Santa’s Cookies (Red Velvet Christmas Cookies)
Last Updated on January 20, 2024 by Allison Lancaster
These stunning Santa’s Cookies are bright red, packed with semi-sweet chocolate chips and mini marshmallows, and then topped with icing, crushed candy canes, chunks of cookie dough, holiday sprinkles, and more chocolate chips and mini marshmallows!
Table of Contents
These decadent red velvet chocolate chip cookies will easily turn heads and keep your guests returning for more! They’re soft and slightly gooey in the center, while chewy and crispy on the outside.
Get creative with the choice of toppings added to Santa’s favorite cookies, and get the kids to help you decorate a plate of cookies as a fun holiday season activity!
Santas Cookies Ingredients & Substitutions:
Butter – You’ll need 2 sticks of unsalted sweet cream butter, cubed. Make sure you use unsalted butter or you will change the flavor of your cookies.
Sugar – I’ve used white granulated sugar, but light brown sugar could be used too.
Eggs – Use large eggs and allow them to reach room temperature.
Vanilla extract – Almond extract could be used instead and is a popular flavor in holiday cookies.
Super red food coloring – This deep red food coloring will help to create a classic red velvet cookie appearance.
Cocoa powder – I’ve used unsweetened cocoa since these cookies are already quite sweet.
Baking soda – Always check the expiry date to ensure a good rise in the cookies.
Cornstarch – The cornstarch helps give these cookies a soft center and delicious chewiness, while also helping to prevent the cookies from spreading too much while baking.
Kosher salt – Table salt can also be used. Omit this if you have used salted butter in the cookie dough.
Cake flour – Use gluten-free cake flour for food allergies.
All-purpose flour – Use gluten-free alternatives for food allergies.
Semisweet chocolate chips – Milk chocolate chips, dark chocolate chips, or white chocolate chips could be used instead.
Mini marshmallows – If you don’t have mini marshmallows, cut regular marshmallows down into small pieces.
Candy canes – Crushed. The best way to crush your candy canes without fine powder going everywhere is to add them to a sturdy sealable plastic bag and crush them with a wooden rolling pin or something similar. This helps to prevent mess!
Icing – Combine powdered sugar and milk or use premade icing which is my personal preference!
Toppings – Get creative and decorate these Santa cookies with edible chocolate chip cookie dough, miniature marshmallows, white chocolate chips, and holiday sprinkles.
How To Make Santa‘s Cookies
- Preheat the oven and prepare 2 large baking sheets with silicone liners or parchment paper. Set aside. I prefer to use my USA Pan baking sheets for this recipe and any other holiday cookie recipes I make!
- Combine the butter and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer or electric mixer with a paddle attachment and cream on medium speed for 3 minutes or until light in color and fluffy.
- Add an egg at a time, followed by the vanilla extract.
- Add the food coloring and mix on a low speed.
- In a separate large bowl, whisk flour (both types), cocoa powder, baking soda, cornstarch, and salt.
- Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients on low speed until a soft dough forms.
- Mix in the chocolate chips while still on low speed.
- Place the dough in the fridge, covered, to chill for 20 minutes.
- Once chilled, measure cookie dough with an ice cream scoop or medium cookie scoop and form balls using your hands.
- Place 4 cookie balls on a prepared baking sheet, staggering each one. Press each ball down slightly with your hand.
- Bake the cookies for 8-11 minutes. Once baked, remove the cookies from the oven and set aside to cool while you prepare the icing.
- Make the icing by whisking the milk and powdered sugar in a small bowl until fully combined.
- Top each cookie with icing, followed by cookie dough, white chocolate chips, and mini marshmallows.
- Drizzle extra icing over the assembled cookies and add the holiday sprinkles.
Serve
Enjoy these festive cookies with a glass of milk, a mug of hot chocolate, or coffee as an afternoon treat.
These delicious cookies can also be crumbled over ice cream as a delicious dessert.
They’re perfect as beautiful holiday gifts that can be added to clear bags or paper boxes and decorated with ribbons and gift tags. If you are looking for other Christmas cookie recipes you will want to check out our chocolate sugar cookie recipe!
How To Store Red Velvet Christmas Cookies
These Santa cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for 1-2 weeks or in the fridge for longer.
You can also freeze these holiday cookies for up to 3 months and thaw them at room temperature to serve again.
Recipe FAQ’s:
How far in advance can I make these cookies?
These soft cookies can be made a few days to a week in advance and stored at room temperature or in the fridge. I recommend adding fresh icing and toppings just before serving for the best texture.
Can I freeze the cookie dough balls?
Absolutely! Freezing rolled cookie balls is another great way to reduce preparation time, ready for you to thaw and bake for a fresh batch of cookies on Christmas morning! The frozen cookie round balls will last for up to 3 months.
Do I have to chill the cookie dough?
Chilling cookie dough before baking allows the dough to set and will help prevent the cookies from spreading too much in the oven. You’ll get deliciously fluffy cookies that have crisp edges on the outside and slightly gooey inside!
Are these Santa cookies inspired by the red velvet cookies?
Yes! This easy Santa cookies recipe includes super red food coloring to resemble red velvet cookies, a treat often enjoyed around the holidays.
Can I make the icing with cream cheese?
If you prefer a slightly tangy taste in your icing, go ahead and add some cream cheese. You will need to play with the quantity of milk and powdered sugar as the cream cheese will naturally create a thicker consistency. Allow the cream cheese to reach room temperature for easier mixing.
Other Christmas Treats You’ll Love
- Christmas Fudge
- Christmas Cookie Cake
- Little Debbie Christmas Tree Dip
- Buttercream Christmas Wreath Cake From Cake Mix
- Christmas Crack
- Grinch Marshmallow Pops
I hope you enjoy these delicious Santa’s Cookies! If you do, please leave me a comment letting me know how you liked them. And if you have any questions, please feel free to ask! I love hearing from you!
Santa’s Cookies Recipe:
Santa's Cookies
Santa's Cookies are a stunning bright red, packed with chocolate chips and mini marshmallows, and then topped with icing and all kinds of delicious additions!
Ingredients
- 2 sticks unsalted sweet cream butter, cubed
- 1 ½ C sugar
- 2 large eggs, room temp
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 2 tsp super red food coloring
- ¼ C unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp cornstarch
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- 1 C cake flour
- 1 ¾ C all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ C semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1 cup Mini Marshmallows
- 1 cup Candy Canes. Crushed
Icing
- 1 ¼ cup powdered sugar
- 2 tbsp .milk
Toppings
- ½ cup Edible chocolate chip cookie dough
- ½ cup Mini Marshmallows
- ⅛ cup White Chocolate chips
- ¼ cup Holiday Sprinkles
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 410 degrees.
- Line 2 baking sheets with silicone liners.
- Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer add the butter and sugar.
- Using a paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar on medium for 3 minutes. . The butter/sugar mixture will appear light in color and fluffy.
- Add one egg at a time, beating directly after adding.
- After adding each egg, blend the vanilla in the mixture.
- Add in the red food coloring, beating at low speed until mixed.
- In a large bowl add both types of flour, cocoa, baking soda, cornstarch, and salt, whisk to combine. Slowly add the flour mixture to the butter mixture while the mixer is on low speed. Continue beating the mixture until a soft dough is made.
- With the mixer on low beat in the chocolate chips until mixed.
- Put in the refrigerator, uncovered, until chilled for about 20 minutes.
- Using an ice cream / cookie scoop, scoop out dough balls weighing approximately 3.5 oz. Using your hands form the dough into a tall ball.
- Place 4 dough balls on the baking sheet, staggering each one.
- Using your hand, lightly press down on each dough ball to flatten slightly.
- Bake at 410 degrees for 8-11 minutes. The cookies will be slightly gooey in the center. Set to the side to allow it to cool.
- Make your cookie icing.
- Prepare the icing by adding ingredients in a small bowl.
- Using a whisk, whisk until fully combined. You will want it to be a thick glaze.
- Top each cookie with icing and spread it on top of the cookie in a circle.
- Top each cookie with the cookie dough, white chocolate chips, and mini marshmallows. Now using a spoon drizzle more icing on top.
add the holiday sprinkles on top.
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