Red Velvet Cake Crinkle Cookies
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.
Holiday baking doesn’t have to be stressful — sometimes the best treats start with a clever shortcut. These Red Velvet Cake Cookies begin with a simple box of cake mix, but you’d never know it from the bakery-style results. They come together with hardly any effort, yet bake up soft and vibrant, topped with a gorgeous crinkled finish. Easy, eye-catching, and simply delicious, they’re perfect for your holiday dessert table, gifting, or cookie swaps.
Sheila’s Recipe Snapshot for Red Velvet Crinkle Cookies
Pretty, foolproof, and ready in minutes, these red velvet crinkle cookies are always a good idea!
These red velvet crinkle cookies are proof that a simple box of cake mix, a couple of eggs, and a splash of oil can work magic when it comes to quick cookies. The result is soft, chewy, picture-perfect cookies that feel totally festive, and they come together in no time.
When it’s time to roll them in powdered sugar, don’t be shy! A generous double roll gives you that perfect crinkle once they bake. I use a cookie scoop to keep the portions even and prep gloves to save my hands from turning pink (learned that one the hard way).
Ingredient Notes for Red Velvet Crinkle Cookies
- Eggs | Eggs will help add structure to your cookies, to keep them in their shape!
- Vegetable Oil | Add some vegetable oil for moisture.
- Red Velvet Cake Mix | This is the key ingredient! You just need a box of red velvet cake mix. It already has the right ratios of flour, baking powder, and baking soda!
- Cornstarch | Cornstarch makes the batter a bit thicker, helping it stay in cookie shapes!
- Powdered Sugar | Powdered sugar is essential for those awesome crinkles!
Variations and Substitutions
- Swap the dry cake mix: Try chocolate or strawberry cake mix for a fun twist on the same recipe. They won’t be red, though!
- Add-ins: White chocolate chips, cream cheese baking chips, or even chopped pecans would all make excellent add-ins!
- Gluten-free version: Use a gluten-free red velvet cake mix, and everything else stays the same.
- More color: If your mix isn’t as vibrant, add a drop or two of red food coloring to the dough before chilling!
How to Make Red Velvet Crinkle Cookies From Cake Mix
Forget the hand mixer, these cookies come together the old-fashioned way, with just a wooden spoon and a mixing bowl.
PREHEAT & PREP DOUGH. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper or a silicone mat. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs and oil.
ADD CAKE MIX & CHILL. Then add the cake mix and cornstarch, stirring until a nice red dough forms. Chill the dough in the fridge for 20 to 30 minutes.
PORTION INTO BALLS. Place sifted powdered sugar in a small bowl. Bring the dough out from the refrigerator and use a medium cookie scoop (or small ice cream scoop) to portion the chilled dough into balls. For smaller cookies, roll the dough into 1-inch balls, using about a tablespoon of dough.
ROLL IN POWDERED SUGAR. Roll each ball of cookie dough in the powdered sugar, coating evenly, and arrange them on the prepared baking sheet about 2 inches apart.
BAKE. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the tops are cracked and look set (the centers will still be soft). Let the cookies cool on the pans for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
More Recipe Success Tips
Storage and Freezing Tips
- To store: Store the cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. To keep them extra soft, add a slice of sandwich bread to the container (a little Southern trick that works like magic).
- To freeze before baking: You can freeze the cookie dough ball by placing them on a cookie sheet and freezing for about an hour. Then, place them into a ziplock bag and freeze until you are ready to bake! Dip them in powdered sugar, and bake, adding about 1-2 minutes to the bake time.
- To freeze after baking: Just layer them with parchment paper in a freezer-safe bag or container. Thaw at room temperature before serving, and they’ll taste freshly baked all over again.
Frequently Asked Questions
You can use any red velvet cake mix you like, but I’ve had the best results with the Duncan Hines brand. The flavor is rich, the color is beautiful, and the texture always bakes up soft and chewy. If you can’t find it, any similar 15.25-ounce red velvet cake mix will do the trick!
Yes, absolutely! If you’re freezing baked cookies, let them cool completely, then store in an airtight container. They’ll keep for up to 3 months, and you can thaw them at room temperature when you’re ready to enjoy. If you want to freeze the cookie dough balls, skip the powdered sugar step until you’re ready to bake.
Looking for More Festive Cookie Recipes?
If you’re looking for more festive cookie recipes to add to your lineup, try my White Chocolate Peppermint Cookies, Sand Tarts, or Molasses Crinkle Cookies next!
What to Serve With Red Velvet Cookies
Serve these beautiful red velvet chocolate crinkles cookies with a scoop of ice cream for an extra special dessert. They also go well with a tall glass of milk or a cup of hot coffee!
If you want to make a Christmas cookie board, I recommend serving them with my pecan shortbread and cranberry bliss bars!
It’s the Sweetest Season to Support Kids Cancer Research
This recipe is part of The Sweetest Season, an annual virtual cookie swap co-hosted by Erin of The Speckled Palate and Susannah of Feast + West. Every year, food bloggers get together to share new holiday cookie recipes to make and give.
This year we are raising money for Cookies 4 Kids’ Cancer, which is a recognized 501(c)3 non-profit organization dedicated to funding research for new, innovative and less-toxic treatments for childhood cancer.
Since 2008, Cookies for Kids’ Cancer has granted nearly $18 million to pediatric cancer research in the form of 100+ research grants to leading pediatric cancer centers across the country. From these grants have stemmed 35+ treatments available to kids battling cancer today.
Help us raise money for this important cause! Donate through our fundraising page.
Another exciting thing is that Cookies for Kids’ Cancer is in a matching window with their friends at OXO, meaning OXO will be matching every dollar raised through the end of 2024, up to $100,000. Whatever money we raise will automatically double on our fundraising page!
Love this recipe? Bookmark it for the future!
Simply tap the heart symbol located in the lower right corner of your screen, and the recipe will be securely stored in your own recipe box.
Red Velvet Cake Crinkle Cookies
Ingredients
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 1 15.25 oz. pkg. red velvet cake mix
- ½ teaspoon cornstarch
- ½ cup powdered sugar sifted
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs and oil, then add the cake mix and cornstarch, stirring until well combined. Chill the dough for 20 to 30 minutes.
- Place sifted powdered sugar in a small bowl. Remove the dough from the refrigerator and use a medium cookie scoop to portion it into balls.
- Roll each ball in the powdered sugar, coating evenly, and arrange them on the prepared cookie sheets about 2 inches apart.
- Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the tops are cracked and look set (the centers will still be soft). Let the cookies cool on the pans for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
- Don’t skip chilling the dough! Chilling keeps the dough from spreading too much and gives you that thick, soft center.
- Roll twice in powdered sugar. For the most dramatic crinkles, roll once, let it sit for a few seconds, then roll again before baking. It makes a big difference!
- Avoid overbaking the cookies. Pull them out when the tops are cracked and just set. Trust me, they’ll finish cooking on the pan!
- Wear gloves when rolling the cookie dough! I know it might seem like overkill, but it will prevent the red color from dyeing your hands!
- Cool completely before storing. These cookies are soft, and if you stack them warm, they’ll stick together. So let them cool before storing!
- To store: Store the cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. To keep them extra soft, add a slice of sandwich bread to the container (a little Southern trick that works like magic).
- To freeze before baking: You can freeze the cookie dough ball by placing them on a cookie sheet and freezing for about an hour. Then, place them into a ziplock bag and freeze until you are ready to bake! Dip them in powdered sugar, and bake, adding about 1-2 minutes to the bake time.
- To freeze after baking: Just layer them with parchment paper in a freezer-safe bag or container. Thaw at room temperature before serving, and they’ll taste freshly baked all over again.
Nutrition
Life Love and Good Food does not claim to be a registered dietician or nutritionist. Nutritional information shared on this site is only an estimate. We recommend running the ingredients through an online nutritional calculator if you need to verify any information.
