Description

These Ultimate Red Velvet Chocolate Chip Cookies combine rich cocoa, vibrant red color, and a mix of white, milk, and dark chocolate chunks for a beautifully flavored, soft, and gooey treat. Perfectly balanced with a hint of vinegar to enhance the red velvet flavor and a touch of sea salt for contrast, these cookies are a delightful twist on the classic chocolate chip cookie.

Ingredients

Scale

Main Ingredients

10 tbsp unsalted butter (140g)
½ cup light or dark brown sugar, packed (100g)
⅓ cup white sugar (65g)
1 large egg
1 egg yolk
1 tbsp vanilla bean paste
½ tsp vinegar
½ tbsp gel red food color

Dry Ingredients

1 ¼ cup all purpose flour (160g)
2 tbsp Dutch processed cocoa powder (12g)
¾ tsp salt (can reduce to ½ tsp for less salty cookies)
½ tsp baking powder
¼ tsp baking soda

Chocolate

8 oz or 225g chopped chocolate - mix of white, milk, and dark (3 oz white, 2.5 oz dark, 2.5 oz milk preferred)
Optional: flakey sea salt to sprinkle on top

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

Brown the Butter: Place the unsalted butter in a non-stick pan over medium-low heat. Stir consistently for a few minutes until the butter takes on a caramel-y nutty aroma and starts to brown.
Add Sugars: Lower the heat to the lowest setting and add the brown and white sugars. Whisk gently for 1 minute to help dissolve the sugars without caramelizing or melting them. The mixture may look grainy, which is normal. Remove from heat.
Cool Mixture: Allow the butter and sugar mixture to cool for 5 minutes until warm but not hot to the touch.
Mix Wet Ingredients: Add the large egg, egg yolk, vanilla bean paste, vinegar, and gel red food color to the cooled butter mixture. Whisk vigorously for approximately 2 minutes until smooth and creamy.
Prepare Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, sift together the all-purpose flour, Dutch processed cocoa powder, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Mix these dry ingredients well.
Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients: Ensure the wet ingredient mixture is not hot. Gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet using a rubber spatula until just combined to avoid overmixing.
Add Chocolate Chunks: Fold in the chopped white, milk, and dark chocolate pieces carefully until evenly distributed throughout the dough.
Shape Cookie Balls: Using a 2-tablespoon cookie scoop, divide the dough into 10 balls. If the dough is too runny to shape, refrigerate for 10 minutes. Gently pull the dough together rather than pressing tightly.
Chill Dough: Place the cookie balls on a plate or baking sheet and optionally add a few extra chocolate chunks on top. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours, preferably overnight, to develop flavor and texture.
Preheat Oven and Prepare Baking Sheet: Preheat your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a large, light-colored cookie sheet with parchment paper for best results.
Arrange Cookies and Bake: Transfer chilled cookie balls to the prepared sheet, spacing them at least 3 inches apart. Bake for 12 minutes to achieve a soft, gooey center. For desired texture, consider baking a test cookie first.
Add Finishing Touches: Optionally sprinkle flakey sea salt over cookies immediately after removing from the oven. Allow cookies to cool at room temperature for 10-15 minutes to set.
Serve: Enjoy the cookies warm for the best texture and flavor experience.

Notes

For the ultimate texture, eat these cookies freshly baked. If not fresh, microwave for 10-15 seconds to warm.
You can freeze cookie dough balls in an airtight container and bake directly from frozen by increasing baking time by 2-3 minutes.
If the dough feels too soft to scoop, refrigerate for at least 10 minutes before shaping.
Reduce salt slightly if you prefer less salty cookies.
Use a combination of white, milk, and dark chocolates as per personal preference for balanced flavor complexity.

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 cookie
Calories: 290 kcal
Sugar: 18 g
Sodium: 190 mg
Fat: 17 g
Saturated Fat: 9 g
Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
Trans Fat: 0.2 g
Carbohydrates: 30 g
Fiber: 1.5 g
Protein: 3 g
Cholesterol: 70 mg