Red Velvet Shortbread cookies dipped or drizzled with white chocolate and decorated with sprinkles. These cutout cookies are fun for Valentine's Day or Christmas!
These fun shortbread cookies are easy to make and don't spread - so they're great cookie cutter cookies.
These shortbread cookies aren't just for Valentine's Day! Use Christmas cookie cutters to make this cookie festive for a holiday cookie tray. These Christmas cookies make a great addition to a cookie platter, and they're easy to decorate with festive sprinkles.
Cutout Cookies That Keep Their Shape
Shortbread cookies are a great option when you'd like a cookie that keeps its shape and isn't a classic sugar cookie. Because there isn't any leavening agent, such as baking soda or baking powder, in these cookies, it eliminates the ability for the cookies to spread.
Ingredients in Red Velvet Shortbread Cookies
- Unsalted butter - the butter needs to be cold to make these cookies.
- All-purpose flour
- Granulated sugar
- Unsweetened cocoa powder
- Salt
- vanilla extract
- Red Food Coloring
- White Chocolate Candy Melts
- Sprinkles
How to Make Red Velvet Shortbread Cookies
- Preheat the oven and the cookie sheet- Preheat the oven to 350ºF and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Do not grease the cookie sheet.
- Process the dry ingredients- Add the all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, cocoa powder, and salt to a food processor. Use the pulse setting until the ingredients are blended.
- Blend the butter and food coloring- Slice the COLD butter into small cubes and add it to the food processor along with the vanilla extract. Top with the red food dye. Pulse until the butter is broken down and the batter is crumbly and not sticking to the sides.
- Knead the dough- Turn the dough out into a bowl and knead until the cookie dough forms.
- Roll out the cookie dough- Roll the dough out to ¼ inch thickness on a lightly floured surface. Use a 3" cookie cutter to cut out the dough. Roll out the dough again to get the remaining cutouts.
- Bake the shortbread cookies- Place the cookie cutouts onto the prepared baking sheet and bake for 12 to 15 minutes. Keep an eye on the cookies because oven times vary.
- Allow the cookies to cool- Remove the cookies from the oven, allow them to cool for 4 minutes before transferring them a wire rack to cool completely.
- Decorate the cookies- Melt the white chocolate according to the package and either dip half of each cookie into the melted chocolate or dip the entire cookie in chocolate. Immediately sprinkle the cookies with the desired amount before the chocolate hardens.
- Store in an air-tight container. Alternatively, add sprinkles to the melted white chocolate drizzle on the cookies.
Quick Decorating Tips
Depending on your brand of food coloring, you may need to adjust your coloring. Gel food coloring works much better than liquid food coloring and takes less dye.
For a chocolate and red velvet flavor, use dark chocolate instead of white chocolate for dipping and drizzling.
Tips to Make Shortbread Cookies
- Always start with cold butter. Cut it into small cubes to break down easily while blending.
- Use a food processor or stand mixer. Making shortbread by hand can be taxing, so do it easily if you can!
- Don't overwork the dough. A delicious shortbread cookie should be tender but also firm. Overworking the dough will result in a hard cookie. Allow the stand mixer or food processor to do the work, press the dough together by hand, and knead it just enough to make it easy to roll out.
- Oven temperatures vary - Keep an eye on the cookies while baking. The cookies should be about the same color as they were when they went into the oven. Unlike other cookies, you don't want golden brown edges for shortbread cookies. For the red velvet shortbread cookies variety, it may be hard to see when the cookies are done. The tops should be soft but hold their shape at the end of baking time.
- Don't grease the cookie sheet- It is not necessary to grease the cookie sheets for shortbread cookies. In fact, greasing the cookie sheet can result in the cookies spreading. To transfer the cookies easily, use parchment paper.
Can You Freeze Shortbread Cookies?
Yes, you can freeze shortbread cookies! These red velvet shortbread cookies, or any shortbread cookies for that matter, can be frozen for up to 3 months. You can either freeze the dough or freeze the baked cookies.
To freeze shortbread cookie dough, transfer the dough to a freezer-safe bag and spread using a rolling pin to thin out the dough evenly.
To freeze already-baked shortbread cookies, leave them undecorated and place them in an even layer inside an airtight container. Place parchment paper between each layer of cookies so that they do not freeze and stick together in the freezer.
Decorate the cookies, if doing so, once the cookies are thawed from the freezer. Freezing the already decorated shortbread cookies will cause the chocolate to bloom and not hold up well in the freezer.
More Valentine's Day Inspiration
Mini Vanilla Cupcakes are bite sized treats that are great for parties. They're easy to decorate with sprinkles for any time of year.
This red velvet cupcake recipe has a delicious marshmallow cream filling,
Cherry Chocolate Cookies are fudgy cookies topped with chocolate ganache and a maraschino cherry.
📖 Recipe
Red Velvet Shortbread Cookies
Equipment
Ingredients
Red Velvet Shortbread Cookies
- ½ cup unsalted butter - cold, cut into pats
- 1 ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- Red gel food dye
White Chocolate Drizzle
- 4 ounces White Chocolate Candy Melts
- Sprinkles
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Do not grease the cookie sheet.
- Add the all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, cocoa powder, and salt to a food processor. Use the pulse setting until the ingredients are blended.
- Slice the COLD butter into small cubes and add it to the food processor along with the vanilla extract. Top with the red food dye. Pulse until the butter is broken down and the batter is crumbly and not sticking to the sides.
- Turn the dough out into a bowl and knead until the cookie dough forms
- Roll the dough out to ¼ inch thickness on a lightly floured surface. Use a 3" cookie cutter to cut out the dough. Roll out the dough again to get the remaining cutouts.
- Place the cookie cutouts on the prepared baking sheet and bake for 12 to 15 minutes. The oven times vary, so keep an eye on the cookies.
- Remove the cookies from the oven and allow them to cool for 4 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Melt the white chocolate according to the package instructions. Then, dip half of each cookie into the melted chocolate or the entire cookie in chocolate.
- Immediately sprinkle the cookies with the desired amount before the chocolate hardens.
- Store in an air-tight container. Alternatively, add sprinkles to the melted white chocolate drizzle on the cookies.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is an estimate based on third-party calculations. Actual values may vary due to ingredients, measurements, and serving sizes.
© Popular Recipes
Dana is the lead recipe developer and photographer for PopularRecipes.com. With her 10+ years of experience creating, testing, and photographing recipes, she has become an artist in developing wholesome, family-friendly meals that are a hit with both kids and parents.
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