Description
These Red Velvet Chocolate Heart Cookies are soft, rich, and bursting with a perfect balance of chocolate and classic red velvet flavors. Featuring a tender, melt-in-your-mouth texture, a vibrant red hue, and a fun heart shape, they are ideal for holidays, birthdays, or any special occasion. Finished with luscious cream cheese frosting, these festive cookies are simple to make with common pantry ingredients and guaranteed to become a new favorite tradition.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup cocoa powder (good quality)
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Wet Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons red food coloring
- 1/4 cup buttermilk (or milk as substitute)
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 8 oz cream cheese, softened
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Prepare Your Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt to ensure even distribution and set the stage for perfectly textured cookies.
- Cream the Butter and Sugar: Using a stand or hand mixer, cream the unsalted butter and granulated sugar together until light and fluffy. This step is critical for creating a soft, tender cookie texture.
- Add Eggs, Vanilla, Red Food Coloring, and Buttermilk: Beat in the eggs one at a time, followed by vanilla extract, red food coloring, and buttermilk. The buttermilk adds moisture and reacts with leavening agents to create tenderness.
- Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, mixing on low speed until just combined. Avoid overmixing to keep the cookies soft rather than tough.
- Chill the Dough: Cover the dough and refrigerate for at least one hour. Chilling helps firm up the dough, making it easier to roll and cut into heart shapes.
- Roll, Cut, and Bake: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Roll the dough on a floured surface to about 1/4-inch thickness, then use a heart-shaped cookie cutter to cut out shapes. Place the cookies on a lined baking sheet and bake for 10-12 minutes.
- Cool and Frost: Allow cookies to cool completely before frosting with cream cheese icing, creating the perfect balance of warm red velvet and creamy sweetness.
Notes
- Chill the dough to prevent spreading and maintain the heart shape.
- Use high-quality cocoa powder for an intensified chocolate flavor.
- Measure flour carefully by spooning and leveling to avoid dry cookies.
- Do not overbake; remove cookies when edges are set but centers remain soft to keep chewy texture.
- Make frosting ahead of time to save prep time and allow flavors to meld.
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 12 mins
- Category: Desserts
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 180 kcal
- Sugar: 20 g
- Sodium: 110 mg
- Fat: 9 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 24 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 25 mg
Keywords: red velvet, heart cookies, chocolate, dessert, cream cheese frosting, festive cookies, Valentine's Day, soft cookies
