Red Velvet Cookie Cake

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Studded with white chocolate chips and topped with a velvety cream cheese frosting, this soft and chewy Red Velvet Cookie Cake is a gorgeous treat that no one can resist!

The Most Crave-Worthy Red Velvet Cookie Recipe

If you’re a fan of red velvet flavor, then you know that it’s so much more than just chocolate with red food coloring. It’s a decadent, tangy delight all its own. If that’s news to you, this easy cookie recipe is here to show you what red velvet is all about.

The dense, soft and chewy cookie is full of classic red velvet tang, and the cream cheese frosting complements it perfectly. With chunks of white chocolate in every bite, you won’t be able to put your fork down until your plate is empty! This quintessential treat is guaranteed to turn any non-believer into a red velvet fanatic as soon as they take their first taste.

What is a Cookie Cake?

A cookie cake is basically just a giant cookie that’s cut and served like a cake. It bakes inside of a circular cake pan and typically includes a ring of frosting on top. Not any cookie can be turned into a cookie cake – you need a recipe like this one that ensures the cookie won’t over-bake on the outside or under-bake on the inside or fall too much in the middle and crack all over. This indulgent red velvet version has the ultimate cookie texture through and through!

Ingredients You’ll Need

This cookie cake is made up of kitchen staples that you likely have stocked in your pantry and fridge. Let’s dive in!

For the Cookie Cake

• All-Purpose Flour: It’s always best to measure with a food scale.
• Baking Soda: Not baking powder.
• Cocoa Powder: I like to use just a tablespoon so the red velvet flavor really shines through, but you can add some extra cocoa powder if you prefer a more chocolatey taste.
• Salt: This enhances the other flavors.
• Unsalted Butter: Brought to room temperature.
• Sugar
• Egg
• Vanilla Extract
• Vinegar: This gives the cookie its tangy red velvet flavor – it will not make it taste like vinegar!
• Red Food Coloring: You can leave this out if you’d like, but I like to add it to enhance the red color of my cake.
• White Chocolate Chips: These could be left out, but I love the flavor and texture they add.

For the Cream Cheese Frosting

• Cream Cheese: At room temperature.
• Butter: Also at room temperature.
• Powdered Sugar: For volume and consistency.
• Vanilla Extract
• Sprinkles: To decorate the cake.

How to Make Red Velvet Cookie Cake

The recipe for this red velvet cookie cake really couldn’t be simpler. You don’t even have to chill the dough!

Make the Cake

1. Prep for Baking: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Place parchment paper in the bottom of a 9-inch cake pan and grease the sides.
2. Combine Dry Ingredients: Combine the flour, baking soda, cocoa powder and salt in a medium-sized bowl and set the mixture aside.
3. Beat Butter & Sugar: Add the butter and sugar to a mixing bowl and beat until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.
4. Add Egg: Add the egg and mix until well combined.
5. Add Vanilla, Vinegar & Food Coloring: Add the vanilla extract, vinegar and red food coloring and mix until well combined.
6. Combine Wet & Dry Ingredients: Add the dry ingredient mixture to the combined wet ingredients and mix just until well combined.
7. Add Chocolate Chips: Stir in the white chocolate chips. If desired, set some aside to press into the top of the cookie dough once it’s in the pan.
8. Bake: Press the dough evenly into the prepared cake pan and bake the cake for 18-20 minutes, or until the edges are set and the center looks just matte.
9. Let Cool: Remove your cookie cake from the oven and allow it to cool completely in the cake pan, then transfer it to a serving plate.

Make the Frosting

1. Beat Cream Cheese & Butter: Beat the cream cheese with the butter until the mixture is smooth.
2. Start Adding Powdered Sugar: Slowly add 1 cup of powdered sugar and mix until combined.
3. Add Vanilla: Mix in the vanilla extract.
4. Finish Adding Powdered Sugar: Add the rest of the powdered sugar and mix until smooth.
5. Pipe Onto Cake: Pipe the frosting onto the outer edge of the cookie cake and add some sprinkles, if desired. Store the cake in an airtight container until you’re ready to cut and serve it.

Tips for Success

The tips and tricks below will come in handy when you’re making this cookie cake. Don’t forget to check them out before you get started!

• Use Room Temperature Ingredients: Be sure to let your butter come to room temperature before you use it in the cookie batter. Otherwise, your ingredients won’t combine properly. The same goes for the butter and the cream cheese in the frosting.
• Don’t Over-Mix the Dough: Over-mixed cookie dough makes for a less soft and chewy end result. As soon as the wet and dry ingredient mixtures are well combined, fold in the white chocolate chips.
• Use an Offset Spatula to Fill the Cake Pan: This cookie dough can be a little sticky, so I like to use my offset spatula to press it into the cake pan and smooth it out.
• Let the Cookie Cake Cool Before Adding Frosting: You don’t want to pipe on your frosting until the cookie cake has cooled completely. If the cake is still warm, it can melt the frosting.

Variation Ideas

Feel free to alter this recipe according to your cookie cake desires. Here are some yummy variations to try!

• Use Different Chocolate Chips: Not everyone is a fan of white chocolate, and this cookie cake also tastes great with milk, dark or semisweet chocolate chips. Use what you’re craving!
• Make Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting: Want to add chocolate to your cream cheese frosting? Simply mix in 1/4 cup of natural, unsweetened cocoa powder when you add the vanilla extract.
• Make a Heart-Shaped Cake for Valentine’s Day: The red color of this cake lends itself perfectly to Valentine’s Day. It’s even more festive if you bake it in a heart-shaped cake pan!

Storage and Freezing Instructions

Because of the cream cheese frosting, this cookie cake should be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 4-5 days. You could also keep it in the freezer if you’d like to store it for longer.

It’s best to freeze the frosting separately from the cake. Once the cake has cooled, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and store it in a large freezer bag or airtight container for up to 3 months. The frosting can be frozen in a freezer bag with all of the air squeezed out for up to 3 months. Thaw out the cake and the frosting before assembling and serving your dessert.

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More Must-Make Red Velvet Cookie Recipes

If you love this cookie cake, you’re sure to enjoy the following red velvet cookies just as much. I know I do!

• Red Velvet Cheesecake Cookie Cups
• Easy Red Velvet Cookie Sandwiches
• Red Velvet Cheesecake Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars