Red Velvet Sandwich Cookies

These soft and cake-like red velvet sandwich cookies are a fantastic classic or festive treat! And with a dreamy cream cheese frosting filling, they are impossible to resist. Vegetarian.

Several Red Velvet Sandwich Cookies and a piping bag of frosting.

Note: This recipe is NOT dairy free. It was published before Cook Nourish Bliss transitioned to dairy free recipes and remains popular with long time readers. You can try using substitutions to make it dairy free, however I have not tested this myself and can’t say how it will turn out.

Oh, red velvet.  One of my very favorite flavors of cake.  I like it so much that I sometimes do shady things so I can have it.  

Take my own wedding for example.  The hotel that we got married at did all the catering and baking for our big day and on the list for cakes they only offered vanilla and chocolate.  

So my husband (then fiancé) and I agreed ahead of time that we wanted to go with vanilla.

He couldn’t be there the day of our appointment to pick out the cake, so my mom went with me instead.  I somehow managed to launch into a giant ramble about how much I love red velvet and the lady said they could definitely make that instead.  

I jumped at the opportunity (with my mom nodding along – she was my sidekick I tell you, it wasn’t all my fault!).

Several unassembled Red Velvet Cookies on a wire cooling rack.

When we got home and I told my husband what happened (in all my excitement), he was a little, ahem, not so pleased that I changed the cake.   

Oops.  It’s okay though – he ended up loving it at the wedding.  Red velvet for the win.

So, let’s get back to these cookies.  I wanted something red velvet but didn’t want to bother with making a whole cake.  These were a perfect compromise.  

The cookies themselves are soft and cake-like, yet are still just a slight bit chewy.  

And then there’s the cream cheese frosting.  Which can do no wrong in my book.  

If you want to get festive for the Fourth of July, go right ahead and roll the edges in some blue sprinkles.  That was my plan until I realized I was out of blue sprinkles.  Another oops.

Red Velvet Sandwich Cookies stacked on a white cake platter.

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Red Velvet Sandwich Cookies | Cookie Monster Cooking

Red Velvet Sandwich Cookies

Yield: about 15 sandwich cookies
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 8 minutes
Total Time: 38 minutes

These soft and cake-like red velvet sandwich cookies are a fantastic classic or festive treat! And with a dreamy cream cheese frosting filling, they are impossible to resist. Vegetarian. 

Ingredients

For the cookies:

  • 1 ⅓ cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ cup (½ of a stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • ½ cup packed light brown sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 tablespoons buttermilk
  • 2 teaspoons white distilled vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 tablespoon red food coloring

For the frosting:

  • 8 ounces cream cheese, chilled
  • 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 2 ½ to 3 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted

Instructions

To make the cookies:

  1. Preheat the oven to 375ºF. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
  2. In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
  3. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add the butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar. Cream on medium speed for about 2 to 3 minutes.
  4. Add in the eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition until combined. Add in the buttermilk, vinegar, vanilla and food coloring. Beat until combined. With the mixer on low speed, slowly add in the flour mixture and beat until just combined.
  5. Scoop about a heaping tablespoon of dough (I used my small cookie scoop) and drop onto the prepared baking sheet, spacing about two to three inches apart (they will spread quite a bit during baking).
  6. Bake for 8 to 9 minutes. The cookies should look cake-like and set. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 3 to 5 minutes, then remove to a wire rack to cool completely.

To make the frosting:

  1. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add the cream cheese, butter and vanilla. Beat on medium high until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
  2. Add the confectioners’ sugar to the bowl in two batches, beating on low until combined (use the higher quantity of confectioners’ sugar for a stiffer frosting). Increase the speed to medium high and beat for another 1 to 2 minutes.
  3. Match up the cooled cookies by size (so that the two halves are as close in size as possible). Pipe (or spread) the frosting on one cookie. Top with the second and press down lightly to form the sandwiches.
  4. Store cookies in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Notes

Depending on how much frosting you like, you can probably decrease the quantities by a ¼ or so (I had a little bit leftover).

Cookies adapted from Paula Deen. Frosting adapted from The Brewer and The Baker.

Nutrition Information:
Yield: 15 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 290Total Fat: 13gSaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 58mgSodium: 188mgCarbohydrates: 41gFiber: 0gSugar: 31gProtein: 3g

Nutrition data shown is an estimate provided by an online calculator and is for informational purposes only. It should not be considered a substitute for a medical professional’s advice.