Red Velvet Crinkle Cookies

5 from 2 votes

Indulge in thick, rich, fudgy red velvet crinkle cookies (with zero eggs/dairy)– a vibrant, festive, crowd-pleasing treat perfect for Christmas, Valentine’s, or anytime! Now egg & dairy-free.

Prep Time20

Cook Time10

Total Time40

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Servings: cookies

Calories: 108kcal

Author: Toni

Equipment

Ingredients

½ cup of vegan butter at room temperature
½ cup of brown sugar packed
¼ cup of granulated sugar
1 (3.9-ounce) cup of unsweetened apple sauce
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
1-2 tablespoons of red food coloring plus more depending on how strong the color is
2 cups all-purpose flour
¼ cup cocoa powder
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder

For the coating:

½ cup powdered sugar

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat. Set aside.
Place the vegan butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar in a large bowl. Using an electric mixer, cream the vegan butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
Add the apple sauce, vanilla extract, and 1 tablespoon of red food color. Mix well using the electric mixer. Add more food color to achieve a deep and bright red color.
In a separate medium bowl, mix the flour, cocoa powder, and baking powder.
Add the dry ingredients to the bowl with the wet and mix until combined, being careful not to overmix. Set aside.
Place the powdered sugar in a deep small bowl. Set aside next to you.
Using a one-tablespoon cookie scoop or measuring tablespoon, scoop dough into the palm of your hand. Roll it until you form a ball. Place it on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat the process until there is no more dough left.
Grab one dough ball out of the tray and place it in the bowl with the powdered sugar. Using your finger, bury the dough ball. Lift the dough ball out of the powdered sugar and roll it around gently until it’s entirely covered in powdered sugar. It should have a heavy coat of powdered sugar. Do not shake it. Carefully place it back on the baking tray. Be as gentle as possible for the loose powdered sugar not to fall off the dough ball.
Repeat the process until all of the dough balls are heavily coated with powdered sugar.
Gently place the tray in the oven and bake for 10 to 12 minutes.
Remove the tray from the oven and place the tray on a cooling rack. Allow the cookies to cool on the baking tray.
They will be soft in the middle. Enjoy!

Notes

Don’t over-mix the dough: Overworking gluten leads to tough cookies. Mix just until combined.
Coat them thoroughly: I push them down in the powdered sugar, then roll them around. If your powdered sugar isn’t adhering, try rolling them in granulated sugar first. This also prevents powdered sugar from dissolving into the cookie dough.
Adjust the amount of food dye: Liquid food dyes often need double the amount (or more) of gel food colorings. Also, adjust it to your preferred color.
Don’t overbake them: The inner crinkles should still look a little wet straight from the oven. They’ll continue to set as they cool while staying soft and chewy inside.

Nutrition