The classic flavors of red velvet cake, but in gluten-free cookie form. These soft cookies are topped with the best cream cheese icing you’ll ever have – and sprinkles of course!
*If you don’t need these gluten-free, check the recipe notes on how to make them with traditional flour!
Valentine’s Day is the perfect time to indulge on fun treats. I always make red velvet cupcakes to celebrate, but this year I wanted to come up with variation to change things up a bit. Cookies are always a crowd pleaser, and these my friends, are not exception.
These cute little cookies have everything a classic red velvet cake would have, except these are gluten-free and in cookie form! They are soft, sweet, slightly tangy, and piled with the best cream cheese frosting.
If you’ve ever had Italian cookies (also know as ricotta cookies), these are similar to those in texture. They are slightly cake like, but in a good way. Soft, light and with the perfect hint of chocolate flavor! The cream cheese icing makes them, so be sure to pile it on.
You might notice the cookies aren’t really that red. I actually don’t like when red velvet cake (and these cookies) are bright red – it just looks to unnatural to me. I did add food coloring to give them a little color, but I find too much gives them an off taste. However, if you want them to be a brighter red, just double the food coloring in the recipe.
I could eat a whole plate full of these red velvet cookies. Seriously, they are that good! They are also really easy to make. Whip up a batch for your Valentine!
- 280 Grams Gluten-Free Flour Blend*
- ¼ Cup Cocoa Powder
- ½ Teaspoon Baking Powder
- ½ Teaspoon Baking Soda
- ½ Teaspoon Salt
- ¼ Teaspoon Xanthan Gum*
- 6 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter, at room temperature
- ½ Cup Granulated Sugar
- ½ Cup Light Brown Sugar
- 2 Eggs, at room temperature
- 2 Tablespoons Buttermilk
- 1 Tablespoon White Vinegar
- 1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- 1 ½ Tablespoons Red Food Coloring*
- 8 oz. Cream Cheese, softened*
- 4 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter, softened
- 1 Cup Powdered Sugar
- 1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- Pinch of Salt
- ¼ Cup Heavy Cream, cold
- Red and Pink Sprinkles, for decorating
- Preheat the oven to 350º.
- Combine the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, salt, and xanthan gum in a medium bowl.
- Cream together the butter, sugar, and brown sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer until well combined and creamy.
- With the mixer running on low speed, add in the eggs one at a time. Add in the buttermilk, vinegar, vanilla, and red food coloring; mix well.
- Slowly add in the dry ingredients and mix until just combined.
- Chill the dough for 30 minutes.
- Drop about a tablespoon of the dough onto a parchment-lined cookie sheet, leaving 1-inch of space in between each cookie.
- Bake the cookies for 10-12 minutes or until set. Let cool completely on a cooling rack before frosting.
- Combine the cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, vanilla, and pinch of salt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat on medium speed until very creamy. Add in the cream and beat until light and fluffy, about 1 minute.
- Frost each cookie with the cream cheese icing and top with sprinkles.
- Swap out the gluten-free flour blend for 2 cups of all-purpose flour. Omit the xanthan gum.
- *If you want the cookies to have a brighter red hue, double the food coloring. I personally prefer them darker.
- *You want the cream cheese to be softened, not at room temperature. It takes about an hour to get it softened.
So excited these are gluten free! I just love red velvet. I’ve had red velvet cake and red velvet cupcakes, but never red velvet cookies. How is that possible? I must change that asap! This will be perfect for Valentines Day : )
Natalie @ Tastes Lovely recently posted…Healthy Chocolate Tart (Paleo, Vegan, GF)
If you love red velvet cake, you’ll definitely love these cookies! I can’t stop eating them and you’d never know they are gluten-free! I’ve shared them with 3 different people and no one had a clue!
Love that these are gluten free! You would never know by looking at them they look so decadent!
Kelley Simmons recently posted…Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Granola
Thanks Kelley! You’d never know by the taste either – they are so good!
Whaaaaat, Red Velvet Cookies? Yes please. I love that these are gluten free, they look amazing!! And…I am obsessed with cream cheese icing.
Annie @ The Garlic Diaries recently posted…Quinoa Fried Rice
Thanks, Annie! This cream cheese icing is amazing – like, eat with a spoon amazing! 😉
YUM! I love cake-like cookies so these look awesome. Sometimes red velvet is too rich, so I’m sure these are just perfect! 🙂
Andrea @ Chocolate & Sea Salt recently posted…{Slow Cooker} Creamy Basil Chicken
Yes these are the perfect little bite of red velvet without being too rich! I wish I still had some of these because I could sure go for one right about now! 😉