If you love Lofthouse-style cookies, you have to try these Red Velvet Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting. They’re pillowy soft with a tender crumb, classic red velvet flavor, and a smooth cream cheese frosting.
I’m a big fan of soft sugar cookies topped with a thick layer of creamy frosting—think Lofthouse-type cookies rather than crisp, royal-icing-covered cookies. I also love the Soft-Batch Frosted Sugar Cookies and Sugar Cookie Bars for days when I want something simple. But sometimes you want something a bit more special: a cookie with visual appeal and a hint of chocolate. That’s where these Red Velvet Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting come in.
These are Lofthouse-style red velvet sugar cookies: soft, thick, and tender with a subtle chocolate note, vibrant red color, and tangy cream cheese frosting that completes the red velvet profile.
RED VELVET!
Below is the full recipe and helpful tips for getting soft, puffy cookies every time. If you prefer to skip straight to the recipe card, use the Jump to Recipe link in the recipe container.
Key ingredients and techniques for super soft cookies:
- Use a blend of butter and shortening. Butter gives flavor; shortening helps keep the cookies exceptionally soft and tender.
- Use one whole egg plus one egg white. The whole egg adds richness while the extra egg white lightens the texture.
- Use cake flour to achieve a delicate, melt-in-your-mouth crumb. If you don’t have cake flour, you can make a substitute (see notes).
- A small amount of vinegar enhances the classic red velvet tang and brightens the flavor.
For the red color, gel food coloring is ideal because it gives a vivid hue without thinning the dough. Start with 2 teaspoons and add up to a third teaspoon at a time until you reach your preferred shade. The photos show a fairly vibrant color achieved with about 3 teaspoons (one tablespoon) of gel coloring.
Chilling the dough is essential for thick, puffy cookies. Chill the dough for at least two hours or overnight to firm it up and prevent excessive spreading during baking.
When you’re ready to shape the cookies, scoop the dough into balls about 2–2.5 tablespoons each using a cookie scoop for even size. Place them on a prepared baking sheet, then gently flatten each ball slightly with your palm or the bottom of a glass (dip the glass in flour first to prevent sticking).
If you prefer jumbo cookies, use a larger scoop (about 3.5 tablespoons) and bake a few minutes longer—around 12 minutes—until the tops are set.
The cream cheese frosting is rich, tangy, and thick—perfect for slathering onto these soft cookies. If you need a frosting suitable for intricate piping or detailed decorations, royal icing would be better, but for generously frosted, ultra-tasty cookies, cream cheese frosting is ideal.
These Red Velvet Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting make a festive treat for holidays like Christmas or Valentine’s Day but are also great whenever you crave red velvet. They’re thick, pillowy soft, and generously frosted—everything you want from a Lofthouse-style cookie.
Red Velvet Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients
Red Velvet Cookies
- 2 1/2 cups cake flour*
- 3 tbsp cocoa powder
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter softened (not melted)
- 1/4 cup vegetable shortening
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 large egg white
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2-3 tsp red food coloring gel or liquid
- 1 tsp vinegar
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 1/3 cup unsalted butter softened
- 4 oz cream cheese softened
- 2 1/2 – 3 cups powdered sugar
- 1 tbsp cream as needed
- sprinkles for decorating
Instructions
Red Velvet Cookies
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In a medium bowl, whisk together the cake flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt.
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In a large bowl, beat the butter, shortening, and sugar until light and fluffy.
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Beat in the egg, egg white, vanilla, red food coloring, and vinegar until combined.
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With the mixer on low, gradually add the flour mixture about half at a time until incorporated.
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Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight to firm up the dough.
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Preheat the oven to 350°F and line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats.
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Form dough into balls about 2 tablespoons each and place 2 inches apart on prepared sheets. Flatten slightly with your palm or a floured glass.
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Bake 8–10 minutes, until the tops are just set. Let cool completely before frosting.
Cream Cheese Frosting
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In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese and butter until smooth.
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Gradually add the powdered sugar, about 1 cup at a time, then add cream as needed to reach a spreadable consistency.
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Frost cooled cookies with a knife or spatula and decorate with sprinkles.