These irresistible red velvet Oreo cookies are insanely delicious! The soft and chewy cookies have a hint of chocolate flavor from cocoa powder. And the crushed Oreos add a decadent crunch in each bite. This is truly the ultimate one bowl cookie recipe for any occasion!
I had a friend in college whose favorite cake was red velvet. I personally was never a fan of red velvet cake, but these red velvet cookies are my new favorite. They're slightly crunchy on the outside, while the inside is soft and perfectly chewy.
In fact, I tested this recipe several times to get the texture just right. Thanks to my family being my test-taste guinea pigs, I was able to figure out the right ingredients and method to keep these cookies thick and chunky.
These festive red velvet Oreo cookies are inspired by red velvet cake. And for more cookies inspired by classic cakes, try my birthday cake cookies, easy German chocolate cake mix cookies, and Black Forest cake cookies.
Enjoy these cookies on their own, or dunk them in cookie's best friend, milk (or homemade oat milk). (:
The classic flavor of red velvet has a hint of chocolate from unsweetened cocoa powder, but it's more subtle than a chocolate cookie.
And in traditional red velvet cake, there's a chemical reaction between the cocoa powder and acidic ingredients that turns it red. But I prefer to use red food color in these cookies, to ensure a poppy color.
Plus the red color makes them perfect for Valentine's Day, anniversaries, Christmas, or 4th of July.
Why You'll Love these Cookies
- The cookie dough comes together all in one bowl.
- They only take 20 minutes to prepare and 20 minutes to bake!
- Freezing the dough helps them bake super chunky and thick.
- These cookies are made with simple ingredients, so you don't have to scour grocery store shelves for anything obscure.
Ingredients and Notes
- Unsalted butter - leave your butter on the counter to soften to room temperature
- Granulated sugar - sweetens the cookies and helps incorporate air into the dough when beaten with the softened butter
- Brown sugar - creates a chewier cookie and reacts with the baking soda to help the cookies rise
- All purpose flour - creates the base structure for the cookies
- Unsweetened cocoa powder - adds the essential light chocolate flavor that red velvet is known for
- Salt - balances the sweetness and brings out the flavors of the other ingredients
- Baking soda - helps the cookies rise in the oven
- Eggs - binds the dough together and helps the cookies rise as they bake
- Vanilla - brings out the flavors of the other ingredients
- Red food coloring - start with just a little food dye, and add more as needed. Different food dyes have varying degrees of color potency.
- Oreo cookies - you can use any type of Oreos, but the classic are my favorite
How to Make Red Velvet Oreo Cookies
These are the simplified steps to make this cookie recipe. For the full recipe instructions, ingredient measurements, and recipe tips, scroll down to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Beat the butter & sugar: In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar together until it is smooth and fluffy.
Add the dry ingredients: Add the all purpose flour, cocoa powder, salt, and baking soda. Mix until it resembles fine crumbs.
Add the wet ingredients: Add the eggs and vanilla. Mix until there is no dry flour visible.
Add the food coloring and Oreos: Add the red food coloring and mix until the dough is the shade of red you desire. Fold in the crushed Oreo cookies.
Shape and freeze the dough: Press the dough into 12 evenly-shaped balls and spread them out on a large baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Freeze for at least one hour.
Bake the cookies: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Bake the cookies for 18-22 minutes, just until you can slide a spatula under the bottom of the cookie without it collapsing on itself.
Recipe Variations and Substitutions
- You can use different types of Oreos. I prefer the classic Oreos, but feel free to use flavored ones, double stuffed, Oreo thins, or even mini Oreos.
- Add white chocolate chips for and extra crunch. White chocolate and red velvet taste great together!
- Frost these cookies with cream cheese frosting for the ultimate red velvet flavor!
- If you don't love Oreos, replace them with your favorite crunchy cookies like Biscoff, Thin Mints, or Nutter Butters.
Recipe Tips
- Dye: Different types of food coloring will require you to add more or less of it to dye your cookies red. Start with a little, then add more as needed.
- Topping: Top your cookie dough balls with extra chopped Oreos before freezing them for a bakery-worthy look!
- Freezing: Don't skip freezing your dough! This helps them hold their chunky shape longer in the oven, so they come out super thick. Otherwise they could spread and become flat.
- Baking: It's hard to tell by the color if the cookies done, since they're already dark. You can tell they're done baking when a spatula easily slides under the bottom of a cookie without making it squish in. You want the top of the cookies still gooey.
Storing
Room temperature: store cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for 4 to 5 days.
Freeze baked cookies: Allow your cookies to cool completely, then store them in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature.
Freeze cookie dough: Allow your cookie dough balls to freeze in a single layer on a baking sheet or plate for at least one hour. Once solid, store them in an airtight container or freezer safe bag for up to 3 months.
More Cookie Recipes
Hungry for more festive holiday cookies? Try these:
Red Velvet Oreo Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature (2 sticks)
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 2½ cups all purpose flour
- ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- red food coloring
- 1 cup roughly chopped Oreo cookies
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar together until it is smooth and fluffy. This will take 3-4 minutes by hand with a wooden spoon or 1-2 minutes with an electric hand mixer.
- Add the all purpose flour, cocoa powder, salt, and baking soda. Mix until it resembles fine crumbs, after about 1 minute.
- Add the eggs, vanilla, and red food coloring. Mix until there is no dry flour visible and the cookies are the shade of red you desire, after about 1-2 minutes. Start with just a little red dye, and add more as needed. Different food dyes have varying degrees of color potency.
- Fold in the crushed Oreo cookies.
- Gently press the dough into 12 evenly-shaped balls and spread them out on a large baking sheet lined with parchment paper.Freeze for at least an hour, or until you're ready to bake your cookies.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. I like to take the baking tray out of the freezer and let it sit on the counter at room temperature for 5 - 10 minutes. The cookie dough will still be frozen, but the baking tray can warm up a bit so the temperature difference isn't too drastic.
- Bake the cookies for 18-22 minutes, just until you can slide a spatula under the bottom of the cookie without it collapsing on itself. It'll still look a little gooey on top. Enjoy!!
Notes
- You can tell when the cookies are done baking when a spatula easily slides under the bottom of a cookie without making it squish in. You want the top of the cookies still gooey.
- Top your cookie dough balls with extra chopped Oreos before freezing them for a bakery-worthy look!
- Different types of food coloring will require you to add more or less of it to dye your cookies red. Start with a little, then add more as needed.
- Don't skip freezing your dough! This helps them hold their chunky shape longer in the oven, so they come out super thick.
I'm eggcited to hear from you :)