Description
These Red Velvet Spritz Cookies are festive, buttery, and rich with a hint of cocoa and classic red velvet flavor. Piped into fun shapes using a cookie press and lightly sprinkled with sugar for a delightful sparkle, they’re perfect for holiday gatherings or gifting. Soft yet crisp around the edges, these cookies pair beautifully with tea or coffee and can be decorated further for added flair.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
Wet Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tbsp red gel food coloring (adjust to desired color intensity)
- 1/2 tsp white vinegar (optional, helps enhance color)
Optional
- Sugar for rolling or sprinkling (optional, for added texture)
Instructions
- Prepare the Dough: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat to prevent sticking and ensure even baking.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, unsweetened cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt. Set this mixture aside for later incorporation.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened unsalted butter and granulated sugar together until the mixture becomes light and fluffy. This process usually takes about 3 minutes and helps create the perfect texture for the cookies.
- Add Wet Ingredients: Incorporate the large egg, vanilla extract, and red gel food coloring into the creamed butter and sugar. Beat until everything is smooth and fully combined. Add a splash of white vinegar if you’re using it to enhance the red color intensity.
- Combine Dry and Wet Mixtures: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients while mixing gently. Stop mixing as soon as the dough is combined to avoid overworking it. The dough should be soft but firm enough to hold shape when piped.
- Pipe the Cookies: Fill a cookie press with the prepared dough. Choose your favorite shape disc such as stars, hearts, or other festive shapes. On the prepared baking sheet, press the dough into shapes spaced roughly 1 inch apart.
- Add Optional Sugar: If desired, lightly sprinkle the cookie shapes with sugar to add a subtle crunch and sparkle to the finished cookies.
- Bake: Place the baking sheet into the preheated oven and bake the cookies for 8-10 minutes, or until the edges start to become slightly firm. Watch closely as spritz cookies bake quickly and can burn easily.
- Cool the Cookies: Remove the cookies from the oven and allow them to cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes so they set properly. Then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Serve and Enjoy: Once fully cooled, serve these charming Red Velvet Spritz Cookies with tea or coffee. You can also decorate them further with icing or sprinkles for added festivity or package them as thoughtful homemade gifts.
Notes
- Adjust the amount of red gel food coloring to achieve your preferred shade of red.
- Using white vinegar is optional but helps intensify the red color of the cookies.
- Use a cookie press for the characteristic spritz shapes; otherwise, you can roll and cut the dough if preferred.
- Keep an eye on baking time to prevent the cookies from browning too much.
- Cookies will firm up as they cool; handle gently when transferring from baking sheet to wire rack.
- For added variety, decorate cookies with icing, sprinkles, or edible glitter after cooling.
