What you’ll need to make this recipe
- Special Equipment–Hand mixer *It’s helpful but not necessary to make this recipe
- All purpose flour
- Rye flour
- Baking soda
- Salt
- Ground cinnamon *optional
- Unsalted butter
- Dark brown sugar
- Granulated sugar
- Dutch processed cocoa powder
- Egg
- Red food coloring gel
- Vanilla extract
- Chocolate chips
Fun Fact
The History of Red Velvet Cake
Let me begin this fun fact by saying ohhhh red velvet cake, what an incredible dessert! I just can’t get enough of the deep and vibrant colour. The texture is unforgettable and it is very difficult for me not to order a slice whenever it crosses my path.
This luscious dessert is steeped in history with some controversy. There are various captivating accounts for who created it and where this famous dessert originated. The choice for this fun fact should come as no surprise if you have taken a look at the Sweet Treats section of Jem’s Take. I love the colour red and I love red velvet desserts!
Red velvet cake started off as a dark brown chocolate cake with the use of cocoa powder which resulted in a soft “velvety” texture. It is what we now call Devil’s Food Cake. Then during World War II, food rationing made it impossible to have fresh provisions therefore beet juice was used to create moisture in these cakes and it also enhanced the colour.
Fast forward, the enticing red hue was included to make a red velvet cake that was introduced by the Waldorf–Astoria Hotel in New York City. This cake has also been a Southern US holiday favourite for many years. Moreover, the classic red velvet cake is “the” dessert that is served in honour of Juneteenth (June 19) formally known as Jubilee Day. The annual commemoration of Emancipation Day has been recognised since 1866 and is marked to celebrate freedom for the final enslaved population who were residing in Galveston, Texas.
Here in Canada, it includes the legacy of the Eaton’s department store which created their renowned version of red velvet cake named the Round Room Red Velvet Cake.
The symbolic importance that is associated with the colour red spans the world. It represents love, courage, life, health, joy and passion.
There are endless possibilities for goodies that can be created using this vibrant colour and that really intrigues me. What should we make next?
Ruby Red Velvet Cookies
- Total Time: 24 hours + 29–31 Minutes
- Yield: 17–30 Cookies 1x
Description
Take a bite of these deep crimson delights speckled with dark chocolate chips. The flavours are warm and decadent with just the right amount of sweetness.
Ingredients
- 1 cup (120g) all purpose flour
- ¼ cup (27g) rye flour
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon *optional
- ½ cup–8 tablespoons–1 stick (113g) unsalted butter *chilled and cut into cubes
- ½ cup (106g) dark brown sugar
- ⅓ cup (75g) granulated sugar
- 3 tablespoons Dutch processed cocoa powder (read The ABCs of Cocoa from King Arthur Baking)
- 1 large egg
- 1 ¼ teaspoons red food colouring gel
- 1 ¼ teaspoons vanilla extract
- ¾ cup (120g) dark chocolate chips or ¼ cup (42.5g) semi-sweet chocolate chips and ½ cup (85g) dark chocolate chips
For help with weights, see King Arthur Baking’s Ingredient Weight Chart
Instructions
- Start by measuring and adding all purpose flour and rye flour to a medium sized bowl. The best way to measure flour is to weigh it first or spoon it into a measuring cup then level the flour with a knife.
- Next, add the baking powder, salt, and ground cinnamon if using, to the same bowl with the flours. Stir all of the dry ingredients for 30 seconds until everything is fully combined.
- Next, measure the unsalted butter and place it in a large mixing bowl. Then mix the butter on a medium speed for 2 minutes until it becomes light and fluffy.
- Next, add the dark brown sugar, granulated sugar and Dutch processed cocoa powder to the large bowl with butter and mix it on low speed until combined. About 3 minutes.
*The best process to use that fully incorporates the cocoa powder into the dough is to blend it with the butter and sugars instead of adding it with the the dry ingredients. By switching to this method, I found a huge difference with better distribution for the ingredients. It’s a simple yet very effective adjustment. - Then scrape the ingredients in the bowl and mix them again on medium speed for 2 minutes.
- Next, add the egg and mix it in on low speed until combined. 30 seconds to 1 minute.
- Then add the red food colouring gel and mix it on low speed until combined. 30 seconds to 1 minute.
- Next, add the vanilla extract and mix it in on low speed until combined. 30 seconds to 1 minute.
- Then add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix on a low speed for 15 seconds until the mixture is almost just combined.
- Next, scrape the ingredients in the bowl.
- At this point add the white or dark chocolate chips and mix everything together at low speed or gently fold with a sturdy spatula until just combined. About 10 to 30 seconds. *I usually switch to a spatula for the final process with incorporating the ingredients. It helps to have softer cookies.
Once all of the ingredients are combined, the dough is going to be quite soft and sticky. Cover and place the cookie dough in the fridge for at least 3 hours and up to 24 hours.
Let’s bake some cookies:
For cookies with less crisp on the outside and chewy on the inside, 350° degrees is the optimal baking temperature for this recipe. If you prefer crispier cookies, set the oven temperature to 375° degrees and reduce the baking time by 1 minute.
#100 scoop (small) = 1 ⅛” – bake the cookies for 5–6 minutes *rotate the pan after 3 minutes in the oven. Mine took 5 minutes in the oven. You will get between 30– 33 if you are using this size scoop.
#40 scoop (medium) = 1 ⅝” – bake the cookies for 7–9 minutes *rotate the pan after 5 minutes in the oven. Mine took 8 minutes in the oven. You will get about 17 cookies if you are using this size scoop.
- Take the dough out of the fridge and preheat your oven at 350° degrees or 375° degrees, depending on your cookie preference.
- Next, prepare two cookie sheet pans and line them with parchment paper or a reusable sheet.
*I always use clips on the sides of the cookie sheets. This is to ensure that the paper doesn’t blow all over when the cookies are baking in the oven. I learned this helpful tip from an episode of The Martha Stewart Show. This method has completely transformed the final results with my cookie and quick bread recipes. - Next, roll the dough into balls. *You can bake the cookies immediately after rolling the dough into balls or you can chill the unbaked balls in the freezer for 10 minutes before baking if you find that the dough is getting too soft. I tend to place the sheets in the freezer if it is warm inside or if I am moving slowly with my cookie prep.
- Next, bake the cookies for the specified time based on the size of cookie scoop you selected.
- Once the cookies are finished baking, please do not remove the cookies from the pan. Place the cookies in the pan on a cooling rack for 10–12 minutes.
- Finally, transfer the cookies to a cooling rack and allow them to cool completely. If you can 🙂
Enjoy!!!
Notes
*Chilling is required for at least three hours and up to 1 day if you want soft and chewy cookies, so it’s best to prepare ahead of time if you want to make this recipe.
Last minute answered questions for this recipe:
Q: Can I substitute another flour in the recipe?
A: I have tried the combination of rye flour and unbleached all purpose flour when creating this recipe. I have also used only all purpose flour and the results were great. The texture will be different if you select another type of flour. Let me know if you use a different variety of flour and how it turned out.
Q: Can I freeze these cookies?
A: Yes you can. I like to place the baked cookies in a freezer friendly container and line it with parchment paper. The cookies should be kept in the freezer for up to one month. Take the amount of cookies that you want and leave them to thaw on the counter for about 30 minutes to an hour and your treat will be ready to be enjoyed.
*If you use vegan butter as an alternative to butter, omit the salt in this recipe. Vegan/ plant based butter’s usually have salt included in the blend. No changes are needed for the measurements. Use the same amount of vegan/plant based butter that is specified for butter in this recipe.
*For the ultimate melt–in–your-mouth texture with these cookies reduce the temperature to 325°degrees. There is no need to adjust the baking time, just follow the specified time according to the cookie scoop that you select.
If you like these Ruby Red Velvet Cookies, give these a try:
Triple Chip Rye Cookies
Rich Black Velvet Cookies
Festive Red Velvet Cookies
Ooey–Gooey No Chill Chocolate Chip Cookies *coming soon
*If you do not have rye flour on hand, you can use 1/4 of all purpose flour instead. The texture will be a bit lighter and just as delicious. The total amount of all purpose flour will be 1 1/4 cup (150g).
- Prep Time: 25 Minutes
- Cook Time: 5–9 Minutes
Keywords: Cookies
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