Description
Deliciously soft and chewy red velvet cookies topped with creamy cream cheese icing.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 box (around 15 oz) red velvet cake mix
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 cup (about 115g) vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 4 ounces (115g) cream cheese, softened
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
- 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- Pinch of salt (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C), unless you’re like me and occasionally forget until halfway in. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, or just spray it with whatever nonstick stuff you have—it’s all good.
- Grab a big bowl (I started in a medium one once and there was red dough everywhere—don’t be like me). Toss in your cake mix, eggs, oil, and vanilla. Mix it up with a wooden spoon, or even your hands if you’re feeling rustic. It’ll look thick and kind of sticky—don’t panic.
- Scoop out little balls of dough, about a tablespoon each. I use a cookie scoop, but honestly two spoons work fine, or just pinch off bits. Plop them on your tray with some breathing room. They don’t really spread a ton.
- Bake for 9-11 minutes, but start checking at 9—underbaking is your friend here for a chewy center. If the edges look set but the tops are slightly soft, that’s perfect. Let them chill out on the tray for 5 minutes (seriously, don’t rush—one time I did and they broke apart like sad little pancakes), then move to a wire rack or, you know, a plate.
- While the cookies cool, let’s make the icing! In a bowl, beat the soft cream cheese and butter till it looks creamy, or at least not totally lumpy. Add in the powdered sugar (slowly, or you’ll be wearing it—ask me how I know), the vanilla, and a pinch of salt if you feel like it. Beat until smooth. Taste it—this is mandatory.
- Once the cookies are cool (important! Otherwise the icing just melts off and it’s a right mess), slather on some icing with a knife or the back of a spoon. You can get fancy with a piping bag if you want, but I haven’t got the patience most days.
Notes
- Make sure to let your cookies cool completely before icing, or the icing will melt.
- Feel free to experiment with toppings or mix-ins like chocolate chips!
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 11 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 120
- Sugar: 14g
- Sodium: 140mg
- Fat: 6g
- Saturated Fat: 3g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 18g
- Fiber: 0g
- Protein: 2g
- Cholesterol: 30mg