Description
These Crushed Oreo Red Velvet Cookies combine the rich, classic red velvet flavor with chunks of crushed Oreo cookies for a delightful twist. Soft and chewy with a perfect balance of cocoa and sweetness, these cookies are easy to make, requiring just 20 minutes of active prep and bake time. Perfect for holiday treats, parties, or just because, they offer a colorful and indulgent treat everyone will love.
Ingredients
Cookie Dough
- ½ cup unsalted butter, slightly softened (see notes for dairy-free option)
- ¾ cup light brown sugar (lightly packed)
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1-3 teaspoons liquid red food coloring
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour (see notes for gluten-free option)
- 3 tablespoons unsweetened cacao powder (or dark cocoa powder)
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
Mix-ins
- 15 crushed Oreo cookies
Instructions
- Preheat oven and prepare baking sheets. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or spray thoroughly with non-stick cooking spray to prevent sticking.
- Crush the Oreo cookies. Take about 15 Oreo cookies and crush them into small bite-sized chunks using your hands or by placing them in a sealed Ziploc bag and pressing down gently. Set them aside for folding into the dough.
- Mix butter and sugars. In a stand mixer or a large bowl with an electric hand mixer, cream together the slightly softened butter, light brown sugar, and granulated sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy, usually about 1-2 minutes.
- Add egg, vanilla, and red food coloring. Beat in the egg and vanilla extract until fully incorporated. Then add the red food coloring one teaspoon at a time, mixing until you achieve a bright red color, adding up to 3 teaspoons as needed.
- Combine dry ingredients. In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, unsweetened cacao powder, salt, and baking soda. Gradually add this to the wet ingredients and mix on low speed until just combined. The dough should be thick but avoid over-mixing to keep the cookies tender.
- Fold in crushed Oreo cookies. Using a rubber spatula, gently fold the crushed Oreo chunks into the dough until evenly distributed but still chunky, being careful not to break the Oreo pieces too much.
- Scoop dough onto baking sheets. Use a medium cookie scoop (about 1.5 tablespoons) to portion out dough balls evenly onto the prepared baking sheets. Leave 2-3 inches of space between each to allow spreading during baking.
- Top dough balls with extra Oreo chunks. If desired, press additional Oreo cookie chunks gently into the top of each dough ball for extra texture and visual appeal.
- Bake the cookies. Bake one tray at a time in the preheated oven for 8-10 minutes. The cookies will spread and become firm around the edges but may still look slightly under-baked in the center, which is perfect for a soft and chewy texture.
- Cool and serve. Remove cookies from the oven and allow them to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes to set. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before enjoying.
Notes
- Dairy-Free Option: Substitute butter with a vegan butter or margarine to make this recipe dairy-free.
- Gluten-Free Option: Use a gluten-free all-purpose flour blend in place of regular flour to make the cookies gluten-free.
- For a deeper red color, add red food coloring a teaspoon at a time until desired color is reached.
- Do not overmix the dough once the dry ingredients are added to keep the cookies tender.
- It’s better to slightly under-bake the cookies to achieve a soft and chewy texture.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
