Years ago I attended a wedding reception where the wedding cake was a Red Velvet Cake. I fell in love with the red cake, with a hint of chocolate, and the cream cheese frosting. Since then I’ve been wanting to make red velvet baked goods.
I’m writing this during Christmas, and my friend Nori is having her annual cookie exchange. I decided this year to make Red Velvet Crinkle Cookies for Nori’s cookie exchange. These delicious cookies have that wonderful hint of cocoa, covered in powdered sugar with cracks that show the wonderful red color. These cookies are the perfect addition to any Christmas cookie platter, or cookie exchange.
Let’s BAKE!
INGREDIENTS
1/3 cup shortening (66 grams)
1/3 cup butter (76 grams)
1/3 cup plain nonfat yogurt (78 grams)
1-1/2 cups caster sugar (308 grams)
2 large eggs
1/2 teaspoon red food coloring, gel or paste (not the liquid food coloring)
2-1/4 cups unbleached flour (310 grams)
1/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour (26 grams)
1/4 cup cocoa powder (30 grams)
2 teaspoons cream of tartar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
powdered sugar, for coating
DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven 375 degrees F. In a large mixing bowl, cream together shortening, butter, and nonfat yogurt with 1-1/2 cups caster sugar for about 5 minutes until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beat until well combined. Add red food coloring gel; beat until combined. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, whisk together both flours, cocoa powder, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt. On mixer’s lowest setting, add flour to creamed mixture, mix until flour is incorporated, then increase speed to medium-low until flour is completely incorporated. Cover mixing bowl tightly with plastic wrap, place in refrigerator for 2 hours.
Place powdered sugar (about 1/2 – 1 cup) in a shallow bowl Using a #40 cookie scoop, or 1-1/2 Tbsp, shape dough into 1-1/2″ balls; roll in powdered sugar, covering liberally and completely. Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet 2-inches apart (work with 1 baking sheet at a time). Place mixing bowl with the remaining cookie dough back in the refrigerator to keep dough chilled until ready to roll in powdered sugar). Roll each powdered sugared cookie dough ball a 2nd time in the powdered sugar. Bake at 375 degrees F. for 9-11 minutes. Remove cookies together with the parchment paper from the baking sheet onto a cooling rack. Let cool completely. Repeat with remaining cookie dough, working with one baking sheet at a time to keep dough chilled until ready to roll in powdered sugar and bake. Enjoy!
