Red Velvet Sandwich Cookies Recipe

If you’re in the mood to wow your friends or just treat yourself to something extraordinary, I have just the thing for you — a Red Velvet Sandwich Cookies Recipe that’s truly fan-freaking-tastic. These cookies combine the classic rich red velvet flavor with a luscious cream cheese frosting, sandwiched between two soft, chocolatey cookies. Trust me, once you try this recipe, you’ll be hooked, and your kitchen will smell like the sweetest bakery come home!

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Ingredients & Why They Work

The magic of these Red Velvet Sandwich Cookies comes down to a few well-chosen ingredients that work in harmony to deliver that tender crumb and tangy frosting. Picking the right butter, cream cheese, and a quality cocoa powder can make a huge difference here — and don’t skip the red velvet emulsion or food coloring to get that gorgeous hue!

• Unsalted Butter: Allows you to control the salt content; room temperature butter creams up perfectly with sugars for fluffiness.
• Light Brown and Granulated Sugar: Brown sugar adds moisture and a hint of caramel, granulated sugar keeps cookies from being too dense.
• Egg: Binds ingredients and helps with the soft texture.
• Vanilla Extract: Enhances the overall flavor without overpowering that red velvet essence.
• Red Velvet Bakery Emulsion or Gel Food Color: Emulsion adds an authentic red velvet flavor; the gel simply gives vibrant color if you prefer.
• Baking Soda: Helps cookies rise and keeps them tender.
• Salt: Balances sweetness and enhances flavors.
• Cocoa Powder: For that subtle chocolatey depth classic to red velvet.
• All-purpose Flour: Provides structure but shouldn’t be over-mixed to keep softness.
• Milk Chocolate Chips: Adds bursts of melty sweetness inside and on top of the cookies.
• Cream Cheese: The star in the frosting for that signature tang and creamy texture.
• Powdered Sugar: Sweetens and provides the smooth texture in frosting.
• Milk: Adjusts frosting consistency so it’s pipeable but holds shape.

Tweak to Your Taste

I love how versatile this Red Velvet Sandwich Cookies Recipe is — feel free to make it truly yours with some simple tweaks. Personally, I sometimes swap milk chocolate chips for white chocolate chips to surprise guests with a sweeter contrast. You can also add a pinch of espresso powder to the dough for a slight mocha twist that elevates the chocolate flavor.

• Variation: For a dairy-free version, try vegan butter and cream cheese alternatives — just know the flavor will shift but still be delicious.
• Less Sweet: Cut back the powdered sugar in the frosting by a quarter cup if you prefer something less sugary.
• Texture Twist: Add chopped pecans or walnuts inside for a nutty crunch that pairs perfectly with the soft cookie.

Step-by-Step: How I Make Red Velvet Sandwich Cookies Recipe

Step 1: Creaming Butter and Sugars

Start by preheating your oven to 350°F and lining your baking sheet with parchment paper — this makes clean-up a breeze. In a large bowl, I like to cream together room-temperature unsalted butter with both brown and granulated sugars using a hand mixer. Mix on medium speed for about two minutes until everything’s pale, fluffy, and cloud-like. This part is critical: too little mixing and your cookies won’t get that perfect softness; too much, and the dough might get too warm.

Step 2: Adding Wet Ingredients and Emulsion

Next, crack in the egg, pour in the vanilla extract, and add your red velvet bakery emulsion (or gel food coloring if you prefer just color). Mix again just until combined — overmixing once the egg is in can toughen up the dough, so keep an eye on it.

Step 3: Dry Ingredients Join the Party

Now, sift together the baking soda, salt, cocoa powder, and flour. Add this to your wet mixture on low speed so the flour starts absorbing slowly, preventing a flour cloud in your kitchen! When most of the flour is incorporated, bump up the mixer speed to high for about 20 seconds — this helps form a cohesive dough ball that’s easy to scoop.

Step 4: Chocolate Chips and Scooping

Fold in one cup of your milk chocolate chips gently by hand or with the mixer on low. I usually save about a quarter cup to press on top of each cookie before baking — that little extra melty chocolate on top is a game-changer. Use a medium cookie scoop to portion out the dough, spacing about six on your tray to give them room to spread beautifully.

Step 5: Baking and Cooling

Bake the batch for 12 minutes. When you pull them out, resist the urge to eat warm ones immediately! Let them rest about 10-15 minutes on the pan, so they finish cooking gently and hold their shape. Then transfer to a cooling rack until they’re completely cool — crucial for that perfect sandwich moment.

Step 6: Cream Cheese Frosting Magic

While the cookies cool, whip up your frosting by beating room temperature cream cheese and butter until light and fluffy — takes about 2 minutes with a hand mixer. Then add vanilla, powdered sugar, and milk and beat high for another 2 minutes until it’s beautifully smooth and pipe-ready.

Step 7: Assemble the Sandwiches

Fill a piping bag with your frosting and pipe a generous swirl onto the bottom side of one cookie, then top it off with another. Give a gentle squeeze to glue them together without squeezing the frosting out. Now, admire your creation — gorgeous, isn’t it?

How to Serve Red Velvet Sandwich Cookies Recipe

Garnishes

I often sprinkle a tiny pinch of edible glitter or a few red and white nonpareils atop the frosting before sandwiching cookies—just to make them feel festive and extra special. For holiday occasions, a light dusting of cocoa or powdered sugar around the edges looks super pretty too.

Side Dishes

These cookies pair wonderfully with a cold glass of milk, a cup of rich coffee, or even a frothy chai latte. If you’re hosting a sweet table, I like to offer fresh berries or a simple fruit salad alongside to balance the richness.

Creative Ways to Present

Once, I arranged these sandwich cookies stacked like little red velvet towers, tied individually with colored ribbon for a birthday party favor. Another time, I served them on a decorative platter lined with doilies and fresh mint—it made an impressive centerpiece! You can even slide them into cupcake liners for easy grab-and-go treats at potlucks.

Make Ahead and Storage

Storing Leftovers

I store leftover cookies in an airtight container layered with parchment paper between them. They keep well at room temperature for up to three days before the frosting softens too much, but I find they’re best enjoyed within that window for freshness.

Freezing

If you want to save these for later, I recommend freezing the cookies and frosting separately. The cookies freeze beautifully on a tray first, then transferred to a sealed container. Frosting can be frozen in a small container. When you’re ready, thaw both and assemble fresh for best texture.

Reheating

Red Velvet Sandwich Cookies are best served chilled or room temp, but if you like them a bit warm, give just the cookie halves a quick 5-10 second zap in the microwave before frosting. Avoid reheating once assembled or the frosting can melt and run.

FAQs

Final Thoughts

This Red Velvet Sandwich Cookies Recipe is one of those recipes I keep coming back to whenever I want to impress with minimal fuss but maximum flavor. It’s cozy, indulgent, and just downright fun to make with friends or family. I hope you discover the joy of biting into that perfect pairing of soft, chocolatey cookies and creamy frosting just like I do. Go ahead, grab your mixing bowl, and treat yourself to these irresistible sandwiches — you deserve it!

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