Red Velvet White Chocolate Chip Cookies

Red velvet is definitely a holiday flavor that gets to ride the wave straight from Christmas through to Valentine's Day. It's red. It's chocolate. It's delicious. And it goes so well with winter. I'll make just about any sort of cookie for the holidays, but I always want to include festive cookies that are specific for the holidays or ones that I wouldn't necessarily make some other time of the year. Enter these red velvet white chocolate chip cookies. They clearly say holiday and they are super tasty. Soft and tender, with the perfect level of chocolate flavor, and speckled with white chocolate chips, standing in for the standard cream cheese frosting you might expect on a red velvet cupcake. I love that they are puffy and I think they are adorable with the extra white chocolate chips pressed into the tops. That's a step I normally don't take, but I'm glad I did this time--it really makes for a holiday cookie with that extra special step.

Red Velvet Crinkle Cookies

Need a last minute Valentine's treat? Want it to be chocolatey, delicious and holiday-themed red velvet? Oh, and you want it to be quick and easy? Well, since you don't ask for much, I'll share these perfect soft and chewy red velvet crinkle cookies, super easy because they start with a prepackaged cake mix. Just a few ingredients and you'll turn that cake mix into a fun cookie perfect for after school treats, classroom parties, pot lucks or just to tell your Valentine you're in love. My cocoa snowflakes are one of my favorite fudgy cookies, so this red velvet interpretation is a definite winner for a twist on the flavor, with the same perfect texture.

Oreo-Stuffed Red Velvet Crinkle Cookies

Swoon and sigh in the same cookie.  It's almost to good to be true.  These cookies are more than awesome.  I'm not sure there are words in the English language to describe them.  They are HUGE--like the biggest cookie I've ever made, soft, thick and full of red velvet goodness nestled around a perfect Oreo center.  They are practically a meal in and of themselves and totally worth the extra time at the gym.  I took some to my friend Lisa when I visited her and she actually cut then into quarters to eat them.  Let's just say I was a little less dainty and leave it at that.  When I asked Dave what he thought, he said, "They were awful...awfully good."  You know Oreos are my favorite store bought cookie and I have no problem shoving them into brownies, so of course when the opportunity to wrap a perfect red velvet dough around them arose, I had to go for it.  The color is perfect, the texture is amazing, and I'm in love with the whole giant cookie. 

White Chocolate Dipped Red Velvet Graham Crackers

Oooh, I was so excited about these.  I loved the idea of making homemade graham crackers, and with red velvet flavor, then dipped in creamy white chocolate and dotted with festive Valentine's Day nonpareils.  A classic, comforting treat with a new twist and a festive spin, these graham crackers are delightful, delicious, and fun.  They'd be pretty little Valentine gifts, make for a fun variation as s'mores and are certainly just perfect when munched with cocoa or tea.  I took a few to work and my coworkers and I nibbled on them during a staff meeting for a lighter morning snack.  Lovely color, nice chocolate flavor and the perfect honey crunch that takes these from cookie to graham cracker.

Red Velvet Pancakes

Introducing Dave to different flavored pancakes was just as exciting for him as the different flavors of Rice Krispies treats.  I shook up his whole breakfast world and made the morning meal something to look forward to.  Which is why I've made these festive pancakes a couple of times--once for Christmas morning and again as a prelude to Valentine's Day.  These fluffy pancakes have a great red velvet taste and texture, and are just so pretty, who wouldn't want to wake up to that?  For Christmas, I used mini semi-sweet chocolate chips which were delicious, slightly melty and added a reasonable chocolatey-ness to the party.  Everyone raved and those not sharing Christmas breakfast with us seemed disappointed.  This time, I thought the contrast from white chocolate chips would add a nice homage to cream cheese frosting and was not disappointed.  Your Valentine would be super impressed at this breakfast treat.

Red Velvet Scones

Two Christmases ago, I asked for a mini scone pan because I thought it would be fun and clever to make two- or three-bite scones for a lazy Sunday breakfast or as a treat for the office.  And then I never made scones.  Until I saw these babies and had to make them the same day I saw the recipe.  As in immediately.  Maybe because they fit my red velvet theme.  Maybe because I felt guilty for my lonely little scone pan.  Or maybe because I needed a flaky chocolate baked good now or sooner.  But for whatever reason out came the pan, together came the batter and into the oven they went.  The house smelled like butter and chocolate and I could barely wait for them to cool before topping these scones with the cream cheese frosting leftover from my red velvet brownies.  These scones have a slightly more cakey texture than a traditional scone, but there is still a level of flakiness that makes them tasty scone-y.  The color is perfect and the red velvet flavor is very yummy.  The frosting is delicious and pairs well, but if you would rather not top the scones, adding some white chocolate chips to the batter would be an excellent alternative.

Red Velvet Brownies with Cream Cheese Frosting

It's almost Valentine's Day so that can only mean one thing: a week's worth of red velvet treats coming your way.  Of course that means a week's worth of sweets, but some are for breakfast, some for dessert and some just for any time snacking.  Starting with these soft, cakey, chocolatey and lovely red brownies topped with a creamy and sweet cream cheese frosting pairing beautifully with these red bars.  The pop of bright white against red velvet is always stunning and super appropriate for this chocolate laden, heart adorned holiday.  Plus, these just taste so darn good!

Red Velvet Shortbread Cookies

Twas the day before Christmas and all through the kitchen,
There was nothing to be stirred and the baker was itchin'.
The cookies were shipped to friends and family in tins,
But what to do now with leftover ingredients?
Cookies were nestled snug in the jar,
But what about something special for those near and not far?
With cocoa and sugar waiting for some mixing,
And chocolate with sprinkles ready for the fixin's.
A sweet shortbread cookie, a red velvet munchy,
Dipped in white chocolate and sprinkles and a little bit crunchy.