Effortless Red Velvet Crinkle Cookies: A 4-Ingredient Cake Mix Recipe for Any Occasion
Discover pure joy in every bite with these incredibly soft and wonderfully chewy Red Velvet Crinkles! This delightful red velvet cake mix cookie recipe requires just four simple ingredients, making it an absolute breeze to whip up. Whether you’re craving a sweet chocolate treat any time of year or looking for the perfect festive addition to your holiday spread, these fudgy red velvet cookies, beautifully adorned in a snowy powdered sugar coating, are always a sensational choice. Their vibrant color and delectable flavor make them a standout dessert that everyone will adore.
Irresistibly Chewy Red Velvet Cookies Made Simple
There’s something truly magical about gooey red velvet crinkle cookies, especially when they’re made effortlessly from a cake mix. Don’t you agree that these rank among the best cookies ever created? The holiday season, with all its festive cheer, is naturally brimming with an array of delicious sweet treats. And among them, these soft, vibrant red cake mix cookies shine particularly bright. Their stunning crimson hue and snowy white powdered sugar coating make them an instant hit, perfect for adding a touch of elegance and whimsy to any dessert table.
While they are an absolute Christmas favorite, these beautiful cookies aren’t just limited to the festive season. Their striking red color makes them ideal for other special occasions, too. Imagine them gracing your Valentine’s Day celebration, adding a patriotic flair to your Fourth of July picnic, or simply brightening any fun gathering throughout the year. If you share my passion for all things red velvet, you’ll understand the irresistible allure of these treats. Beyond these delightful cookies, some of my other top red velvet recipes include a wonderfully sweet Red Velvet Cheeseball (which can be shaped like a heart for an exquisite Valentine Dessert Board!) and perfectly smooth Red Velvet Truffles. Truly yummy!
This red velvet crinkle cookie recipe boasts a remarkable simplicity, requiring only four ingredients and no butter. This makes it incredibly easy and the perfect solution for those moments when you need a quick yet impressive baked good. These cookies are a superb addition to any holiday cookie tray, adding a splash of color and a burst of flavor. They also make thoughtful and delicious gifts, sure to bring smiles to friends and family. Everyone will fall in love with these soft, fudgy crinkles because their taste and texture are so reminiscent of classic, rich red velvet cake.
Why This Cake Mix Cookie Recipe is a Must-Try
You might be wondering what makes this particular red velvet crinkle cookie recipe stand out from the rest. Here’s why it’s not just good, but truly the best, especially when you need a reliable, delicious, and stress-free dessert solution:
- Incredibly Easy: This recipe truly epitomizes simplicity. With just a few straightforward steps, you’ll have delicious cookies ready in no time. Forget about complicated techniques or lengthy ingredient lists; this dessert is designed to keep your holidays (or any busy day) completely stress-free. All it takes is mixing the cake batter in a single bowl, rolling the dough in powdered sugar, and then baking them to perfection. Minimal cleanup, maximum enjoyment!
- Absolutely Delicious: Prepare your taste buds for an explosion of rich red velvet flavor! These crinkle cookies are celebrated for their incredibly gooey, chewy, and pillowy-soft texture. Each bite offers a delightful balance of moistness and a distinct cocoa undertone, characteristic of authentic red velvet. The fudgy interior perfectly complements the delicate crunch from the powdered sugar crust. Once you try them, you’ll understand why these cake mix cookies are so beloved, and you certainly won’t regret adding this recipe to your repertoire!
- Remarkably Versatile: One of the aspects I adore most about these festive cookies is their impressive versatility. While red velvet is a classic, the foundation of this recipe allows for endless customization. You can essentially use almost any type of cake mix to create an entirely different flavor profile and color scheme. Imagine lemon crinkles for spring, rich chocolate crinkles for a deeper indulgence, vibrant vanilla or strawberry for a whimsical touch. The possibilities are truly endless, allowing you to tailor your cookies to any event, theme, or personal preference. This adaptability makes them perfect for various holidays and celebrations beyond just Christmas, offering a unique opportunity to get creative with your baking.
Essential Ingredients for Perfect Crinkles
Crafting these irresistible red velvet crinkle cookies is as straightforward as it gets, thanks to our minimal ingredient list. You only need four items to achieve baking perfection! For precise measurements, please refer to the detailed recipe card below.
CAKE MIX: The star of our show is one standard box of red velvet cake mix, typically 15.25 ounces. This convenient ingredient not only provides the iconic red velvet flavor and vibrant color but also ensures a consistent and wonderfully soft texture without the need for multiple dry ingredients. From just one box, you can yield approximately 30 delicious cookies, ensuring you’ll have plenty to share (or savor yourself!). The cake mix base is what makes this recipe so incredibly easy and foolproof.
EGGS: You’ll need two whole eggs to bind our cookie dough together. Eggs play a crucial role in the texture of these cookies, contributing to their chewiness and helping to create that perfect, slightly crumbly yet moist interior. They also act as a leavening agent, giving the cookies a slight lift and contributing to their pillowy-soft consistency.
OIL: A third of a cup of vegetable oil is key to making these cake mix cookies exceptionally moist and giving them that signature fudgy texture that so closely resembles a classic red velvet cake. Unlike butter, which can sometimes make cookies crispier, oil ensures a consistently soft and tender crumb. Any neutral-flavored vegetable oil, such as canola or sunflower oil, will work perfectly here, blending seamlessly into the dough to deliver maximum moisture.
POWDERED SUGAR: To achieve the iconic “crinkle” effect and add an extra layer of sweetness, you will need approximately half a cup of powdered sugar (also known as confectioner’s sugar). This sugar is essential for rolling the cookie dough balls before baking. The heavy coating of powdered sugar creates a beautiful contrast against the rich red dough. As the cookies bake and spread, the sugar coating cracks, forming those distinctive, beautiful crinkles that give these cookies their charming appearance. It’s the magic behind their unique visual appeal!
How to Make Decadent Red Velvet Crinkles
Creating these stunning red velvet crinkle cookies is a simple and rewarding process. Just follow these easy steps to bake a batch of homemade goodness that looks as impressive as it tastes.
Step 1: Mix the Cake Batter
Begin by preheating your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit (190 degrees Celsius). While the oven heats up, prepare a baking sheet by lining it with parchment paper. This step prevents sticking and ensures easy cleanup. Next, in a medium-sized mixing bowl, combine the entire box of red velvet cake mix with the two whole eggs and the vegetable oil. Using a sturdy spoon or a rubber spatula, mix all the ingredients thoroughly until they are evenly combined. Make sure there are no dry pockets of cake mix remaining, but be careful not to overmix, as this can lead to tougher cookies. You’re looking for a thick, cohesive, vibrant red dough.
Step 2: Coat in Powdered Sugar
Once your dough is ready, it’s time to form the cookie balls. Using a small cookie scoop (or about a tablespoon of dough per cookie), portion out the red velvet dough. Gently roll each portion between your palms to form perfectly round balls. This step helps ensure even baking and a beautiful shape.
Next, carefully roll each dough ball into a bowl of powdered sugar. This is a critical step for achieving the signature crinkle effect. Be sure to coat each dough ball generously and heavily in the sugar. Don’t be shy – a thick layer of powdered sugar is what allows those beautiful cracks to form as the cookies bake and expand, creating the classic crinkled appearance.
Step 3: Bake the Cookies
Once coated, place the powdered sugar-dusted cookie dough balls onto your prepared baking sheet, leaving about two inches between each cookie to allow for spreading. Bake the cookies in the preheated oven for precisely eight minutes. This short baking time is key to keeping them incredibly soft and chewy, preventing them from becoming dry or hard. After eight minutes, remove them from the oven. They might look slightly underdone in the center, but this is exactly what contributes to their fudgy texture once cooled.
Allow the cookies to rest and cool on the hot cookie sheet for a minute or two before carefully transferring them to a wire cooling rack to cool completely. This brief resting period on the sheet pan allows them to firm up slightly without overcooking. Once fully cooled, store any leftover cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to five days to maintain their freshness and irresistible chewiness.
Love This Recipe? Pin It for Later!
Don’t let this incredible recipe slip away! Be sure to save these delightful red velvet crinkle cookies for all your future holiday baking needs. Pin this fudgy cookie recipe to your Christmas, Valentine’s Day, or “Must-Bake Desserts” boards so you can easily find it whenever a craving strikes or an occasion calls for something special!
Delicious Variations and Expert Tips for Your Crinkle Cookies
While this red velvet crinkle cookie recipe is fantastic as is, there are always ways to customize and perfect your baking experience. Here are some creative variations and crucial tips to ensure your cookies turn out perfectly every time:
- Explore Flavor Variations: The beauty of using a cake mix is the endless possibilities for flavor! Instead of traditional red velvet, unleash your creativity by using other cake mix flavors. Imagine vibrant lemon crinkles for a zesty treat, rich chocolate crinkles for an intense cocoa experience, delicate vanilla crinkles, or playful strawberry crinkles for a burst of fruity sweetness. You can even match the cake mix flavor to seasonal themes – think pumpkin spice for autumn or funfetti for birthdays!
- Elevate with Frosting: To take these delicious cookies to the next level, consider adding a luscious topping. A smear of homemade white chocolate cream cheese frosting would perfectly complement the red velvet flavor, adding an extra layer of decadence. You can also create charming cookie sandwiches by filling two cookies with your favorite frosting for an extra special treat.
- Do NOT Chill the Dough: This is a crucial tip for crinkle cookies! Unlike many other cookie recipes, you absolutely should not chill this dough. The warmth of the dough, combined with the generous powdered sugar coating, is what allows those signature cracks to form as the cookies bake and expand. Chilling the dough can prevent the sugar from cracking properly, resulting in cookies that may not have the desired crinkled appearance.
- Avoid Overbaking for Softness: The key to achieving that wonderfully soft and chewy texture is to avoid overbaking. These cookies are baked for a mere eight minutes. When they come out of the oven, they might seem slightly soft or even a little underdone in the center, but they will continue to set as they cool on the baking sheet and then on the wire rack. Overbaking will lead to dry, hard cookies, so keep a close eye on them and trust the short baking time.
- Optimal Storage: Once completely cooled, store your red velvet crinkle cookies in an airtight container at room temperature. They will remain fresh, soft, and delicious for up to five days. For longer storage, these cookies freeze beautifully. Simply place them in a freezer-safe bag or container for up to three months. Thaw at room temperature before serving.
- Perfect for Gifting: These visually appealing and delicious cookies make fantastic homemade gifts. Arrange them neatly in a decorative tin or box, tie with a ribbon, and you have a thoughtful present perfect for neighbors, teachers, or hosts during the holidays.
- Serving Suggestions: Enjoy these cookies with a cold glass of milk, a warm cup of coffee, or even alongside a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream for an indulgent dessert experience.
The Sweetest Season And Cookies For Kids’ Cancer
As I mentioned earlier, today’s recipe is shared in honor of The Sweetest Season, a heartwarming event dedicated to spreading joy through baking. The Sweetest Season is proudly hosted by my wonderful blogger friend, Erin from The Speckled Palate. She has been passionately organizing this annual cookie baking event for the past 10 years, bringing together bakers from all over to share their festive creations. This year, embracing the true spirit of giving back during the holiday season, we are incredibly proud to be supporting an organization that actively funds vital treatments for children and their families who are bravely battling childhood cancers.
This week, as bloggers across the country share their favorite cookie recipes, we are collectively raising money in dedicated support of Cookies for Kids’ Cancer. It’s an opportunity to turn our love for baking into meaningful action, helping to make a tangible difference in the lives of these courageous children.
Did you know? Understanding Childhood Cancer
It’s important to be aware of the stark realities surrounding childhood cancer. Here are some critical facts:
- Tragically, cancer is the leading cause of death by disease among children in the U.S.
- Currently, more than 40,000 U.S. children are actively fighting cancer.
- The average age for a child diagnosed with pediatric cancer is a tender 6 years old.
- Despite the widespread impact, the combined 12 major groups of pediatric cancers receive only 4% of the National Cancer Institute’s (NCI) federal budget.
- A concerning two-thirds of pediatric cancer patients will develop long-term side effects, many of which are life-threatening, as a direct result of the very treatments that “cured” them.
- Globally, over 300,000 new cases of cancer affect children each year, meaning more than 800 new children are diagnosed every single day.
- Cookies for Kids’ Cancer is steadfastly committed to funding crucial research for new, improved, and less toxic treatment options specifically designed for children.
More About Cookies for Kids’ Cancer
Cookies for Kids’ Cancer is a highly respected 501(c)3 non-profit organization. Their mission is singularly focused on funding groundbreaking research for new, innovative, and crucially, less-toxic treatments for childhood cancer. Since its inception in 2008, Cookies for Kids’ Cancer has achieved remarkable success, granting nearly $17 million towards pediatric cancer research. This substantial funding has supported over 100 research grants to leading pediatric cancer centers across the United States. Thanks to these grants, more than 35 new treatments are now available to children who are bravely fighting cancer today, offering them better chances and improved quality of life.
We invite you to join us in supporting this incredibly worthwhile organization. Here is our dedicated fundraising page where you can contribute to this vital cause. Every donation, no matter how small, makes a significant impact.
Adding to the impact, Cookies for Kids’ Cancer is currently in a special matching window with their generous friends at OXO. OXO will be matching every dollar raised through the end of 2021, up to an incredible $100,000. This means that whatever money we collectively raise will automatically be doubled on our fundraising page, maximizing our contribution to finding better treatments for children with cancer! Your support goes twice as far during this crucial period.
More Holiday Cookies You Will Love
If you’re anything like me, the holiday season means an abundance of delicious homemade cookies! After you’ve enjoyed these Red Velvet Crinkles, be sure to explore some of these other fantastic holiday cookie recipes perfect for sharing, gifting, or simply indulging:
- Old-Fashioned Iced Molasses Cookies: A classic, warmly spiced cookie with a delightful glaze.
- Christmas Spritz Cookies: Elegant, buttery cookies that are fun to make with a cookie press.
- White Chocolate Peppermint Cookies: A festive combination of rich white chocolate and refreshing peppermint.
- Peppermint Dipped Chocolate Chip Cookies: A holiday twist on a beloved classic, perfect for mint lovers.
- Dipped Shortbread Cookies: Simple, buttery shortbread cookies elevated with a chocolate dip.
- Frosted Eggnog Cookies: Capture the essence of the holidays with these spiced, frosted delights.
- Peanut Butter Kiss Cookies: A nostalgic favorite with a chewy peanut butter base and a chocolate kiss.
Now, let’s get baking and fill our homes with the wonderful aroma of Christmas Red Velvet Cookies! 
LIKE THIS RECIPE?
Don’t forget to give it a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ star rating and
leave a comment below the recipe!
Print Recipe
Red Velvet Crinkles
Equipment
-
Wilton Stainless Steel Cookie Scoop
-
13×18 Half Sheet Pan
-
Glass Batter Bowl
-
Rubber Spatulas
Ingredients
- 1 15.25 ounce box Red Velvet Cake Mix
- 2 eggs
- 1/3 cup vegetable oil
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
Instructions
-
Preheat oven to 375 degrees and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
-
In a mixing bowl, combine cake mix with eggs and vegetable oil until combined.
-
Using a small cookie scoop, form dough balls. Roll each ball in powdered sugar, coating heavily.
-
Place each cookie dough ball on the lined cookie sheet and bake for 8 minutes.
-
Let cookies stand on the cookie sheet for a minute or so before transferring to a cooling rack to cool.
-
Store in an airtight container.
Notes
Nutrition
