These Red Velvet Blossoms are a fun twist on the classic peanut butter blossoms. With their vibrant red color, rich cocoa flavor, and signature chocolate kiss, these soft and chewy cookies are perfect for adding a pop of festivity to your holiday season. Whether for parties, cookie swaps, or cozy nights in, they’re always a hit!
Red velvet cookies are also surprisingly so easy to make with just a few pantry staples. Serve them with a mug of hot cocoa or a glass of milk, and watch these cookies become a new holiday tradition. They’re festive, delicious, and almost too pretty to eat. A must-make this season!
Why You'll Love these Red Velvet Blossoms
- Super festive. Red velvet blossoms are the ultimate holiday cookie with their deep red hue and rich cocoa flavor. Topped with a classic Hershey’s kiss, they’re as beautiful as they are delicious. These cookies are always a favorite at cookie exchanges and make a striking addition to your holiday dessert spread.
- The best texture. These red velvet cookies have the best texture — soft and chewy and coated in sugar with a creamy chocolate kiss centre. The perfect bite-sized treats!
- Perfect for gifting. Rolled in sparkling sugar and crowned with a chocolate kiss, these bold red cookies are perfect for gifting in a Holiday Cookie Box. Wrap them up in a holiday tin or box, and they’re ready to spread cheer.
Ingredient Notes
To make these festive Red Velvet Blossoms, you will need the following ingredients (full measurements in recipe card below):
- all-purpose flour - spoon the flour into your measuring cups and level it to get the right amount of flour every time.
- natural cocoa powder - use unsweetened cocoa powder to control the sweetness of the cookies.
- salt - salt will highlight all the delicious flavors in these cookies, making them even more tempting.
- baking powder - this will give the cookie dough a little lift and a puffy texture.
- butter - always use softened unsalted butter at room temperature.
- white sugar - use your preferred granulated sugar (like cane sugar, date sugar, or coconut sugar), or use a sugar-free substitute like stevia or monk fruit.
- egg - use room temperature egg for best results.
- vanilla extract - you can use an equal amount of vanilla bean paste for a richer vanilla flavor, or try a different extract flavor such as almond extract or peppermint extract.
- red gel food coloring
- hershey's kisses - unwrap each Hershey's kiss before placing them in the center of the just-baked cookie dough balls.
You will also need measuring cups and spoons. mixing bowls, hand mixer or stand mixer, large baking sheet, parchment paper, and wire cooling rack.
How to Make the Best Red Velvet Blossoms
- Combine dry ingredients. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
- Combine wet ingrdients. Use a stand mixer (or hand mixer) and cream the butter and sugars together in a mixing bowl on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Add egg and vanilla and continue to beat on medium until fully incorporated.
- Add dry to wet. Gradually add the dry ingredients until just combined.
- Roll dough in sugar. Place granulated sugar for rolling into a shallow bowl. Take 1 tablespoon of dough at a time and roll into 1-inch balls. Roll into the sugar to coat.
- Chill. Place cookies on a silpat or parchment-lined half sheet baking pan, spaced 2 inches apart. Transfer the baking sheet to the refrigerator and chill the cookies for 1 hour.
- Bake. Bake the cookies in a 350F preheated oven for 10-13 minutes until the edges are set.
- Add kiss. Remove from the oven and immediately gently press a chocolate kiss into the center of each cookie. Gently transfer cookies to a wire cooling rack to completely cool. Note that the kisses will melt and get soft but will hold its shape. It will slowly harden as the cookies cool completely. You can speed up this process by transferring the cookies to the refrigerator or freezer to cool quickly.
Recipe Variations
- Mix up your kisses. While traditional milk chocolate kisses are a classic choice, these red velvet cookies are versatile enough to pair with other flavors. Try dark chocolate, white chocolate, or even caramel-filled kisses to switch things up. Want a festive twist? Try peppermint kisses for a holiday-ready version.
- Roll in sprinkles. After shaping the cookie dough balls, we roll them in sugar, but you can switch things up. Roll them in holiday-themed sprinkles or colorful sugar instead.
- Add a chocolate drizzle. Once the cookies have cooled, elevate them even further with a drizzle of melted white, dark, or milk chocolate.
- Switch up the toppings. Don’t limit yourself to traditional chocolate kisses. Try topping your cookies with mini peanut butter cups, caramel-filled chocolates, or even a dollop of cream cheese frosting for a red velvet cake-inspired twist.
How to Serve
These Red Velvet Blossoms are delicious served on their own as a sweet treat whenever the sugar craving hits, or served in a larger cookie spread with some of my favorite holiday cookie recipes including:
- Italian Christmas Cookies
- Gingersnaps
- Chocolate Spritz Cookies
- Pinwheel Cookies
- Christmas Sugar Cookies
- Chai Cookies
These cookies would be a perfect in a holiday cookie box too! They're the perfect festive cookies for gifting all winter long.
For more cookie recipes, see our 30+ Christmas Cookies.
Recipe Tips and Tricks
- Press the kisses after baking. It might be tempting to add the kisses before baking, but don’t do it! Chocolate kisses can melt too much in the oven and lose their iconic shape. Instead, bake your Red Velvet Blossoms first, then press the kisses gently into the warm cookies right after they come out of the oven. The residual heat will soften the chocolate just enough to stick without melting completely.
- Chill the dough. For the perfect red velvet cookie texture, chilling the dough is a must! It helps the cookies hold their shape while baking and creates a tender, chewy texture.
- Cool before storing. Allow your cookies to cool completely on a wire rack before storing them in an airtight container. If you store them while they’re still warm, you will end up with a chocolatey mess.
- Test bake a few cookies. Not sure about your oven temperature or cookie size? Bake a small test batch of 2-3 cookies first. This way, you can make any necessary adjustments to the baking time or dough consistency before committing the entire batch.
- Turn it into a kid-friendly activity. This cookie recipe is a great one for getting the kids involved. Let the kids help roll the dough into sugar or press the kisses onto the warm cookies. They’ll love creating these fun treats just as much as they’ll enjoy eating them.
Storing and Freezing Instructions
How to Store
Store leftover red velvet cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for 1 week. If you are stacking them in a cookie tin or other container, separate each layer with a piece of wax paper.
Pro tip: To keep your cookies soft and fresh, place a slice of sandwich bread in the airtight container with them. The bread will release moisture, keeping your cookies tender for days without affecting their flavor.
How to Freeze
Let the red velvet blossoms cool completely before freezing. Store them in a freezer-safe container or bag for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to enjoy them, let the cookies thaw at room temperature, and they’ll be as soft and delicious as the day you baked them.
You can also freeze the cookie dough. Roll it into balls and coat in sugar, then place them on a baking sheet and freeze until firm. Transfer the frozen dough balls to a freezer-safe bag or container. When ready to bake, let the dough thaw in the fridge, then bake as directed. Store the chocolate kisses separately and press them into the cookies after baking.
FAQ
Chilling the dough before baking is key to keeping your cookies from spreading too much. If the dough is too warm, the cookies may flatten out as they bake. Let the dough chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes before rolling into balls and baking. This will help the cookies maintain their perfect shape.
Yes! These cookies are great for making ahead. You can freeze the unbaked dough by rolling it into balls and placing it on a baking sheet. Freeze until firm, then transfer the dough balls to a freezer bag. When you're ready to bake, just thaw the dough in the fridge overnight and bake as usual. You can also store baked cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week.
While traditional red velvet recipes rely on food coloring to achieve their signature color, it’s not absolutely necessary. If you prefer, you can skip the food coloring for a more subtle, natural look. However, the classic red hue adds a festive touch, especially for holiday cookies!
More Red Velvet Recipes
- Red Velvet Cookies
- Red Velvet Macarons
- Red Velvet Crinkle Cookies
- Red Velvet Whoopie Pies
- Red Velvet Cupcakes
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Recipe
Red Velvet Blossoms
- Total Time: 1 hour 40 minutes
- Yield: 30-36 cookies
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
These Red Velvet Blossoms are a fun twist on the classic peanut butter blossoms. With their vibrant red color, rich cocoa flavor, and signature chocolate kiss, these soft and chewy cookies are perfect for adding a pop of festivity to your holiday season. Whether for parties, cookie swaps, or cozy nights in, they’re always a hit!
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ cup natural cocoa powder, unsweetened
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ⅔ cup unsalted butter, softened
- ¾ cup light brown sugar, packed
- ¼ cup granulated white sugar
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon red gel food coloring
- 30-36 hershey’s kisses
For rolling:
- ½ cup granulated sugar
Instructions
- In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
- Use a stand mixer (or hand mixer) and cream the butter and sugars together in a mixing bowl on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.
- Add egg and vanilla and continue to beat on medium until fully incorporated. Add red food coloring and beat to incorporate.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients until just combined.
- Place granulated sugar for rolling into a shallow bowl. Take 1 tablespoon of dough at a time and roll into 1-inch balls. Roll into the sugar to coat.
- Place cookies on a silpat or parchment-lined half sheet baking pan, spaced 2 inches apart. Transfer the baking sheet to the refrigerator and chill the cookies for 1 hour.
- Preheat the oven to 350 F.
- Bake the cookies for 10-13 minutes until the edges are set. Remove from the oven and immediately gently press a chocolate kiss into the center of each cookie.
- Gently transfer cookies to a wire cooling rack to completely cool. Note that the kisses will melt and get soft but will hold its shape. It will slowly harden as the cookies cool completely. You can speed up this process by transferring the cookies to the refrigerator or freezer to cool quickly.
Notes
How to store: Store leftover red velvet cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for 1 week. If you are stacking them in a cookie tin or other container, separate each layer with a piece of wax paper.
How to freeze: Let the red velvet blossoms cool completely before freezing. Store them in a freezer-safe container or bag for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to enjoy them, let the cookies thaw at room temperature, and they’ll be as soft and delicious as the day you baked them.
How to freeze cookie dough: You can also freeze the cookie dough. Roll it into balls and coat in sugar, then place them on a baking sheet and freeze until firm. Transfer the frozen dough balls to a freezer-safe bag or container. When ready to bake, let the dough thaw in the fridge, then bake as directed. Store the chocolate kisses separately and press them into the cookies after baking.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Chill Time: 1 hour
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Cookies
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: American
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Margaret Gossweiler says
These Red Blossom cookies are the best! Takes a little time but they are fun to make and have a wonderful taste. Perfect for the holidays! I did have trouble finding the peppermint Hersey's kisses but finally did.