Red Velvet White Chip Cookies
E
By Emma
Certified Culinary Professional
•
Recipe tested & approved
Cookies made from red velvet cake mix tweaked with cornstarch and a pinch of salt, rich with butter, egg, and vanilla. Loaded with white chocolate chunks, chilled for stickiness control, then baked until edges set but middles stay soft. Offers a slight twist swapping cornstarch for arrowroot and adding a tablespoon of brewed espresso to deepen flavor. Baking cues over strict times stress texture and look. Dough stays sticky; chill to handle. Baked on parchment or mats in small batches to preserve heat. Cool on sheets first, then wire rack. Dough keeps in fridge or freezer for flexibility.
Prep:
40 min
Cook:
12 min
Total:
Servings:
20
#baking tips
#red velvet
#cookies
#white chocolate
#arrowroot
#espresso
#chilled dough
Red velvet cake mix cookies. Tried sleeves of ways before landing here — adjusting butter amount mostly, else dense or flat disks. Cornstarch swaps with arrowroot do wonders for chew and chew alone. Sticky dough forces me to chill longer than usual but pays off. White chocolate chunks instead of chips — better melt and chunk retention. Tossed in espresso for bottom notes, emerged deeper. Oven temp bumped up a bit; got crisp edges without hard middles. Watch for cookies puffily soft just out of oven — they settle down; trusting eyes for done, not clock. Cooling on sheet first before moving to racks is an unspoken secret for stability. Dough waits well in fridge or freezer for lazy baking days. This is no quick drop — patience makes the difference with texture and flavor clout. Play with baking soda if your cake mix is acidic for rise balance.
Ingredients
- 1 box red velvet cake mix (14 oz), replaced cornstarch with 3 tbsp arrowroot powder
- 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tbsp brewed espresso (optional twist)
- 1 cup white chocolate chunks (sub white chocolate chips)
- Optional: pinch baking soda to balance acidity
About the ingredients
Cake mix replaces base for quick flavor but tweak with arrowroot in place of cornstarch — arrowroot is less common but holds moisture and chew better. Salt balances sweetness; fine sea salt preferred for even dissolve. Butter soft but not melted; key for creaming. Sugar granulated here but experiment with superfine or light brown for texture variance. Eggs room temp to prevent batter shock; vanilla purely aromatic but add espresso for unexpected depth — optional but recommended. White chocolate chunks offer more pronounced melt spots compared to chips; switch to chunks if you’re tired of same old. A pinch of baking soda may be necessary if your mix lacks it, helping puff and texture. Chill dough — don’t shortcut. Dough is sticky; chilling solidifies butter for easier handling. Parchment or silicone mats avoid cookie bottoms burning or sticking, saving hassle. Dough keeps well chilled or frozen for convenience; freeze in portioned balls so you bake as needed without mess. Cookie size measured by tablespoon keeps serving sizes consistent, but adjust if you want bigger, just bake longer and watch edges closely.
Method
- Mix cake mix, arrowroot powder, salt (and baking soda if using) in a large bowl. The arrowroot helps with chew and structure where cornstarch would.
- Use paddle attachment on stand mixer, cream butter and sugar medium speed until pale and fluffy. About 3 minutes. Don’t skimp here — texture depends on aeration.
- Add eggs one at a time, mixing briefly between. Stir in vanilla extract and espresso if you want richer notes. Use rubber spatula to scrape sides periodically to stop dry pockets.
- Gradually fold in dry ingredients. Don’t rush. The dough is sticky — that’s normal. Overmixing ruins tenderness but under-mixing leaves clumps.
- Fold white chocolate chunks gently — tired of chocolate chips? Chunks melt better but watch for clumps that can cause collapsing cookies.
- Cover dough with plastic wrap. Chill at least 45 minutes for firmness and ease of scooping. Longer chill = thicker cookies.
- Preheat oven to 380°F. Reason: slightly hotter than usual for crisper edges without overbaking middles.
- Line two baking trays with parchment or silicone mats. Keeps bottoms even browned, no sticking, less clean-up.
- Scoop out cookies with 2 tbsp measure roughly, placing 6 per sheet, spaced apart so they don’t run. My experience: crowding equals flat, greasy mess.
- Bake 9-13 minutes. Look for edges turning slightly darker red, centers puffed but not browned. Remove when edges look set but middles still soft-looking. Cookies firm as they cool.
- Leave cookies on sheet 20 minutes minimum before moving to wire racks to complete cooling. Critical for texture setting. Don’t rush or they break.
- Store any extra dough chill tight, up to 3 days, or freeze up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in fridge before using.
Cooking tips
Measure dry mix with arrowroot and salt combined up front for even distribution. Cream butter and sugar to pale stage to whip air; no shortcuts or you lose lightness. Eggs added one by one with scraping, prevents clumpy dough. Adding dry gradually and folding gently ensures no overdevelopment of gluten, preserving tenderness. Chocolate chunks folded at end; too much mixing breaks them down or burns batter warmth. Chill stiffens dough so scooping is less sticky, cookies hold shape better in oven — else they spread too thin. Oven temp bumped 5-10°F higher than usual for balance of crispy edges and soft centers; watch closely since times vary. Cookie edges turning darker red but middles soft and puffed is the sign to pull them early — they firm on cooling. Leaving cookies on baking sheet first helps them set; moving too soon risks breakage. Cool fully on wire rack prevents sogginess. Store dough sealed to prevent fridge cross-odors and freezer freezer burn. Thaw overnight fully to maintain dough consistency; warm dough spreads too much. Dough can be portioned and frozen individually for fresh cookies anytime without waste.
Chef's notes
- 💡 Don’t rush mixing dry and wet. Fold gently; sticky dough tells you when done. Overmixing tightens gluten—tough cookies after. Arrowroot used here swaps cornstarch moisture; adds chew but watch dough texture closely while folding. Use rubber spatula scraping often — dry pockets kill consistency.
- 💡 Cream butter, sugar to light, pale fluff only. Creamer means air trapped — affects final chew. About 3 minutes medium speed stand mixer. Skimp here? Dense, flat cookies. Eggs add one at a time; breaks form if dumped in all at once. Scrape sides; keep batter uniform. Espresso not just flavor — little bitterness balances sweet chunks.
- 💡 Chill dough minimum 45 mins. Sticky dough tries sticking to scoop, hands. Chilling firms butter, easier handling. Longer chill? Thicker cookies hold shape better in oven. Skip chill and expect spreading mess. Parchment or silicone mats prevent bottoms burning; oven hotspots hit these trays.
- 💡 Oven hotter than usual at 380°F. Crisp edges signal done, not minutes. Look for darker red edges and puffed, soft centers just before pulling out. Cookies settle firm when cooling — if removed too soon they crumble. Wait 20 mins on tray before transferring to wire rack to finish cooling; rushed transfers risk breakage.
- 💡 White chocolate chunks beat chips — melt spots uneven but chunk retention better; chunks don’t break down during folding, unlike chips that melt fast when overmixed. Fold chunks last, slow, with patience to avoid breaking them up. Try substituting chips but expect less distinct melt patterns.
Common questions
Why use arrowroot instead cornstarch?
Arrowroot holds moisture better. Less thickening though. Adds chew texture not in cornstarch. Not common but worth experiment on chew. Watch dough stickiness; arrowroot needs careful hydration.
Is espresso necessary?
Optional. Adds depth, slight bitterness. Helps balance sugar. If no espresso, vanilla alone works. Coffee powder or instant coffee crushed fine can replace. Skip if kids involved taste-wise; flavor subtle anyway.
Sticky dough difficult to handle?
Chill dough solidifies butter — key to easier scoop and shaping. If dough too sticky after chill, dust hands lightly with flour or chill longer. Don’t add too much flour, changes bake. Cold dough also controls spread.
How to store leftover dough?
Wrap tight air-free in plastic. Fridge max 3 days. Freeze longer up to 3 months in portioned balls. Thaw overnight in fridge before baking—warm dough spreads more. Label if freeze long, avoids soggy smells or freezer burn.
