These thick, soft and chewy gluten free red velvet cookies have just the right red velvet taste in a portable cookie form—with the preparation ease of a drop cookie.
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Why I love these gluten free red velvet cookies
There's something about the hint of cocoa, the red color, the slight tang from some vinegar and just the right amount of white chocolate chips that makes these cookies really special. And they're soft batch-style, so they really do taste like they're just right out of the oven even once they're completely cool.
There is also something festive about red velvet cookies, or really red velvet desserts of any kind. They're great for holidays like Valentine's and Christmas since they're special, but don't require any extra effort at all. Holiday gluten free baking at its easiest!
It's essentially a light chocolate cookie (or gluten free red velvet cake) with a tangy, sweet vanilla flavor and with cocoa and red food coloring in the recipe to give it a distinctive red hue. And you control just how red you want your cookie dough. Add just a hint of food coloring or leave it our altogether. Or go bold and make them super red!
Red velvet is one of those things that tends to evoke lots of strong opinions. Even though it's true that the original red velvet cakes were just slightly red-tinged because of the hint of cocoa powder (it's not really a super chocolate cake), I like mine bright red.
The food coloring doesn't change the taste, only the appearance of the cookies, though. If you don't want to use or can't have the food coloring, just leave it out.
Recipe ingredients
- Butter: Adds moisture, flavor, and tenderness.
- Brown sugar: Adds sweetness, richness, and tenderness to the cookies.
- Egg: Binds the ingredients together and adds rise.
- Apple cider vinegar: activates the baking soda; adds some flavor.
- Vanilla: Adds depth of flavor.
- Red gel food coloring: Brightens the very light hint of red in the cocoa powder and gives these cookies their characteristic color. Be sure to use gel food coloring, not liquid.
- Gluten free flour: I like Nicole's Best multipurpose gluten free flour (be sure to add 1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum if you do, since it doesn't already contain it) or Better Batter's original gluten free blend. Cup4Cup changed its formulation and doesn't work as well as it used to, but if it's still your favorite it might work here.
- Cornstarch: Lightens the blend and adds tenderness. You can replace it with more of your gluten free flour blend if you don't have it.
- Baking soda: Helps the cookies brown; reacts with the vinegar to add some rise.
- Salt: Brightens the flavor and balances the sweetness.
- White chocolate chips: Adds sweetness, texture, and flavor to the cookies.
How to make gluten free red velvet cookies
Combine the wet ingredients
- Beat the butter, brown sugar and vanilla until light and fluffy.
- Beat in the egg and some red gel food coloring until well-combined.
- The mixture will be light red in color.
Finish the cookie dough
- Add the dry ingredients (gluten free flour with xanthan gum, cornstarch, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt), and beat to combine.
- Beat in more red gel food coloring until the cookie dough is bright red. The color will fade in the oven.
- Mix in white chocolate chips.
Shape the cookie dough and bake
- Scoop the cookie dough onto a lined baking sheet. Each portion should be about 1 1/2 tablespoons.
- Roll the cookie dough between your palms into a round ball.
- For smoother cookies or if your butter was a bit too soft, chill the dough for about 30 minutes.
- Bake at 350°F for 11 minutes, or until the cookies are set in the center.
- Let them cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes before moving.
Recipe tips
Choose the right gluten free flour blend
Drop cookies are some of the easiest types of recipes to bake, but you still do need to be careful about the ingredients you choose, especially the all purpose gluten free flour blend. I used and recommend Better Batter's classic gluten free flour blend, and you can of course use my mock Better Batter blend if you fancy making your own gluten free flour.
My own blend, Nicole's Best multipurpose gluten free flour, also works beautifully. Be sure to add 1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum if you're using Nicole's Best, since it doesn't contain that ingredient.
Avoiding streaky red velvet chocolate chip cookies
Try your best to mix the coloring into the wet ingredients before incorporating everything into the dry ingredients. That way, you won't have streaks of color in the cookies.
You want to enhance the natural red color that the small amount of cocoa powder in these red velvet cookies gives them. So be sure to mix the food coloring in well, to maintain the illusion! It's difficult to get an even color on your gluten free cookies if you add the food coloring to the dry ingredients or to the mixed dough. Add it along with the wet ingredients and incorporate thoroughly before you add the dry items.
Choose the right food coloring
The most widely available brand of gel food coloring where I live is Wilton brand, but Wilton's food colorings are not reliably gluten free. My favorite gluten free gel food coloring is AmeriColor brand. It's not cheap, but gel food coloring lasts a long, long time.
AmeriColor is sold in some kitchen supply stores and even fewer craft stores, so I buy it online. I like this Americolor kit best (that's an affiliate link) because it has basic colors, and the squeeze bottles are easy to use without making a mess.
Your raw dough color should be a little too bright
Please keep in mind that food coloring fades during baking. You want the color of your raw batter or cookie dough to be brighter than the way you'd like your ultimate baked goods.
Try your best to mix the coloring into the wet ingredients before incorporating everything into the dry ingredients, and you won't have streaks of color in the cookies. There's no need to mix the wet ingredients separately, though, before mixing them into the dry.
Begin with butter at cool room temperature
Your butter should be cool to the touch, about 65°F. If the butter is too soft (if your fingertip pushes right in and comes away greasy), it will be difficult to beat it together well with the brown sugar and make it light and fluffy. The cookies will probably spread more during baking and turn out flat. If you're concerned that your butter is too soft, try chilling the dough for 30 minutes after shaping.
Ingredient substitutions
Depending on who you're cooking for and their dietary requirements, you might need to tweak gluten free recipes to cater to other needs. And, because this gluten free recipe is reasonably forgiving, that's okay.
Dairy free
In place of the butter in this recipe, try using vegan butter. My favorite brands are Melt and Miyoko's Kitchen.
I wouldn't use Earth Balance buttery sticks in this recipe, as it bakes more like margarine, and baked goods made with it tend to spread a lot in the oven. I also don't recommend your using melted coconut oil as it behaves differently in the oven and is more sensitive to temperature.
If you can't find dairy-free white chocolate chips, just use dairy-free semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips.
Egg free
In place of the egg, you can try using a “chia egg” (1 tablespoon ground white chia seeds + 1 tablespoon lukewarm water, mixed and allowed to gel). A flax egg should work, too, but you may taste the flavor in the cookies since they're not very rich chocolate.
Vegan
If you'd like to make these cookies vegan, just use the dairy and egg substitutions described above, and make sure your sugar isn't made with bone char. You'll have vegan cookies. Remember to switch out the chocolate chips for a dairy free version, too, as this is something people often overlook.
Corn free
In place of cornstarch, you can use arrowroot.
Red gel food coloring
I don't recommend using liquid food coloring, which is not concentrated enough and will add lots of unwanted liquid and not enough flavor. I recommend Americolor gel food coloring in their true red color, but if you can't use that, I recommend you leave it out entirely. The cookies will still appear slightly red because of the cocoa powder.
Apple cider vinegar
In place of apple cider vinegar, you can use white wine or white balsamic vinegar. Just be sure to use a gluten free vinegar (that is, avoid malt vinegar).
Chocolate chip variations
I like using white chocolate chips or mini white chocolate disks in these red velvet cookies, but you can use any small pieces you like. Here are a few more suggestions:
- semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips
- milk chocolate chips (for a sweeter, more mellow taste than dark or semi-sweet)
- mini M&Ms (especially for holidays; they're gluten free in the U.S.)
Storage instructions
For short term storage, place the baked and cooled cookies in a sealed glass container at room temperature. They should stay fresh for at least 5 days.
Freezing the cookies
These cookies are super easy to store, since they're stable but soft enough that they don't freeze completely solid. Place the baked cookies in a freezer-safe zip-top bag, and squeeze as much air out as possible. They should stay fresh in the freezer for up to 4 months. Defrost at room temperature or one at a time in the microwave for about 15 seconds.
FAQs
Always use gel food coloring in baking, unless you're tinting a liquid. Gel food coloring is highly-pigmented and has very little liquid, so it doesn't change the moisture balance in your baked goods. You would need to use so much liquid food coloring to tint the cookies red that they would taste bitter and the dough would be too wet to shape.
Red velvet has a light cocoa flavor with richness from the vanilla extract and a slight tanginess.
Yes! Before the step where you add the food coloring, separate the cookie dough into 2 parts. Add red gel food coloring to one, and green gel food coloring to the other. Follow the remainder of the recipe as directed, adding 3 ounces of chips to each half.
Red velvet cookies and “green velvet” cookies are perfect for Christmas cookie plates!
Did you beat the butter and sugar first until creamy before adding the other ingredients? If you began with melted or too-soft butter (if your butter is greasy, it's too soft), your cookies will spread more. If you used a butter alternative with too much liquid like a butter alternative in a tub that's mostly oil or Earth Balance buttery sticks, they will also spread too much. Try Melt or Miyoko's Creamery brand vegan butter next time!
Did you add enough red gel food coloring to your cookie dough? The color of the raw dough should be brighter than you want the baked cookies to be.
You may also have baked the cookies for too long or in a too-hot oven which can cause the food coloring to fade too rapidly and your cookies to be too crunchy and dark.
These cookies freeze really well once baked and cooled, and they also freeze really well as unbaked dough. When you freeze the unbaked balls of cookie dough, though, you will need to let them cool to room temperature naturally before baking or they won't spread enough during baking. If you freeze the baked cookies, you can help them defrost by microwaving them for about 15 seconds.
No, oat flour won't work in this recipe. You need a recipe developed specifically for oat flour, like our oat flour chocolate chip cookies. You can add some red gel food coloring to those cookies, though!
I prefer to store these cookies, once baked and cooled, at room temperature in a sealed container. For longer storage, rather than refrigerating, freeze them for up to 3 months.
Yes! You can use either Dutch or natural cocoa powder in these cookies. Dutch processed will make for a richer, smoother cookie flavor, but they both work well.
Yes, you can make the dough ahead of time, shape it and then freeze it. Let it come to cool room temperature before baking.
The cookies are done baking when they're set in the center, so they won't appear wet. They will still be very soft to the touch, so let them cool on the baking sheet for at least 10 minutes or until firm before moving them at all.
Gluten Free Red Velvet Cookies Recipe
Equipment
- Hand mixer or stand mixer
Ingredients
- 12 tablespoons (168 g) unsalted butter at cool room temperature (See Recipe Notes)
- 1 cup (218 g) packed light brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 (50 g (weighed out of shell)) egg at room temperature
- Red gel food coloring Americolor brand is gluten free
- 1 ¾ cups (245 g) all purpose gluten free flour blend (please click thru for full info. on appropriate blends)
- ½ teaspoon xanthan gum omit if your blend already contains it
- ¼ cup (36 g) cornstarch replace with more Cup4Cup if that is your all purpose gluten free flour blend
- 3 tablespoons (15 g) unsweetened cocoa powder natural or Dutch-processed
- 6 ounces white chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F. Line rimmed baking sheets with unbleached parchment paper, and set them aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or a large bowl with a handheld mixer, place the butter, sugar, vinegar, vanilla, and salt and beat on medium-high speed until light and fluffy (about 3 minutes).
- Add the baking soda, egg, and 1/8 teaspoon red gel food coloring. Beat on medium speed until fully combined.
- Add the flour, xanthan gum, cornstarch, and cocoa powder to the wet ingredients, and beat until combined.
- Beat in more red gel food coloring in very small amounts, if necessary, to reach a deep red color, as the color will fade during baking.
- If you're using a handheld mixer, you may see streaks of red color in the cookies. If so, knead the cookie dough with clean hands or mix it with a spoon until the color is fully uniform.
- Add the chocolate chips and mix until evenly distributed throughout the dough.
- Using a medium spring-loaded ice cream scoop or two spoons, scoop the dough into about 20 equal pieces, each about 1 1/2 tablespoonful. Roll each piece of dough into a ball.
- Place the balls of dough on the prepared baking sheet about 1 1/2 inches apart from one another.
- For slightly thicker cookies, chill the pieces of dough in the refrigerator for 30 minutes or until mostly firm. Your cookies will also have a somewhat smoother top.
- Place the baking sheet in the center of the preheated oven and bake for 11 minutes, or until the cookies are just set in the center.
- Remove the cookies from the oven and allow to cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
- These cookies freeze amazingly well when sealed in a freezer-safe container.
- The cookie dough itself can also be shaped, frozen in a single layer on a baking sheet and then stored in a zip-top bag in the freezer. Defrost to cool room temperature before baking.
Notes
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Thanks for stopping by!
Hi, I’m Nicole. I create gluten free recipes that really work and taste as good as you remember. No more making separate meals when someone is GF, or buying packaged foods that aren’t good enough to justify the price. At Gluten Free on a Shoestring, “good, for gluten free” just isn’t good enough! Come visit my bio!
Jan says
A very good cookie! I skipped the food coloring – forgot to buy it – and followed the instructions. I shared them at a party and they were a hit.
Nicole, your detailed attention to specific flours is impressive and much appreciated. You’ve cracked the gluten-free flour code and we’re the fortunate recipients.
Betty says
I so badly want to try these cookies but cannot find red gel food colouring anywhere. ( l am in a moderate sized city in Canada ). Any suggestions?
Nicole Hunn says
Hi, Betty, I’m afraid you would need it to make these cookies red, but you certainly don’t need it to make the cookies at all! Just make them without food coloring. They’ll taste just as good. :)
Michelle says
I want to try this recipe but I have 1:1 gluten free flour that is not all purpose. Can I use that to make the cookies?
Nicole Hunn says
No, Michelle, you must use one of my recommended all purpose gluten free flour blends to make this recipe.
Aida Behler says
Would there be any way to make these cookies also rice free? Would the Better Batter Artisan Flour work?
Nicole Hunn says
Hi, Aida, I’m afraid I really don’t care for the Better Batter rice-free flour at all, and it won’t work in my recipes that call for an all purpose gluten free flour. There’s no way to make this particular recipe rice-free. Sorry!
Judith Lane says
What brands of digital scales do you recommend ?
Nicole Hunn says
Well this question always makes me happy, Judith, since I know that all good things await anyone ready to buy a kitchen scale! The simpler one I use is this Escali scale. The OXO scale is a bit more, and it’s the one I use every day. If you’re interested in other kitchen tools for gf baking, I actually have a whole post with recommendations. Hope that helps!
Lee Bruno says
Hi Nicole, I’ve made red velvet cookies before and believe me I used plenty of food coloring but my cookies still come out more brown than red, same with my cakes, now they were delicious and pretty much tasted perfect just can’t get the color red enough I’m using more than a tablespoon of liquid dye and I’m ready to switch to gel, what can I do here, every time I add more dye It doesn’t help, what if I lower the amount of cocoa powder by a Tbls., ant suggestions. Thanks Lee
Nicole Hunn says
Hi, Lee, I’m afraid it’s not possible for me to troubleshoot someone else’s recipe. You should go right to the source for that! I discuss the food coloring in these cookies quite a lot in this post, including mention of the fact that you must use gel food coloring for enough pigmentation without changing the moisture balance or flavoring the cookie. Please see the post for more!
mary T Meyers says
I haven’t made these delicious sounding cookies, but I will soon! I have a question about the butter/shortening mentioned. I only see the butter in the recipe, and don’t see the shortening. Is it supposed to be 6 Tbsp of each? Any particular shortening? I may have missed something, and if so, I apologize! I’ve gone through the directions and ingredients but cannot fine the shortening listed.
Thank you for all your delicious recipes; I’m new to the group, and finally can actually bake gluten free.
Mary
Nicole Hunn says
Hi, Mary, the recipe was modified, and it’s now made with all butter. The only reference to shortening that was left is in the comments from when the recipe did have shortening. I’ve removed those now, to avoid confusion. Thanks!
Beth says
I’ve never understood the attraction to red velvet food. The only time I ever tried it was in high school when a kid in drama class baked a cake with the “frosting” made with flour. Yuk. The cake reminded me of the cockscomb flowers my mom grew that creeped me out, so maybe that’s my aversion. I’ll skip this one and make all your other great recipes.
Aneesha says
Hi Nicole
Thank you for the red velvet chocolate chip cookie recipe. It looks great. I can’t wait to try it out.
A tiny request:
While you are making these gluten free cookies, is there any chance you can make them eggless as well?
Regards
Aneesha
Nicole Hunn says
Hi, Aneesha, please see the “Ingredients and substitutions” section for advice on making these cookies without other allergens.
Christy says
First, thanks so much for this great recipe. My daughter loves red velvet anything and her birthday is in a week. We’ve been trying to figure out what to make her. Now, here is where I tell you how I completely altered your perfect recipe.
While I’m highly gluten intolerant, my daughter has severe fructose malabsorption with mild gluten intolerance. She can’t have wheat (rye or barley either) because of the fructans in them. The gluten she could probably tolerate in some moderation.
My daughter can’t have brown sugar since molasses is a huge no-no. We bake mostly with dextrose and not sugar (since it is half fructose), but small amounts of pure cane sugar are tolerable. So, I did 1/2 cup of cane sugar, and 2/3 cup of dextrose. I had to up the liquid content in the recipe because dextrose absorbs more than sugar. So, 8 tbsp of butter and 2 tsp of water. She also can’t have the apple cider vinegar (nothing apple.. ever), so I used rice vinegar. I used unsweetened 100% cacao baking chocolate cut into pieces. And.. the big kicker.. she can’t have gel food coloring (corn syrup), so we just went without the coloring.
I’m sure it tastes entirely different than you planned, but it is wonderful to us. We will probably try it with dark chocolate chips next time, since she can’t have milk chocolate at all, not even semi-sweet. Still, these cookies aren’t lasting long and she has hit her sugar load for the day just on the cookies. My daughter also wants me to try making it into a cookie cake for her actual birthday. We’ll see how that works out.
At any rate, thank you very much for the wonderful recipe. Most recipes don’t survive our modifications very well at all. I’m not good at developing recipes and barely competent at altering them. We depend so much on your GF recipes for our food.
Nicole Hunn says
Hi, Christy,
I’m so glad that you were able to adapt this recipe to suit your daughter’s dietary needs. I admire your fortitude, and am happy to be able to provide you with a base recipe you can work with! Thank you so much for the kind words. :)
Janelle says
What happens if the eggs aren’t at room temperature?
Anneke says
Hi Janelle — I’ll jump in here and say that they need to be at room temperature because it makes a difference. Cookies are very sensitive! I am a terrible cookie baker, but when I follow Nicole’s directions, I have much better luck. The good news is that you can bring eggs to room temperature pretty fast by putting them in a cup of warm water for a few minutes, while you are getting everything else ready. Hope that helps!
Michelle says
My family loved (and inhaled) the soft batch chic chip cookies, and I know they will love these, too. Great idea!
Mare Masterson says
YUM! Oh I cannot wait to make them (sans the food coloring)
Abby says
These look amazing and my SIL is obsessed with red velvet.
Gaylene says
They look good… Unfortunately difficult to bake free of gluten, egg, dairy, corn and low carb. I am missing baking :(
Jennifer S. says
Of course these look sooo yummy and they will be perfect for our next holiday that will come upon us!! So festive!
I am baking a loaf of the English muffin bread today – so I’ll take some pics. Cross your fingers for me!! :)
Jennifer S. says
It turned out SUPER fab and it is soooo yummy. Everyone raved about it at our “Brinner” (breakfast for dinner) last night.
Candice says
The English muffin bread is the one that I keep making over and over. That stuff is SO good! Even better as toast:)