Red Velvet Shortbread Cookies {Dipped in White Chocolate}

A delicious Christmas cookie! These Red Velvet Shortbread Cookies are made up of a buttery, beautifully red cookie that’s dipped in a sweet, rich and creamy white chocolate and they’re finished with decorative festive sprinkles.

Red Velvet Shortbread Christmas Cookies

These are a decadent cookie people of all ages will enjoy!

Who doesn’t love shortbread? And especially so when they’re made up of those nostalgic Christmas colors and finished with white chocolate.

The dough is similar to a traditional shortbread cookie base with a few minor tweaks to give it that classic red velvet taste and rich color (reminiscent to red velvet cake).

It’s a crisp and tender cookie that keeps well for days, which makes them great for gifting. And it’s always nice to add a new cookie to the holiday cookie exchange.

Of course we all look forward to and love our classics, but it’s always nice to try new variations too.

These red velvet shortbread are the perfect holiday treat and they’re fun to make! Just plan some time since the dough does require some chilling since it’s a slice and bake method.

More Christmas Cookies

If you’re looking for more cookies to make this holiday season check out some of our other favorites:

• Alfajores (Dulce de Leche Sandwich Cookies)
• Chocolate Crinkle Cookies
• Ginger Cookies (+White Chocolate)
• No Bake Cookies
• Mexican Wedding Cookies
• Ricotta Cookies
• Thumbprint Cookies
• Snowman Sugar Cookies

Red Velvet Shortbread Cookie Ingredients

• 2 cups minus 2 Tbsp (226g) all-purpose flour (use scoop and level method to measure)
• 2 Tbsp (11g) unsweetened cocoa powder (not dark or Dutch)
• 1/4 tsp (heaping) salt
• 1 cup unsalted butter, nearly room temperature
• 1 cup (120g) powdered sugar
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 4 tsp liquid red food coloring, recommend McCormick
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 9 oz. white chocolate, or a little more if needed

How to Make Red Velvet Shortbread Cookies

Here’s a summary of the steps to follow (see below for full recipe with print option).

1. Whisk dry ingredients in a bowl.
2. Cream butter and sugar in a mixer bowl.
3. Mix in food coloring, vanilla and lemon then blend in dry mixture.
4. Chill dough.
5. Divide into two portions, shape each into a log. Chill.
6. Preheat oven and prepare baking sheets.
7. Cut dough logs into even slices and bake until nearly set (they’ll still be soft to the touch but should not doughy).
8. Cool on a rack then dip in white chocolate and decorate. Let the white chocolate set in the fridge.

Recommended Storage

• Be sure to store in an airtight container.
• These cookies should keep well for up to a week at room temperature.
• For longer shelf life freeze up to 3 months.

Helpful Tips

• Avoid using dark or Dutch cocoa or cookies won’t be as red. I used this one when creating and testing this recipe.
• Sift cocoa or powdered sugar before you begin if it’s clumpy.
• Don’t skip chilling the dough it’s easier to work with and helps the cookies spread less.
• If you want thinner wider cookies just roll the dough log a little shorter and slice cookies a little thinner.
• I don’t recommend skipping the white chocolate finish it adds the final layer of sweetness the cookies need. If you didn’t have any on hand and still wanted to make these I’d increase the sugar in the dough.
• Another option is to dip cookies in chocolate instead (semi sweet or milk chocolate).
• I like to bake just one batch at a time for more even cooking.
• If you don’t have Christmas sprinkles I like to decorate them with one of the red shortbread cookie finely crushed up.

Print Recipe

Red Velvet Shortbread Cookies

A festive Christmas cookie! They are made up of a buttery, crisp and tender, beautifully red cookie that's dipped in a sweet, rich and creamy white chocolate and they're finished with decorative festive sprinkles.

Servings: 34 cookies

Prep45 minutes minutes

Cook24 minutes minutes

Chill3 hours hours 30 minutes minutes

Ready in: 4 hours hours 30 minutes minutes

Ingredients

• 2 cups minus 2 Tbsp (266g) unbleached all-purpose flour (use scoop and level method to measure)
• 2 Tbsp (11g) unsweetened cocoa powder (not dark or Dutch, I used this one)
• 1/4 tsp (heaping) salt
• 1 cup (226g) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 cup (120g) powdered sugar*
• 4 tsp liquid red food coloring, recommend McCormick
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 9 oz. white chocolate, or a little more if needed**
• Sprinkles (optional)

Instructions

• In a medium mixing bowl whisk together flour, cocoa powder, and salt. Set aside.
• In the bowl of an electric stand mixer cream together butter and powdered sugar until combined. Scrape down bowl.
• Add in red food coloring, vanilla and lemon juice then mix on low speed until combined. It's okay if fat and liquid don't fully emulsify.
• Add flour mixture then blend on low speed until combined.
• Smooth dough out even then cover bowl and chill about 1 hour or until it's firm enough to handle.
• Use a large metal spoon to scoop dough out and divide into two equal portions.
• Working with one portion at a time compress that piece snuggly so there aren't air pockets in the center (keep the two portions separate).
• Then on a sheet of parchment paper (or surface you aren't worried about staining), roll each portion to a smooth and even 5 1/2-inch log (turn and forcefully tap each end flat against surface to smooth ends as well).
• Wrap each piece with parchment paper and chill until firm, about 1 to 2 hours.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees during last 15 minutes of chill time. Line two 18 by 13-inch baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Remove one dough log from the fridge. Cut into even 1/4-inch thick slices.
• Transfer 12 portions to baking sheet spacing evenly apart. Refrigerate remaining slices.
• Bake in preheated oven until cookies are nearly set, about 11 - 14 minutes. Cool on baking sheet 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
• Repeat process until all of the dough has been used up. Once cookies are cool dip in white chocolate.
• To melt the white chocolate place it in a medium microwave safe mixing bowl. Heat in microwave on 50% power in 30 second intervals, stirring well between interval until melted and smooth.
• Cover baking sheet with parchment paper. Dip halves of each cookie in white chocolate (carefully scrape some of the excess on the bottom side of cookie off along the inside edge of the bowl), transfer to parchment paper.
• Decorate with sprinkles if desired or crush up one of the cookies finely and sprinkle over the white chocolate.
• Transfer baking sheet to fridge and let white chocolate set, about 15 minutes. Remove cookies from parchment paper while white chocolate is still cold.
• Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature (or refrigerate or freeze for longer shelf life).

Notes

*Cookies themselves aren't very sweet so if you don't plan on adding a white chocolate dip to coat them then I recommend increasing the powdered sugar by 1/3 cup.

**I was able to get away with just 9 oz. but if you are using a white chocolate that's a little thicker when melted you may need about 12 oz. Another option is to use 2 cups white chocolate chips and 2 Tbsp coconut oil or shortening. 

Nutrition Facts

Red Velvet Shortbread Cookies

Amount Per Serving

Calories 132 Calories from Fat 72

% Daily Value*

Fat 8g12%

Saturated Fat 5g31%

Trans Fat 1g

Polyunsaturated Fat 1g

Monounsaturated Fat 2g

Cholesterol 16mg5%

Sodium 22mg1%

Potassium 37mg1%

Carbohydrates 14g5%

Fiber 1g4%

Sugar 8g9%

Protein 1g2%

Vitamin A 169IU3%

Vitamin C 1mg1%

Calcium 18mg2%

Iron 1mg6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Nutrition values are estimates only. See full disclaimer here.

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: christmas cookies, Red Velvet Shortbread Cookies, Shortbread Cookies

Author: Jaclyn