Cooking and Serving: 21 minutes | 20 cookies
Ingredients
How to make gluten free red velvet cookies | Ingredient substitutions
Description
Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cook Time: 11 minutes | Total Time: 21 minutes | Servings: 20 cookies
Ingredients
How to make gluten free red velvet cookies
Recipe tips
Ingredient substitutions
Instructions
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.
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.
overhead image of gluten free red velvet cookies ingredients in small bowls.
image of gluten free red velvet cookies ingredients in small bowls.
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.
Salt: Brightens the flavor and balances the sweetness.
White chocolate chips: Adds sweetness, texture, and flavor to the cookies.
Front facing image of red round drop cookies with white chocolate chips on top.
facing image of red round drop cookies with white chocolate chips on top on.
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.
one and one half sticks yellow butter, brown sugar and vanilla in metal.
KitchenAid mixing bowl.
and one half sticks yellow butter, brown sugar and vanilla in metal KitchenAid.
pale brown soft beaten butter and brown sugar in same mixing bowl with white.
brown soft beaten butter and brown sugar in same mixing bowl with white flat.
light brown mixture in bowl with unmixed egg and red gel food coloring.
brown mixture in bowl with unmixed egg and red gel food coloring.
light red butter and sugar batter in bowl and on white flat mixer paddle.
red butter and sugar batter in bowl and on white flat mixer paddle.
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.
brown cocoa powder and white flour on top of red mixture in bowl.
cocoa powder and white flour on top of red mixture in bowl.
hand squeezing small bottle of red gel food coloring into brown cookie dough in.
squeezing small bottle of red gel food coloring into brown cookie dough in bowl.
reddish brown cookie dough in bowl.
brown cookie dough in bowl.
red velvet cookie dough with white chocolate chips in mixing bowl with black.
silicone spatula handle.
velvet cookie dough with white chocolate chips in mixing bowl with black.
silicone spatula handle.
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.
6 irregular mounds of red velvet cookie dough on white paper lined gold baking.
irregular mounds of red velvet cookie dough on white paper lined gold baking.
same 6 pieces of cookie dough shaped into rounds.
6 pieces of cookie dough shaped into rounds.
Overhead image of pile of gluten free red velvet cookies with white chocolate.
image of pile of gluten free red velvet cookies with white chocolate chips on.
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.
used and recommend Better Batter’s classic gluten free flour blend, and you can.
of course use my mock Better Batter blend.
you fancy making your own gluten free flour.
My own blend, Nicole’s Best multipurpose gluten free flour.
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.
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.
pile of gluten free red velvet cookies with white chocolate chips on white paper.
of gluten free red velvet cookies with white chocolate chips on white paper.
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.
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.
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.
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.
semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips.
milk chocolate chips (for a sweeter, more mellow taste than dark or.
mini M&Ms (especially for holidays; they’re gluten free in the U.S.).
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.
3 baked red round drop cookies with white chocolate chips on brown paper.
baked red round drop cookies with white chocolate chips on brown paper.
If you need an option to serve it with, try my amazing gluten free.
FAQS
Can I use liquid food coloring in this recipe?
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.
What flavor does red velvet have?
Red velvet has a light cocoa flavor with richness from the vanilla extract and a.
Can I make these cookies green?
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.
Red velvet cookies and “green velvet” cookies are perfect for Christmas cookie.
Why did my baked cookies spread so much?
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!
Why did my red velvet cookies turn out brown instead of red?
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.
If I freeze these cookies, is it best to freeze the unbaked dough, or bake and.
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.
Can oat flour be used in this recipe instead of an all purpose gluten free.
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.
add some red gel food coloring to those cookies, though!
Do you store these at room temperature or refrigerate them after baking?
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.
Can I use Dutch processed cocoa powder?
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.
Can I make the dough ahead of time?
Yes, you can make the dough ahead of time, shape it and then freeze it. Let it.
come to cool room temperature before baking.
How do I know when the cookies are done 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.
Stack of 4 red round drop cookies with white chocolate chips, with one more.
standing up leaning against the stack.
of 4 red round drop cookies with white chocolate chips, with one more standing.
up leaning against the stack.
GLUTEN FREE RED VELVET COOKIES RECIPE
Prep Time: 10 minutes mins.
Cook Time: 11 minutes mins.
Chilling time: 30 minutes mins.
stack of 4 gluten free red velvet chocolate chip cookies with one on its side.
of 4 gluten free red velvet chocolate chip cookies with one on its side.
These gluten free red velvet cookies are incredibly soft and chewy, with light.
chocolate flavor and the sweetness of white chocolate chips. So festive!
EQUIPMENT
Hand mixer or stand mixer.
INGREDIENTS
12 tablespoons (168 g) unsalted butter, at cool room temperature (See.
INGREDIENTS
12 tablespoons (168 g) unsalted butter, at cool room temperature (See.
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
* 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
* 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
* 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.
About the butter temperature.
In this recipe, we use unsalted butter at “cool room temperature,” meaning that
the butter should be about 65°F and cool to the touch. In some recipes, it
doesn’t really matter if your butter is slightly too soft, but when you’re
creaming it with the sugar first like we are here, if it’s too soft (if your
fingertip pushes right in and comes away greasy), your cookies will be flat.
Originally published in 2014. In 2021, recipe reformulated to be made with all
butter; more text resources added in 2023.
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an
Two red round drop cookies with white chocolate chips on a small round metal
plate with a bite missing from one cookie
red round drop cookies with white chocolate chips on a small round metal plate
with a bite missing from one cookie