Vegan Red Velvet Cookies
This EASY vegan red velvet cookies recipe is so delicious, you won’t believe it’s vegan too! If you love a rich, gooey cookie with lots of chocolate chips, these 5-ingredient cookies will be your favorite!
Every now and then you’re looking for a super simple, but a delicious cookie. That’s true whether you’re vegan or not. For example, these vegan no-bake cookies are so easy and delicious!
So, what makes these vegan red velvet crinkle cookies so simple? It’s made with only 5 ingredients thanks to a store-bought cake mix. That makes the batter come together in minutes!
Let’s get into the ingredients you’ll need.
You can find the full printable recipe, including ingredient quantities, below. But first, here are some explanations of ingredients and steps to help you make this recipe perfect every time.
Here are the ingredients you’ll need for this recipe, including substitution ideas:
- Red velvet cake mix — I used Duncan Hines because it doesn’t have dairy products. And as you can see, these Duncan Hines red velvet chocolate chip cookies turned out fabulous! I make my plant-based red velvet cake from scratch, but for these cookies, it’s much easier to use a cake mix.
- Fat — In the past I’ve used vegan butter, but to make this recipe even easier for folks without access to that ingredient, I changed it to vegetable oil. If you prefer using vegan butter, I recommend Earth Balance, or you can make homemade dairy-free butter.
- Vegan Egg — For this recipe, we’ll use 2 flax eggs or you can substitute chia eggs.
- Chocolate chips — Use this dairy-free chocolate chips guide to find the best ones. You can make vegan white chocolate chip red velvet cookies.
- Powdered sugar — We’ll roll the cookie dough balls in a bit of powdered sugar for that crinkly coating.
This recipe for red velvet chocolate chip cookies is a go-to during the holiday season because of their festive colors. I like to make them ahead, freeze them, and then give them out as gifts to friends and neighbors.
- Stir melted vegan butter and flax egg into cake mix in a bowl.
- Stir in chocolate chips. Cover and refrigerate for about 30 minutes.
- Use a cookie dough scoop to create 36 cookie dough balls.
- Roll the cookie dough balls in the powdered sugar and place on an ungreased cookie sheet and bake.
- Let the baked cookies sit on the pan for a minute before transferring to a rack to cool.
Frequently-Asked Questions
Most red velvet cookies are made with eggs and are therefore not vegan. Can you make red velvet cookies without eggs? Absolutely. Use a flax egg or a chia egg and you’ll love the results!
Typical red velvet cookie dough is made with flour, sugar, butter, eggs, leavening agents, and red food coloring. Make your dough vegan by using dairy-free butter and an egg substitute like a flax egg.
What Makes This Recipe Shine?
- GOOEY — Using a red cake mix means making these tender, gooey cookies is so easy
- PUFFY — Chilling the dough creates puffy cookies that are beautiful and delicious
- FLAVORFUL — Adding chocolate chips brings out even more velvet flavor in these irresistible treats!
It’s obvious I used chocolate chips to make these red velvet vegan cookies. But guess what? There are lots of great add-ins to make your cookies special. Here are my favorites:
- White chocolate chips — You can easily find dairy-free white chocolate chips these days. Check out my Guide to Dairy-Free Chocolate Chips to find your favorite:
- Chopped Nuts — Adding somealnuts or pecans adds flavor and texture to these cookies.
- Dried Fruit — Imagine little bits of cranberries or dried blueberries in these cookies. These additions not only enhance the flavor but also contribute texture and color.
- Sprinkles — I’m inspired by these Christmas Sprinkle Chocolate Chip Cookies that illustrate how easy it is to add bursts of color to just about any cookie!
Storage Tips
Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for 3 to 5 days or in the fridge for up to 8 days. They can be frozen. Allow the cookies to cool, transfer to a freezer bag, and freeze for up to 3 months. You can also freeze the cookie dough balls.
More Red Velvet Desserts
If you love this vegan red velvet chocolate chip cookies recipe, you must be a fan of festive treats. That’s one reason you’ll love this Vegan Red Velvet Whoopie Pie recipe or these vegan Christmas cookies! But if you’re looking for more velvet-inspired recipes, try these:
Ingredients
- 2 flax eggs
- 1 16.5 oz box red velvet cake mix (such as Duncan Hines or Betty Crocker)
- ⅓ cup vegetable oil (substitute vegan butter)
- 1 cup dairy-free chocolate chips
- 1/3 cup powdered sugar
Instructions
- Combine ground flax with water to create the flax eggs. Stir and set aside.
- Preheat oven to 350°F/177°C. Line two cookies sheets with parchment paper or silpat.
- Pour the red velvet cake mix into a mixing bowl. Add the vegetable oil and flax eggs. Stir to combine.
- Stir in chocolate chips.
- Use a cookie dough scoop to create 30 cookie dough balls. Roll the cookie dough balls in the powdered sugar and place on an ungreased cookie sheet, about 1½ inches apart. Bake for 9-10 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and allow to sit on the pan for a minute or two before transferring to a rack to cool.
Recommended Equipment
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Video
Notes
The nutrition information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator and should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
This post was originally published in 2015 and was updated to include new photos, new text, and an updated recipe in 2020.
Hi, trying this recipe and my dough is soooo sticky, basically too sticky to work with… do you have tips to make it less sticky?
Hi Mariah. Did you use a Duncan Hines cake mix? I’ve never had a problem with this recipe being sticky. However, you could try putting it in the fridge for 30 minutes or so to help the dough firm up.
YUM! Your photos are really amazing! Hope you’re having a great weekend!
Thanks so much Liz!! xoxoxo!!
Oh. My. Do these look divine, or what?! And that photo with the scoop? Just gorgeous, my friend!
Thanks Miss Melanie! You just made my day! 🙂
I had no idea their red velvet cake mix was dairy free!! So glad I stumbled upon you blog. I’m a home baker & am trying to find recipes that are delish for people with allergies & gluten sensitivity. Can’t wait to try these. Any idea on how to convert it to a cupcake?
Hi Heidi! Thanks for your comment. Just so you know, these cake mixes are not usually gluten free, but you can find some that specifically are gluten-free. Regarding using the cake mix for cupcakes, it is tricky because a standard cake mix without eggs can be a little “flimsy” is the word that comes to mind. Check out my Vegan Christmas Tree Cupcakes, where I used a standard cake mix and made it vegan. I think this should work for red velvet too. I hope your delish desserts turn out great!
COME.
TO.
MAMA <3
Yea, the show is about humor and satire and not how the parks and rec departments are portrayed in real life. It’s like The Office where office life is overexaggerated. Anyway, love the sound of these cookies!
Major props for quoting from Sade – I love that song! I was listening to it on repeat about six months ago. Smooth Operator will always sound good! These red velvet cookies look absolutely amazing, Marly. I especially love the melty chocolate chips interspersed in there. Happy Galentine’s Day!
I’m a cookie monster at heart and these babies look divine! So fun to celebrate Galentine’s Day with you.
These look glorious! Wow, so gooey. The perfect cookie. I love Parks & Rec. I will be honest, I didn’t love it at first, either. It was too deadpan for me, and I was taking the characters too seriously. But with time, it’s grown on me. Galentine’s Day, begin! 🙂
Thanks Michelle! I’m glad to know I wasn’t the only one who took awhile to like that show! 🙂 If these cookies had a middle name, I’m sure it would be Gooey! Take that Glass Animals!
These look so good! Happy Galentine’s Day!
Oh these are just gorgeous Marly! And so perfect for a lady party. Since they’re so easy to make I may have to whip some up this very weekend. Thanks for joining in the fun, friend!