Homemade Red Velvet Oreo Cookies Recipe

How I Stumbled into My New Favorite Cookie

There are recipes that make you nostalgic and recipes that surprise you. This one surprised me. I was trying to recreate the lush, slightly cocoa-forward tang of red velvet but wrapped it around everything I love in a cookie: big, soft centers, crisp edges, melty chocolate, and a little crunchy cookie crunch. If you already love indulgent red velvet cookies, you might find it familiar to the Crumbl copycat red velvet cookies recipe I bookmarked months ago, but these add the Oreo twist that turned them into the cookie I now make whenever someone asks me to bring dessert.

The Ingredient Lineup (Yes, All of It Matters)

I mention measurements because, oddly enough, that’s where the magic starts. For this batch you’ll want 2 ½ cups (313 g) all purpose flour and ¼ cup (21 g) Dutch processed cocoa powder to get that gentle chocolate background. There’s 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon cornstarch and ¾ teaspoon kosher salt to balance texture and flavor. Fat and eggs are essential, so have ready 1 cup (227 g) unsalted butter, melted and cooled, plus 2 large eggs. For sweetness the recipe calls for ¾ cup (165 g) light brown sugar packed and ¾ cup (150 g) granulated sugar. A tablespoon of vanilla extract and 1 teaspoon red gel food coloring give aroma and that showstopping hue. For the Oreo personality, use ¼ cup Oreo cookie crumbs (about 3 Oreo cookies blended to fine crumbs) and then 6 crushed Oreo cookie pieces (6 Oreo cookies crushed into bite-sized pieces). Lastly, ¾ cup semisweet chocolate chips, plus more for topping, finish the mix. When I want to clear my head between batches, I’ll cook something savory like the Gulf Coast red snapper with velvety creole sauce but mostly I keep coming back to chocolate and cookies.

Putting It Together: The Way I Make Them

I start by cutting butter into 1-inch slices and melting in a medium saucepan over medium heat or in the microwave in 30 second intervals until fully melted. Pour into a stand mixer bowl to cool. While the butter is cooling I deal with the Oreos: using a food processor or blender, blend 3 Oreo cookies into fine crumbs. Then I crush 6 Oreo cookies into bite-sized pieces using a food processor or a rolling pin and a ziplock bag. Those two different textures are the trick—tiny crumbs for integration, bigger pieces for surprise crunch.

Next, in a medium bowl I sift together the flour, cocoa powder, cornstarch, and baking soda. I whisk in the kosher salt and set the dry mix aside. Back at the mixer, in the stand mixer with cooled melted butter, I beat butter and both sugars on medium-high until creamy, about 2 minutes, scraping the bowl halfway so everything emulsifies evenly. I beat in the eggs one at a time on medium speed until combined. With the last egg I add the vanilla extract and 1 teaspoon red gel food coloring and mix well so the color is even and vivid.

On low speed I add the flour mixture in 3 additions, mixing until just combined and a few streaks remain. Then I remove the bowl from the mixer and gently fold in the semisweet chocolate chips, Oreo crumbs, and crushed Oreo pieces with a rubber spatula. I cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate dough for 3 hours. This pause is worth the wait because the chilling calms the dough and helps the cookies spread in the right way.

When the oven is about 10 minutes from preheat, I line a plate with wax paper. Using a large cookie scoop, I portion out 2.5 oz dough per ball. I lightly roll each scoop into balls, smoothing cracks so they don’t split open unattractively while baking. Place balls on the wax paper and refrigerate uncovered for 10-15 minutes while oven preheats. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Place 5 dough balls on the baking sheet about 2 inches apart and keep remaining dough balls refrigerated. Bake for 12-14 minutes until edges are set and centers slightly wet. Halfway through baking I tap the baking sheet on a heatproof surface and rotate the sheet to encourage even browning.

Immediately after baking I gently scoot cookies into a circular shape using a bowl or cup and top with additional chocolate chips and crushed Oreos. I let them cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely. They will be very soft when warm but will firm up as they cool.

Small Tricks I Swear By

A few things I’ve learned save time and heartbreak. First, don’t skip the cornstarch; it keeps the centers tender while the edges set. Second, use red gel food coloring instead of liquid for that deep color without watering down the dough. Third, cool your melted butter in the mixer bowl—if it’s too hot it can scramble the eggs. If your dough seems too sticky to roll, refrigerate it for an extra 15 to 20 minutes. When I’m in a rush I portion and freeze dough balls on a sheet, then move them to a bag; frozen dough can go straight into the oven with an extra minute or two of bake time.

How to Know When They’re Done, What to Serve, and Leftovers

You’ll know they’re done when the edges are set and the centers still look slightly wet. The look of the center is key because they set as they cool and that slight give is the texture you want. These are lovely on their own, with a tall glass of milk, or alongside a scoop of vanilla ice cream. For holiday flair swap the chocolate chips for white chocolate and scatter a few festive sprinkles on top while the cookies are still warm.

If you have leftovers store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to three days. For longer storage, lay them flat in a freezer-safe container separated by parchment and freeze for up to two months. Alternatively you can freeze the dough balls for up to three months—thaw in the fridge overnight before baking. A little personal note: I often make a double batch, freeze half, and then pop out warm cookies months later. It feels like cheating, but it tastes like love.

A Couple of Ways to Make Them Your Own

If you want to change things up try swapping the semisweet chocolate chips for chopped dark chocolate for a richer bite, or white chocolate chips for more contrast with the red. You can stir in a teaspoon of instant espresso granules with the dry ingredients to amplify the chocolate notes. For a cheesier twist, let the cooled cookies mingle with a dollop of cream cheese frosting between pairs for sandwich cookies, using the same red gel coloring to keep the look cohesive. The simple base plays nicely with a surprising number of flavors.

Conclusion

If you want a slightly different take or inspiration for red velvet Oreos, I sometimes browse examples like Cooking Classy’s Homemade Red Velvet Oreos to see how other bakers handle the Oreo element. For another riff on Oreo and red velvet combinations that sparked my imagination, check out The Art of Baking’s Crushed Oreo Red Velvet Cookies.

Red Velvet Oreo Cookies

These Red Velvet Oreo Cookies feature indulgent flavors with a soft center and crispy edges, enriched by Oreo crumbs and chocolate chips.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 3 hours hrs

Cook Time 14 minutes mins

Total Time 3 hours hrs 14 minutes mins

Servings: 24 cookies

Course: Dessert, Sweet Treat

Cuisine: American

Calories: 150

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

  

Dry Ingredients

• 2.5 cups all-purpose flour
• 0.25 cups Dutch processed cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch Prevents cookie from being too dense
• 0.75 teaspoon kosher salt Balances the flavors

Wet Ingredients

• 1 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled Cool in mixer bowl to avoid scrambling eggs
• 2 large eggs
• 0.75 cup light brown sugar, packed
• 0.75 cup granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon red gel food coloring Use gel for vibrancy without excess moisture

Oreo Components

• 0.25 cup Oreo cookie crumbs Made from about 3 Oreo cookies blended
• 6 pieces crushed Oreo cookies Crushed into bite-sized pieces
• 0.75 cup semisweet chocolate chips Plus more for topping

Method

 

Preparation

1. Cut butter into 1-inch slices and melt in a medium saucepan over medium heat or in the microwave in 30-second intervals until fully melted. Pour into a stand mixer bowl to cool.
2. Blend 3 Oreo cookies into fine crumbs using a food processor or blender. Crush 6 Oreo cookies into bite-sized pieces.

Mixing Ingredients

1. In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa powder, cornstarch, baking soda, and kosher salt. Set aside.
2. In the stand mixer with cooled melted butter, beat butter and both sugars on medium-high until creamy, about 2 minutes. Scrape the bowl halfway to emulsify.
3. Add eggs one at a time on medium speed until combined. Add vanilla extract and red gel food coloring with the last egg and mix.
4. On low speed, add the flour mixture in 3 additions until just combined, leaving a few streaks.
5. Gently fold in the semisweet chocolate chips, Oreo crumbs, and crushed Oreo pieces with a rubber spatula.
6. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate dough for 3 hours.

Baking

1. When the oven is about 10 minutes from preheat, line a plate with wax paper. Use a large cookie scoop to portion out 2.5 oz dough per ball.
2. Lightly roll each scoop into balls and place them on the wax paper, refrigerating uncovered for 10-15 minutes while the oven preheats.
3. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
4. Place 5 dough balls on the baking sheet about 2 inches apart and keep remaining dough refrigerated. Bake for 12-14 minutes until edges are set and centers slightly wet.
5. Halfway through baking, tap the baking sheet on a heatproof surface and rotate it to encourage even browning.
6. After baking, gently scoot cookies into a circular shape using a bowl or cup and top with additional chocolate chips and crushed Oreos. Cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.

Notes

Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to three days. For longer storage, freeze cookies separated by parchment. Portion and freeze dough balls for up to three months.