Description
These Ultimate Red Velvet Chocolate Chip Cookies combine the rich flavor of red velvet with the indulgence of mixed chocolate chunks. Caramelized butter and a blend of cocoa and flour create a soft, chewy texture, while the mixture of white, milk, and dark chocolate adds a luscious bite. Perfect for a special dessert or cozy treat, these cookies are best enjoyed fresh but can be refrigerated or frozen for convenience.
Ingredients
Scale
Wet 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
- ½ tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp baking soda
Add-ins
- 8 oz chopped chocolate (225g) - mix of white, milk, and dark chocolate (3 oz white, 2.5 oz dark, 2.5 oz milk)
- Optional: flakey sea salt to sprinkle on top
Instructions
- Brown the butter: Place the unsalted butter in a non-stick pan over medium-low heat. Stir continuously for a few minutes until the butter turns brown and releases a caramel-y nutty aroma.
- Add sugars: Lower the heat to the lowest setting, add brown and white sugars, and whisk gently for 1 minute. Remove from heat. The sugars should dissolve slightly without caramelizing; the mixture may look grainy.
- Cool the mixture: Let the butter and sugar mixture cool off for 5 minutes until warm but not hot.
- Mix wet ingredients: Add the egg, egg yolk, vanilla bean paste, vinegar, and gel red food color to the warm butter mixture. Whisk vigorously for about 2 minutes until smooth and creamy.
- Combine dry ingredients: Sift together the all-purpose flour, Dutch processed cocoa powder, salt, baking powder, and baking soda in a separate bowl. Mix well.
- Incorporate dry into wet: Ensure the wet ingredients are warm, not hot. Gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet mixture using a rubber spatula until just combined. Avoid overmixing.
- Fold in chocolate chunks: Carefully fold in the chopped mixed chocolates until evenly distributed.
- Form cookie dough balls: Use a 2 tablespoon cookie scoop to make 10 dough balls. If the dough feels too runny to scoop, refrigerate it for 10 minutes. Shape dough gently without pressing.
- Prepare for chilling: Place dough balls on a plate or baking sheet, optionally adding some extra chocolate chunks on top. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours or ideally overnight for best texture.
- Preheat oven and prepare baking sheet: Preheat the oven to 375F (conventional, no fan). Line a large, light-colored baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Arrange cookies for baking: Transfer the chilled dough balls to the baking sheet, leaving at least 3 inches between each cookie to allow for spreading.
- Bake the cookies: Bake for 12 minutes, or adjust time to achieve desired softness and gooeyness. It’s recommended to bake a test cookie first.
- Finish and cool: Optionally sprinkle flakey sea salt on top immediately after baking. Let cookies cool on the baking sheet at room temperature for 10-15 minutes before serving.
Notes
- These cookies have the best texture when eaten freshly baked but can be microwaved for 10-15 seconds to refresh if not fresh.
- Cookie dough balls can be frozen in an airtight container and baked directly from frozen; increase baking time by 2-3 minutes accordingly.
- For a less salty flavor, reduce salt in dry ingredients from ¾ tsp to ½ tsp.
- Adjust the ratio of white, milk, and dark chocolate chunks to your preference for varied flavor profiles.
- Letting the dough chill overnight improves flavor and cookie texture significantly.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 280 kcal
- Sugar: 18 g
- Sodium: 110 mg
- Fat: 15 g
- Saturated Fat: 8 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 32 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 55 mg
