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Red Velvet Cookies

Soft, chewy red velvet cookies with cream cheese frosting! The perfect sweet and tangy combo. So pretty and festive, perfect for Christmas or Valentine’s Day!

Red Velvet Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting | Kitchen Gidget

Red Velvet Cookies

My Christmas cooking kicks off with a recipe I’ve been wanting to try since I was 9 years old…I can’t believe I’ve waited nearly 20 years for something so easy, so tasty and so pretty!

Does anyone else have a ton of bookmarked cook books, magazine clippings and pins that you never get around to trying?

I might make it a New Year’s Resolution to try a recipe from my stockpile once a week.

Red Velvet Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting | Kitchen Gidget

But let’s get back to the cookies on hand!

These cookies start with a boxed cake mix so they couldn’t be quicker.

I use Duncan Hines brand and that’s the only one I’ve tried for these with fantastic results.

They bake up moist and chewy with lovely crinkles on top.

Red Velvet Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting | Kitchen Gidget

I can’t wait to try other flavor combinations. Spice cake with cream cheese frosting is another favorite of mine, and a light, luscious lemon would be supreme.

UPDATE: I made the lemon sandwich cookies and they were a huge hit! I also made a light and fluffy lemon ricotta version.

Red Velvet Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting | Kitchen Gidget

And who doesn’t love the combination of red velvet cake with cream cheese frosting?

Delicious anytime, but especially festive during the holidays! So pretty for Valentine’s Day too.

For the chocolate lovers, check out my Red Velvet Oatmeal Fudge Bars – deliciously chewy oatmeal cookies filled with a layer of fudge!

PIN THESE FOR LATER!

The BEST soft, chewy crinkle top red velvet sandwich cookies stuffed with cream cheese icing! So pretty for Christmas or Valentine's Day! [Recipe tested with Duncan Hines]

Christmas Cookies Video!

Red Velvet Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting

Red Velvet Cookies

Yield: 24 cookies
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes

Thick, chewy red velvet cookies sandwiched around classic cream cheese frosting.

Ingredients

  • 1 box red velvet cake mix
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1/3 cup vegetable oil
  • 4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
  • 4 tablespoons butter, room temperature
  • 1/4 teaspoon vanilla
  • 2 cups powdered (confectioners) sugar

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line cookie sheets with parchment or silicone mats.
  2. In a large mixing bowl, beat cake mix, eggs and oil until well combined. Dough will be stiff.
  3. Roll into 1-inch balls and place 2 inches apart on prepared pans. Flatten balls slightly. Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until set around edges.
  4. Cookies will be very puffy, but flatten as they cool. Remove to wire rack to cool completely before frosting.
  5. For the frosting, beat cream cheese and butter until smooth. Mix in vanilla. Slowly incorporate powdered sugar, then whip until light and fluffy.
  6. Pipe or spread onto the bottom side of half the cookies. Top with remaining cookies to form sandwiches.

Notes

This recipe was tested with Duncan Hines brand.

Did you make this recipe?

Leave a comment below! Or tag @kitchengidget on Instagram with the hashtag #kitchengidget

Recipe adapted from Taste of Home, Dec/Jan 1996

Shared with Weekend Potluck!

P.S. If you like these, try my Peppermint Mocha version!

Peppermint Mocha Cookies: soft, chewy chocolate and espresso cookies filled with peppermint cream cheese frosting! | Kitchen Gidget

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The best soft crinkle top red velvet cookies with cream cheese frosting! So festive for Christmas or Valentine's Day! [Recipe tested with Duncan Hines cake mix]

Red Velvet Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting | Kitchen Gidget

Alyssa

Monday 19th of December 2022

Are you supposed to use the required eggs and oil amount on the box or what it says in the recipe for the cake mix?

Rebekah

Monday 19th of December 2022

No, you just use what's listed in the recipe. If you use the box ingredients you'll end up with cake instead of cookies 😊

NatPatBen

Tuesday 19th of July 2022

I used this recipe for two boxes of cake mix. For the first one, I used butter instead of vegetable oil. I mostly melted it. The cookies came out flat without needing to be flattened. For the second one, I used vegetable oil (wanted to compare). These were less sticky and stayed rounder after baking. I should’ve flattened them. The butter ones tasted better than the vegetable oil ones. Only used half the icing to make sandwich cookies. My coworkers will love them tomorrow, but probably not as much as my kids did tonight.

Rebekah

Friday 22nd of July 2022

Thanks for the test comparison!

Kimberlee Hill

Tuesday 31st of December 2019

Show stoppers! i live at 8500 ft. added a 1/4 cup of dark unsweetened cocoa. baked for 13 minutes at 350. sprayed my hands with non-stick spray (makes it simple to form the balls) Absolutely fantastic! I whipped cream and folded it into the cream cheese frosting for a "lighter" filling. Everyone loved them! Thank you for sharing this amazing and fun dessert!

Glenda

Sunday 22nd of July 2018

Love these cookies! I used a Betty Crocker cake mix and my dough was also sticky. I just wet my hands then formed the balls. They came out great!

Rebekah

Monday 23rd of July 2018

Thank you! I'm glad they still turned out!

Michelle

Friday 7th of October 2016

I'm going to use Betty Crocker cake mix. The box is only 15.25 oz. does this matter?? And I'm using "salted" butter... I'm assuming that's okay, correct??

Rebekah

Friday 7th of October 2016

The box size is ok. Companies change them every so often, but they still produce the same amount. And salted butter will be just fine. Hope you enjoy!

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