Single Serve Red Velvet Cookie
I’ve made plenty of red velvet recipes before – like my regular-sized batch of vegan red velvet cookies — but in my “treat yourself” series this Valentine’s Day, which focuses on self-love (without needing a partner!), I decided I wanted to take on the challenge of creating a single-serve red velvet cookie. Couldn’t it be that hard, right? WRONG.
I made this cookie at least 8 times. Ask my husband — he sampled so many cookies he told me he was actually getting sick of it (sorry, Zach!) The thing about single-serve recipes (and baking in general) is the measurements have to be ON POINT. I made so many cookies: from super flat, hard-as-a-rock cookies to ones so soft in the center they looked like pudding.
I FINALLY got it right, and man, this tastes SO good. It’s got that rich cocoa flavor with just a hint of vanilla. It’s soft, chewy, and melts in your mouth, while the creamy white chocolate chips add the perfect sweetness (and contrast to that vibrant red hue!)
This cookie is made for YOU! And you don’t need a partner to enjoy it (but you can share if you want to 😉).
Single Serve Red Velvet Cookie Ingredients
- Light brown sugar — I like this cookie with just brown sugar (rather than white sugar) because it gives me a softer, chewier cookie. If you prefer a crispy cookie, try it with white granulated sugar.
- Softened block butter — I use a vegan version from Country Crock. You can use regular dairy butter based on your preferences. Do not use tub butter.
- Dairy-free milk — I used soy, but you can use any in this recipe
- Red food coloring
- All-purpose flour — You just need plain white flour for this recipe. Make sure to measure with a scale or level off the measuring cup with a spoon
- Cocoa powder — Other than red food dye, this is what gives us a red velvet cookie! Make sure it’s sifted without big clumps
- Baking soda — To help our cookies rise!
- Salt — just a pinch
How to Make this Red Velvet Cookie for One
1. Combine butter, sugar, and milk
Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Line a small baking tray with parchment paper.
In a medium mixing bowl, combine the brown sugar, softened butter, milk, and vanilla (optional). Use a spatula or spoon to mix until smooth. I use the back of a spoon to press down the butter chunks.
💡Tip: If you find you have a lot of mini chunks of butter in your mixture, consider popping your bowl into the microwave (as long as it is microwave safe) for JUST 5 seconds. You don’t want to fully melt it, but it will help it combine more easily with the sugar and milk.
2. Add food dye
Add your drops of red food dye. It will seem very vibrant right now, but the color will be more subdued when you add the next ingredients.
3. Add the rest of the ingredients
Next, add the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and a pinch of salt. Mix until there are no dry bits left. Fold in your white chocolate chips.
4. Bake
Shape your dough into a large ball (it will be a little sticky!) and place on the center of your parchment paper. Not need to flatten it, it will spread in the oven.
Bake for 14-17 minutes. Cook time can vary by oven, but your cookie is done when it feels crisp on the edges but still soft in the center. It will firm up more as it cools.
⭐️My cookie took close to 16/17 minutes to get firm/crisper on the edges.
5. Cool
Allow your cookie to cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes. I don’t recommend moving it to a cooling rack at first, since it will still be fairly soft.
Enjoy!
If you love this single-serve recipe, you’ve got to try my Gingerbread Mug Cake – the perfect spiced, moist cake for one. ❤️
Tips for 5-Star Single-Serve Cookies
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Single Serve Red Velvet Cookie (Vegan)
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Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons packed light brown sugar
- 1.5 tablespoons block butter (optional – vegan) softened* see note
- 2 teaspoons dairy-free milk
- 3 drops red food coloring
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract optional
- 1/4 cup all-purpose plain flour
- 1/2 tbsp cocoa powder
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- Pinch of salt
- 2 tbsp white chocolate chips choose a dairy-free version if vegan
Instructions
- A note on single serve recipes: Please measure carefully. There is less room for error when you are making just one cookie. If you have a scale, use that, or use a knife to flatten out the top flour and cocoa powder.
- Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F. Line a small baking tray with parchment paper.
- In a medium mixing bowl, combine the brown sugar, softened butter, milk, and vanilla (optional). Use a spatula or spoon to mix until smooth. Tip: This may take a bit of mixing to get the batter to be smooth. If you have clumps of butter, consider popping your bowl in the microwave for 5 seconds (as long as it is microwave safe).3 tablespoons packed light brown sugar, 1.5 tablespoons block butter (optional – vegan), 2 teaspoons dairy-free milk, ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
- Add your drops of red food coloring. It will seem very vibrant right now, but the color will be more subdued when you add the next ingredients.3 drops red food coloring
- Next, add the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and a pinch of salt. Mix until there are no dry bits left. Fold in your white chocolate chips.1/4 cup all-purpose plain flour, 1/2 tbsp cocoa powder, 1/4 tsp baking soda, Pinch of salt, 2 tbsp white chocolate chips
- Shape your dough into a large ball (it will be a little sticky!) and place on the center of your parchment paper. Not need to flatten it, it will spread in the oven.
- Bake for 14-17 minutes. Cook time can vary based on the oven, but your cookie should feel crisp on the outer edges but still be soft in the center. It will firm up more as it cools.Tip: I use my finger to carefully touch the sides of the cookie to see if it's firm/crisp.
- Allow your cookie to cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes. I don't recommend trying to move it to a cooling rack at first because it will still be fairly soft.Enjoy!
Notes
- Note on butter: Softened butter works best for a cookie (rather than melted or straight out of the fridge). To get this texture, you should leave your butter on the counter for an hour OR you can microwave on low at 5 second intervals until it becomes spreadable (but not melting).
- I used vegan butter to make this recipe from Country Crock (in stick form). Do not use tub butter/margarine.
- White chocolate chips: If you need a non-dairy option they can be tricky to find. Amazon has some options and sometimes health food stores like Whole Foods will carry them.
