Red velvet sugar-cookie hearts with a subtle cocoa crumb and a smooth ivory cream-cheese frosting layer.
The important detail in this recipe is the way the dough is shaped and finished. Roll chilled dough ¼ inch thick between parchment. Cut 3-inch hearts and space 2 inches apart. Chill the shapes 30 minutes before baking and lightly dock the centers with a skewer.
Before mixing, measure the flour without packing it and prepare the pans. Gel coloring provides color with little extra water. Large amounts of liquid color change the dough; use the measured gel and follow its label if the brand is especially concentrated.
Watch the first tray closely near the end of the baking range. Let the cookies cool completely before finishing: Beat frosting cream cheese, butter and vanilla until smooth. Add sifted confectioners’ sugar on low, then beat creamy. Spread a thin layer on fully cooled cookies; refrigerate for storage.
Red Velvet Sugar Cookies
Per tray: 10–11 minutes · About 3 trays, 9 cookies per 13 × 18-inch half-sheet pan.
Plan 193 minutes: 40 hands-on, 90 required chilling, 33 for all trays baked sequentially, and 30 cooling including pan rest. Preheat during preparation or the final chilling minutes. Ingredient warm-up and extra trays add time.
Kitchen tools you’ll need
- Kitchen scale or US measuring cups and spoons
- Mixing bowl and silicone spatula
- Electric hand mixer
- 13 × 18-inch baking sheets
- Parchment paper
- Cooling rack
- Rolling pin with ¼-inch guides
- 2½–3-inch cookie cutters
- Thin cookie spatula
Red velvet sugar-cookie hearts with a subtle cocoa crumb and a smooth ivory cream-cheese frosting layer.
Ingredients
Scale ingredients and US equivalents, including eggs; weigh beaten egg for fractional batches. Keep piece size, thickness, oven temperature and baking time per tray unchanged. Extra trays increase whole-batch time.
Cookie dough
Cream cheese frosting
Instructions
Mixing
- Make the doughSift flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt. Beat butter and sugar smooth, then mix in eggs one at a time, vanilla and gel color. Add the dry mixture on low just until combined.
Thermal management
- Manage the doughPat dough into a disk, cover and chill 60 minutes. Roll and cut as directed, then refrigerate the cut shapes for another 30 minutes. Both stages are included in the 90-minute chill time.
Shaping
- Shape evenlyRoll chilled dough ¼ inch thick between parchment. Cut 3-inch hearts and space 2 inches apart. Chill the shapes 30 minutes before baking and lightly dock the centers with a skewer.
Baking
- Bake one tray at a timePreheat to 350°F (175°C). Bake on the center rack for 10–11 minutes. Edges should be set and only lightly colored; centers must lose their wet sheen. Use cool pans for subsequent trays.
Cooling
- Let the crumb setRest on the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a rack and cool completely, about 30 minutes total, before frosting.
Finishing
- Complete the cookiesBeat frosting cream cheese, butter and vanilla until smooth. Add sifted confectioners’ sugar on low, then beat creamy. Spread a thin layer on fully cooled cookies; refrigerate for storage.
Chef’s Science & Pro Tips
Use gel coloring
Gel coloring provides color with little extra water. Large amounts of liquid color change the dough; use the measured gel and follow its label if the brand is especially concentrated.
Keep the portion consistent
Roll chilled dough ¼ inch thick between parchment. Cut 3-inch hearts and space 2 inches apart. Chill the shapes 30 minutes before baking and lightly dock the centers with a skewer. Different thicknesses need different baking times; bake comparable pieces together.
Keep frosting cool
Cream cheese frosting stays soft rather than drying hard. Refrigerate the finished cookies, separate layers with parchment and pack gently; it is not a shipping-stable royal icing finish.
Storage & Make-Ahead
| Method | How long | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Room temperature | Serving: up to 2 hours | Serve cream-cheese-frosted cookies briefly at room temperature, then return remaining cookies to the refrigerator. |
| Refrigeration | Frosted cookies: up to 4 days | Refrigerate airtight in a single layer or separate layers with parchment. Let the portion being served soften briefly. |
| Freeze raw | Up to 2 months | Freeze cut shapes flat, then seal in a freezer bag. Bake from frozen, checking near the usual window and allowing extra time if needed. |
| Freeze baked | Up to 2 months | Freeze unfrosted cookies for up to 2 months, then thaw sealed and frost. This preserves a neater finish. |
| Restore | 30–60 minutes | Thaw plain cookies in a closed container and frost after thawing. Do not heat frosted cookies in the oven. |
Notes
- Use the gram weights for the most consistent dough. Small leavener weights are approximate; measure teaspoons carefully. Egg weights exclude shells. Oven temperatures refer to a conventional oven.
Nutrition
Approximate nutrition per serving calculated from ingredient weights divided by 24. Includes required fillings and toppings, excludes optional decoration and unused rolling flour. Brands and actual portion sizes change the estimate.
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Frequently Asked Questions
A few helpful answers before you bake.
What texture should these cookies have?
Red velvet sugar-cookie hearts with a subtle cocoa crumb and a smooth ivory cream-cheese frosting layer. Judge the final texture after cooling, not while the centers are warm.
Can I use a tablespoon of liquid coloring?
Gel coloring provides color with little extra water. Large amounts of liquid color change the dough; use the measured gel and follow its label if the brand is especially concentrated.
Can I pack these like royal-icing cookies?
Cream cheese frosting stays soft rather than drying hard. Refrigerate the finished cookies, separate layers with parchment and pack gently; it is not a shipping-stable royal icing finish.
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