Description
Delightfully charming Red Velvet Valentine’s Day Bear Cookies perfect for a festive treat. These soft, chewy cookies come together with classic red velvet flavors, decorated with creamy white and milk chocolate accents to create adorable bear faces. Ideal for gifting or celebrating the holiday with loved ones, they offer a fun baking project with a sweet, tender finish.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry ingredients:
- 1 ½ cup (180 g) all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
- 2 tbsp (14 g) cocoa powder, sifted
- ½ tsp (2 g) baking soda
- ½ tsp (2 g) baking powder
- ½ tsp (3 g) salt
Wet ingredients:
- ½ cup (113.5 g) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
- ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar
- ¼ cup (55 g) light or dark brown sugar, packed
- 1 tsp (4 g) vanilla extract
- 1 tsp (5 g) white vinegar
- 1 large egg (approx. 50 g)
- red food coloring, amount as needed for desired color
Decoration for face:
- 1 tbsp (15 g) melted milk or dark chocolate
- 3 tbsp (44.36 g) melted white chocolate
- oil-based food coloring (pink/red) for coloring white chocolate
Instructions
- Mix dry ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together all-purpose flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until well combined.
- Combine wet ingredients: In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or using a hand mixer/whisk), mix melted and cooled butter with granulated and brown sugars on medium speed until combined. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl to ensure even mixing.
- Add flavorings and egg: Add vanilla extract, white vinegar, egg, and several drops of red food coloring to the butter-sugar mixture and mix until the batter is smooth and uniform in color.
- Incorporate dry ingredients: Add all the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir using a spatula or the mixer on low speed until just combined. Add more red food coloring as needed to intensify the red hue.
- Chill the dough: Cover the dough with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 20-30 minutes to hydrate the flour and firm the butter, which will help achieve chewier cookies and easier shaping.
- Prepare oven and trays: Preheat the oven to 325°F (163°C). Line two baking trays with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
- Scoop and shape cookies: Using a small cookie scoop (about 1 ½ tablespoon), gather dough and roll into balls. Place about 15 balls onto the prepared trays, spacing them approximately 3 inches apart. For the ears, take about 1 teaspoon of dough, divide into two equal pieces, roll into small balls, and place on top of each bear’s head dough ball.
- Bake cookies: Bake for 9-11 minutes, or until the edges are set and the centers look slightly puffy. Baking slightly less will yield chewier cookies.
- Cool cookies: Let cookies cool on the baking tray for 5-10 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Decorate the bears’ faces: Use a piping bag, toothpick, or cookie scribe to apply melted white chocolate to draw the snouts and ears. Tint some of the white chocolate pink or red using oil-based food coloring for blush accents. Use melted milk or dark chocolate to pipe eyes and noses. If the colored white chocolate seizes, add a teaspoon of neutral oil to smooth it out.
- Enjoy or store: Allow chocolates to set before serving. Store finished cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week.
Notes
- Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week to maintain freshness.
- To make this recipe vegan, substitute with high-quality vegan butter and vegan chocolate, omit the egg, and if dough is crumbly, add 1-4 tablespoons of plant-based milk to achieve a thick but scoopable consistency.
- Use oil-based food coloring for chocolate to prevent seizing; if unavailable, incorporate neutral oil gradually to smooth the melted chocolate.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 150 kcal
- Sugar: 12 g
- Sodium: 110 mg
- Fat: 7 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 20 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 35 mg
