Description
These Red Velvet Valentine’s Day Bear Cookies are adorable, soft, and chewy treats perfect for celebrating the season of love. Featuring classic red velvet flavor with cocoa and a hint of vinegar, these cookies are decorated with melted chocolate and colorful blush details to create charming bear faces, making them a delightful bake for both kids and adults alike.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients:
- 1 ½ cup (180 g) all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
- 2 tbsp (14 g) cocoa powder, sifted
- ½ tsp (2 g) baking soda
- ½ tsp (2 g) baking powder
- ½ tsp (3 g) salt
Wet Ingredients:
- ½ cup (113.5 g) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
- ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar
- ¼ cup (55 g) light or dark brown sugar, packed
- 1 tsp (4 g) vanilla extract
- 1 tsp (5 g) white vinegar
- 1 large egg
- red food coloring, as needed
Decoration for Face:
- 1 tbsp (15 g) melted milk or dark chocolate
- 3 tbsp (44.36 g) melted white chocolate
- oil-based food coloring (pink/red), for coloring chocolate
Instructions
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt until evenly combined.
- Cream Butter and Sugars: Using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or a hand mixer, beat the melted and cooled butter with granulated sugar and brown sugar on medium speed until well combined. Scrape the bottom of the bowl to ensure even mixing.
- Add Wet Ingredients: Add vanilla extract, white vinegar, egg, and red food coloring to the butter-sugar mixture. Mix until smooth and fully incorporated.
- Combine Dry and Wet: Gradually add the dry ingredient mixture into the wet ingredients. Stir or mix until a uniform dough forms. Add additional red food coloring as desired to achieve a vibrant red color.
- Rest the Dough: Cover the dough and refrigerate for 20–30 minutes. This step hydrates the flour and firms up the butter, resulting in chewier cookies and easier handling.
- Prepare Baking Trays: Preheat the oven to 325°F (163°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
- Shape Cookies: Using a small cookie scoop (about 1 ½ tablespoons), form dough balls and place them on the prepared trays spaced about 3 inches apart. Reserve some dough for the ears. For each bear, use about 1 teaspoon of dough split into two smaller balls to form ears and place them on top of the larger cookie dough balls.
- Bake Cookies: Bake cookies for 9–11 minutes, or until edges are set and centers appear slightly puffy. Underbaking slightly will yield chewier cookies.
- Cool Cookies: Allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5–10 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Decorate the Bears: Use a piping bag, toothpick, or cookie scribe to add face details. Melt white chocolate and use it to draw snouts and ears; color some white chocolate pink or red using oil-based food coloring for blush. If chocolate seizes, stir in small amounts of neutral oil until smooth. Use melted milk or dark chocolate for eyes and noses.
- Enjoy: Serve and enjoy your charming Red Velvet Valentine’s Day Bear Cookies!
Notes
- Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week to maintain freshness.
- To make this recipe vegan, substitute the butter with high-quality vegan butter and omit the egg. Add 2-4 tablespoons of alternative milk gradually until the dough becomes thick but scoopable. Use a vegan chocolate brand such as Pascha Chocolate for decorating.
- Use oil-based food coloring when coloring melted chocolate to prevent it from seizing. If it does seize, add a teaspoon of neutral oil at a time until smooth again.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 110 kcal
- Sugar: 7 g
- Sodium: 90 mg
- Fat: 6 g
- Saturated Fat: 3.5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 14 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 1.5 g
- Cholesterol: 25 mg
