays halfway to ensure even heat distribution. Store by layer with parchment between to avoid sticking.
Chef's notes
- 💡 Mix just till all ingredients combine; lumps okay. Overmix means tough, dryer crumb. Sticky dough normal, helps sugar stick well; dust scoop with powdered sugar for clean release. If too soft, refrigerate dough balls briefly. Roll dough balls in powdered sugar small batches keeps coating dry and crackled, prevents spread too much while baking.
- 💡 Lower oven to 320 degrees; hotter burns edges fast while center underbakes. Listen for faint crackle, edges firming, center still soft. Smell is big indicator too—rich cocoa with slight sweet tang signals readiness. Remove early if unsure; cookies finish firming while cooling, avoiding dry cracks.
- 💡 Use silicone mat or parchment for even bake. Prevents overbrowning bottoms, eases removal. Tried oil instead of whipped topping once—greasy, changes texture and flavor noticeably. Whipped topping keeps moisture but avoids soggy bottom. Real whipped cream possible but watch dough consistency carefully.
- 💡 Chocolate heart or chips pressed onto cookies only after cooling five minutes on pan; melts slightly but keeps form. Press too soon melts chocolate into dough, loses shape. Store cookies airtight, layer with parchment paper. Keeps crackled sugar intact, stops them turning chewy or sticky outside.
- 💡 Adjust cake mix flavors for variation but egg is binding must-have. No egg yields crumbly mess. Substitutions like cream cheese change texture noticeably; tested but not preferred. Powdered sugar critical in coating; regular sugar won’t cling or crackle properly. Keep dough dry enough for rolling but not stiff.
Common questions
What if dough is too sticky to roll?
Dust scoop and hands with powdered sugar. Chill dough balls briefly if still mushy. Sticky is right but too sticky means toss in fridge few minutes. Sugar coating helps handle dough better, don’t skip.
Can I swap whipped topping for something else?
Real whipped cream doable but dough can get runny. Tried oil but oily taste ruins cookie. Cream cheese changes texture and crumb, softer, denser. Experiment with caution; moisture content affects spread and bake time.
Cookies spreading too much?
Check sugar coating thickness; too little coating means more spread. Also dough temp affects spread—warm dough flattens. Chill balls if needed. Oven temp too high can speed spread then burn edges before set.
How to store cookies properly?
Air-tight container necessary for crackle texture. Layer cookies with parchment in between or sugar crust softens. Room temp fine a few days; longer keep cool and dry. Refrigerate makes them cakey, lose crisp top.
