Red Velvet Snickerdoodle Brookies are where rich, decadent red velvet brownies collide with buttery spiced snickerdoodle cookies to make the sweetest bite ever. You know I’m notorious for mashing up recipes, so this one was bound to happen. If you’re looking for a unique addition to your holiday cookie tray, this one’s for you. Even if you simply want to be greedy (like me) and have your brownie and cookie, too, this needs to be your next baking project.
What are Red Velvet Snickerdoodle Brookies?
Red Velvet Snickerdoodle Brookies are a bite-sized dessert consisting of a brownie and a cookie baked together.
Most commoners make theirs with chocolate chip cookie dough and plain brownies. I’m dessert gentry, though. So, in this recipe, a red velvet brownie rolls around with a cinnamon-sugar laced snickerdoodle cookie. The combo bakes and emerges as a swirled masterpiece of cookie-dom. We don’t do basic here.
Why aren’t your Red Velvet Snickerdoodle Brookies called “Crownies,” then?
Now, some will argue that brookies should be in bar form since the name begins with “bro.” But how dumb does “Red Velvet Snickerdoodle Crownies” sound? I mean, you get cookie-brownie even less with the “crownie” title. Sounds like some molded-sugar paste or something.
So, even though these aren’t in brownie or bar cookie form, we’re going to call them brookies. Just go with it and stop stressing.
What is Red Velvet?
Red velvet began as a red-hued, chocolate-layered cake originating in the Southern United States. Bakers mix red dye into a chocolate cake batter to achieve the signature color. These cakes are most often topped with cream cheese frosting.
In this recipe, the cake takes the form of a fudgy brownie. Same red hue, different vessel.
What do I need to make the Red Velvet Brownies?
Make this recipe’s red velvet brownie portion first since it needs to chill longer. You need dutch-processed cocoa powder, all-purpose flour, sugar, eggs, unsalted butter, baking powder, salt, vanilla, and red food coloring or dye.
You can melt the butter for this in a pot which I recommend. You also need a rubber spatula to mix the batter.
Why do I need dutch processed cocoa powder?
I use dutch-processed cocoa powder because I want this brownie batter to bake the same way a cookie does. Dutch-processed cocoa begins with cocoa beans neutralized with potassium carbonate (an alkaline solution) before being processed. As a result, the flavor of this cocoa powder is neutral because it doesn’t have any acidity. It also means that it doesn’t cause a strong chemical reaction when mixed with the baking powder. If you were to use natural cocoa powder, the likelihood of the brownie being puffier than the snickerdoodle is higher.
I try to avoid red dye #40. Is there a substitute?
For my homies that need to steer clear of red food dye, you can replace the regular stuff with natural food dye.
You can also omit the red food coloring altogether, but then we’re back to basic brownies. Again, that’s not how we get down.
How far ahead can I make the brownie dough?
This brownie bakes up fudgy, not cakey, because I think cake-like brownies are a sin. I said what I said.
Melt the butter in a 2 or 3-quart pot over medium heat. Once the butter melts, add the cocoa powder, sugar, and salt to the pot. Stir these in and heat the mixture for 1 minute. The sugar will make the mixture gritty, and it will look like super thick mud.
Remove the pot from the stove and allow the cocoa mud to cool for 5 minutes. You have to cool it for that long because if you go adding the eggs to it fresh off the heat, you’ll end up with red-chocolate-scrambled-eggs-junk. Not brownies.
After 5 minutes, add the red food coloring, vanilla, and one of the eggs to the mixture in the pot. Don’t go wildin’ out when you stir these into the chocolate mixture, now! If you do, you’re going to end up splashing red dye all over your counters. Start mixing them in with your rubber spatula slowly.
Once the first egg is fully incorporated, add the second one. After mixing the second egg in, that gritty mud should look glossy and smooth.
How long do I have to chill the brownie mix?
After the chocolate is glossy, sift the dry ingredients into the pot. Use your rubber spatula to stir the dry into the chocolatey goodness until no streaks of flour are visible. The mixture should be very thick, like muffin batter at this point. Cover the pot, or scrape the batter into a storage container and refrigerate it.
Because the batter is still loose, you want to give the butter in it time to firm up. Chill the batter for at least 20 minutes before proceeding with the recipe.
Can I freeze the brownie mix?
If you want to prep the red velvet brownie mix ahead, you can freeze or refrigerate it. You can store it in a covered container in the fridge for 3 days.
To freeze the prepared brownie batter, transfer it to a freezer-safe storage container and freeze it for 3 months. Thaw it in the fridge overnight and use it as instructed below.
What is a Snickerdoodle?
A snickerdoodle is a butter cookie with a chewy texture that’s rolled in cinnamon-sugar before baking. Its signature cracked surface comes from the cream of tartar and baking soda combining with the liquid from the egg, butter, and vanilla in the recipe.
The ingredients to make the snickerdoodle portion of this recipe are all-purpose flour, sugar, unsalted butter, cream of tartar, baking soda, salt, egg, and vanilla. You also need more sugar and ground cinnamon for rolling the dough in later.
How far ahead can I mix the Snickerdoodle dough?
Use your hand mixer, set to medium speed, to blend the butter, sugar, and salt together in a mixing bowl. Add the egg once the mixture forms a pale yellow, slightly-gritty paste.
Blend the egg into the butter-sugar mixture on medium-high speed for 2-3 minutes. Stop the mixer and scrape down the bowl at least 2 times during the beating process. Once the butter and sugar are light, fluffy, and very pale yellow, scrape down the bowl and beaters.
Sift the all-purpose flour, cream of tartar, and baking soda into the bowl. Blend the dry ingredients into the butter-sugar mixture with the mixer on low. When streaks of flour are no longer visible, stop the mixer and scrape down the bowl and beaters. Continue mixing, at low speed, for another 30 to 45 seconds, or until the dough is smooth and thick.
Cover the bowl of dough and refrigerate the mixture for 15 minutes or longer. If you want to make this ahead, you can do so up to 3 days ahead. Just store it in a covered container in the fridge.
Can I use cinnamon sugar from the store for this recipe?
For the cinnamon sugar topping, simply use a whisk or a fork to stir the sugar and ground cinnamon together. You can make this cinnamon sugar a month ahead and store it in a mason jar or airtight container in the pantry.
You can also purchase bottled cinnamon sugar from the store for this recipe. You just need to use 1/4 cup of the pre-mixed stuff. Too easy.
Can I freeze Snickerdoodle dough?
To freeze, put the dough in a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw the dough completely in the fridge before scooping. You can also freeze the snickerdoodle cookie dough after scooping and forming them into balls.
How do I scoop consistent balls of dough?
I made the mistake of using my standard cookie scoop to portion out the dough for these red velvet snickerdoodle brookies the first time I made them after developing the recipe. HUGGGGGGGE mistake. They baked up into these mutant globs of ugliness. No matter how tempted you are to make big ol’ cookies, restrain yourself. You need to use a #70 portion scoop or a tablespoon. Anything larger, and you’re going to regret it. This recipe makes 37 brookies. More than enough for even the sweetest tooth, I think. 3 dozen for the family and a leftover one for you because you put in the work.
Use the portion scoop to scoop up the snickerdoodle cookie dough. Leave the red velvet brownies in the fridge until you’re done with this step. Plop the balls of dough onto a silicone mat-lined sheet pan. You’re going to need at least 2 half sheet pans to bake these brookies unless you only plan to bake half the batch. I scoop all of the snickerdoodle cookie dough onto the first sheet pan, then I roll them between the palms of my hands to form them into smooth balls.
When should I roll the dough in the cinnamon sugar?
If you’re going to bake all of the brookies right away, roll the cookie dough balls in the cinnamon sugar to coat them completely. Even if I bake all 3 dozen (and their plus one), I only roll the first dozen in the cinnamon sugar. I wait until the first pan of cookies is in the oven before rolling the remaining batches. This isn’t a rule you need to stick with, but I don’t want to risk the sugar crystals melting in the kitchen’s heat or from the moisture in the dough.
Once the first 12 balls of snickerdoodle dough are covered, go grab the red velvet brownie batter from the fridge.
How do I combine the Red Velvet and Snickerdoodle doughs?
Use the same portion scoop (cleaned out) to scoop the red velvet brownie batter balls. Plop the brownie balls right next to their snickerdoodle partner. You’re going to have a bit more red velvet brownie mix than snickerdoodle dough. Math is hard for me, so it is what it is. Just scoop a bit heavy on the last dozen, and it should even itself out. You can also bake the red velvet brownie cookies by themselves.
Grab the softer ball of brownie batter and roll it between the palms of your hands. Pick up the cinnamon-dusted snickerdoodle ball and mash the two together. Roll the new mixture together to form a yin and yang dough ball. The snickerdoodle ball may try to separate from the brownie because of the sugar crystals. Just force them to get along.
Set the balls on the sheet pan when you’re done marrying them.
Can I freeze the Red Velvet Snickerdoodle Brookies before baking them?
You can freeze the red velvet snickerdoodle brookie balls after rolling them. Just freeze them uncovered until solid. Transfer the brookie balls to a storage container and freeze them for up to 2 months. Thaw them in the fridge or bake them from frozen.
More than likely, you’ll have to re-dip the snickerdoodle portion in more cinnamon sugar after thawing them. The sugar crystals are bound to melt from the condensation. If you’re baking them from frozen, add an additional 2 minutes to the baking time.
How long do I bake the Red Velvet Snickerdoodle Brookies?
Bake the brookies in a 375°F (190°C) oven for 12 minutes. This is a great time to sugar, roll, and mash the subsequent batches of dough.
After the 12-minute baking time, remove the pan of cookies from the oven. Allow the cookies to cool on the sheet pan for 1 minute before using a spatula to transfer them to a cooling rack. That one minute of cooling on the sheet pan gives the brookies a chance to set and firm up.
How do I store the Red Velvet Snickerdoodle Brookies?
The red velvet snickerdoodle brookies are now ready to eat.
Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days. They taste better when eaten soon after baking. Our trick is to nuke them in the microwave for 15 seconds to give them that freshly baked taste.
Can I freeze the Red Velvet Snickerdoodle Brookies after baking?
You can also freeze the red velvet snickerdoodle brookies if you don’t think you’ll eat them within 4 days.
I usually pack them into a freezer storage bag then pack them in an airtight container. You can also pack the brookies in a container and wrap the container in plastic wrap. Freeze the brookies for 2 months. To enjoy just thaw them, uncovered, at room temperature. You want to uncover them to avoid making them soggy with condensation.
Can I make the Red Velvet Brownies and Snickerdoodles separately?
If you want to forgo the epic wonder that is red velvet snickerdoodle brookies, you can make these as individual desserts. Boooorrrrriiiiing.
Follow the same process for the snickerdoodle cookies, but bake them on their own (same time, same temp).
For the red velvet brownies:
- Grease an 8 x 8-inch square pan with baking spray and scrape the batter into the pan (no need to chill it).
- Bake the brownies for 20-25 minutes at 350°F (180°C). The center will be slightly fudgy after baking.
- Remove the pan from the oven and allow the brownies to cool for 10 minutes in the pan before cutting.
This recipe won’t make terribly thick brownies because it’s a half-batch.
What other dessert mashups do you have?
If you, like me, love a good mix of recipes, you need to check these out:
Crème Brûlée Pie
Sweet Potato Maple Pecan Pie
S’mores Cheesecake
Let me know what you think of these Red Velvet Snickerdoodle Brookies in the comments below. Don’t forget to pin them to your cookie board for easy finding. Share this post with a friend who loves to have their cake (or brownie) and eat it, too!
Red Velvet Snickerdoodle Brookies
at Sense & EdibilityEquipment
- 2 half-sheet pans
- 2 silicone baking mats
Ingredients
For the Red Velvet Brownies
- 1/2 cup (1 stick or 113 grams) unsalted butter
- 1 cup (200 grams) granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup (60 grams) dutch-processed cocoa powder
- 1/2 teaspoon (3 grams) kosher salt
- 2 large eggs at room temperature
- 1 tablespoon (15 milliliters) red food coloring
- 1 teaspoon (5 milliliters) vanilla extract
- 1 cup (150 grams) all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon (2 grams) baking powder
For the Snickerdoodle Cookies
- 3/4 cup (100 grams) granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup (1 stick or 113 grams) unsalted butter at room temperature
- 1/2 teaspoon (3 grams) kosher salt
- 1 large egg at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon (5 milliliters) vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups (225 grams) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon (4 grams) cream of tartar
- 1/2 teaspoon (3 grams) baking soda
For the Cinnamon Sugar
- 1/4 cup (50 grams) granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon (1 grams) ground cinnamon
Instructions
Mix, then Chill the Red Velvet Brownie Batter
- Melt the butter in a 2 or 3-quart pot over medium heat. Once the butter melts, use a rubber spatula to stir the sugar, cocoa powder, and salt into the melted butter in the pot. Heat the mixture for 1 minute. The sugar will make the mixture gritty, and it will look like thick mud.
- Remove the pot from the stove and allow the cocoa mixture to cool for 5 minutes. After 5 minutes, add one egg, the red food coloring, and vanilla to the mixture in the pot. Start mixing these in with your rubber spatula slowly.
- Once the first egg is fully incorporated, stir the second egg in to combine. After mixing the second egg in, the mixture should look glossy and smooth.
- After the chocolate is glossy, add the all-purpose flour and baking powder to a flour sifter.Sift the dry ingredients into the pot and use your rubber spatula to stir the dry into the chocolate mixture until no streaks of flour are visible. When finished, the mixture should be very thick, like muffin batter.
- Cover the pot, or scrape the batter into a storage container and refrigerate it for 20 minutes to give the butter in it time to firm up.
Prepare the Snickerdoodle Dough While the Brownies Chill
- Using a hand mixer, blend the sugar, butter, and salt together in a mixing bowl on medium speed. Add the egg once the mixture forms a pale yellow, slightly-gritty paste.
- Blend the egg into the butter-sugar mixture on medium-high speed for 2-3 minutes. Stop the mixer and scrape down the bowl at least 2 times during the beating process. Once the butter and sugar are light, fluffy, and very pale yellow, scrape down the bowl and beaters.
- Add the all-purpose flour, cream of tartar, and baking soda to a flour sifter, then sift the ingredients into the bowl with the butter and sugar mixture. Blend the dry ingredients into the butter-sugar mixture with the mixer on low. When streaks of flour are no longer visible, stop the mixer and scrape down the bowl and beaters. Continue mixing, at low speed, for another 30 to 45 seconds, or until the dough is smooth and thick.
- Cover the bowl of dough and refrigerate the mixture for 15 minutes or longer.
Make the Cinnamon Sugar
- Use a whisk or a fork to stir the sugar and ground cinnamon together in a small mixing bowl.
Form, the Bake the Red Velvet Snickerdoodle Brookies
- Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Line two sheet pans with silicone baking mats. Remove only the bowl containing the snickerdoodle cookie dough from the fridge. Use a #70 portion scoop to scoop up the snickerdoodle cookie dough onto the silicone mat-lined sheet pan, then roll the balls of dough between the palms of your hands to form them into smooth balls.
- Roll the first 12 cookie dough balls in the cinnamon sugar to coat them completely. And arrange them on the empty sheet pan.Keep the other balls of dough on the first separate sheet pan or a separate tray.
- Once the first 12 balls of snickerdoodle dough are covered, remove the bowl red velvet brownie batter from the fridge. Clean, then use the same portion scoop to scoop the red velvet brownie batter balls. Put the brownie balls right next to their snickerdoodle partner.
- Grab the softer ball of brownie batter and roll it between the palms of your hands. Pick up the cinnamon-dusted snickerdoodle ball and mash the two together. Roll the new mixture together to form a yin and yang dough ball. The snickerdoodle ball may try to separate from the brownie because of the sugar crystals. Just press them together while rolling them to make them stick. Set the balls on the sheet pan.
- Bake the brookies in a 375°F (190°C) oven for 12 minutes. While the first batch bakes, sugar, roll, and mash the subsequent batches of dough.
- After the 12-minute baking time, remove the pan of cookies from the oven. Allow the cookies to cool on the sheet pan for 1 minute before using a spatula to transfer them to a cooling rack.
- Enjoy the red velvet snickerdoodle brookies while warm or at room temperature.
Notes
Swaps and Substitutions:
- If you use replace the dutch-processed cocoa powder with natural cocoa powder, the likelihood of the brownie being puffier than the snickerdoodle is higher.
- You can replace the red food dye with natural food dye.
- If you omit the red food coloring altogether, the brownies will be plain chocolate.
- You can use 1/4 cup of bottled cinnamon sugar from the store for this recipe.
Tips and Techniques:
- You can make this cinnamon sugar a month ahead and store it in a mason jar or airtight container in the pantry.
- Even if I bake all 3 dozen (and their plus one), I only roll the first dozen in the cinnamon sugar. I wait until the first pan of cookies is in the oven before rolling the remaining batches.
- You're going to have a bit more red velvet brownie mix than snickerdoodle dough. Just scoop a bit heavy on the last dozen, and it should even itself out. You can also bake the red velvet brownie cookies by themselves.
- The one minute of cooling on the sheet pan gives the brookies a chance to set and firm up.
- The brookies taste better when eaten soon after baking. Our trick is to nuke them in the microwave for 15 seconds to give them that freshly baked taste.
Storage Instructions:
- To freeze the prepared brownie batter:
- Transfer it to a freezer-safe storage container and freeze it for 3 months.
- Thaw it in the fridge overnight and use it as instructed below.
- To freeze the raw snickerdoodle dough:
- Put the dough in a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 2 months.
- Thaw the dough completely in the fridge before scooping. You can also freeze the snickerdoodle cookie dough after scooping and forming them into balls.
-
You can freeze the red velvet snickerdoodle brookie balls after rolling them.
- Freeze them uncovered until solid. Transfer the brookie balls to a storage container and freeze them for up to 2 months.
- Thaw them in the fridge or bake them from frozen. More than likely, you'll have to re-dip the snickerdoodle portion in more cinnamon sugar after thawing them. The sugar crystals are bound to melt from the condensation.
- If you're baking them from frozen, add an additional 2 minutes to the baking time.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days.
- You can freeze the red velvet snickerdoodle brookies if you don't think you'll eat them within 4 days:
- Pack the cooled brookies into a freezer storage bag then put the bag in an airtight container. You can also pack the brookies in a container and wrap the container in plastic wrap.
- Freeze the brookies for 2 months.
- Thaw them, uncovered, at room temperature to avoid making them soggy with condensation.
To Make Snickerdoodle Cookies:
Follow the same process for the snickerdoodle cookies, but bake them on their own after rolling in the cinnamon sugar (same time, same temp).To Make Red Velvet Brownies:
This recipe won't make terribly thick brownies because it's only a half-batch.- Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C) and grease an 8 x 8-inch square pan with baking spray.
- Prepare the red velvet brownie batter as instructed, but you don't have to chill it. Scrape the batter into the pan.
- Bake the brownies for 20-25 minutes. The center will be slightly fudgy after baking.
- Remove the pan from the oven and allow the brownies to cool for 10 minutes in the pan before cutting.
These cookies are so beautiful. Love the embrace of two cookie flavors. In Italy we have something similar called abracci where vanilla meets chocolate. It is a great way to have two favorite flavors in one. Good on you mashing recipes like that!
Thank you so much!
Marta, you’re a genius! Didn’t I tell you that before? This “trabalenguas” made cookie-brownies are simply the best- I’m baking them right now!
I love that! “Trabalenguas” is today’s buzzword.
Wow! Another brownie we can add to our arsenal. This unique brownies recipe looks so delicious and yummy. Got to try to make this for our next baking session.
Thank you, Amy!
These cookies were such a treat and my niece and nephew loved them! I also found the step-by-step pictures super helpful. Thanks for sharing
You’re welcome, Jen. I’m glad the kiddos liked them too!
I made these as a galentines day gift for my mom and my girlfriends and they are addicted! I sent everyone the recipe so that they can make these delicious treats!!
Thank you, Britney!
These cookies were the combination I didn’t know I needed. Red velvet isn’t typically my favorite but I’m embarrassed by how many of these I ate. Delicious!
Embarrassed? Eat & be free, sis!