Red velvet sugar cookies are soft and chewy, made with a hint of cocoa and a crunchy sugar crust. They're easy to make from scratch for Christmas and Valentine's Day.
In a large bowl, add butter and sugars. Using a hand mixer or stand mixer, cream together until fluffy, about a minute. Add eggs and vanilla extract and beat until mixture looks fluffy, about a minute. Add red gel food coloring and milk, stirring to combine.
In a separate bowl, whisk (or sift) together the flour, cocoa salt, and baking soda. Gradually stir dry ingredients into butter mixture until just combined.
Cover bowl or wrap dough in wax paper. Chill for at least 1 hour (up to 24 hours) in the refrigerator. Refrigerating helps the flavors meld and also create a firmer dough to roll into balls.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
Remove dough from refrigerator. Scoop dough using a 1.5 tablespoon scoop or shape by hand into 1.5 inch balls. Roll balls in granulated sugar.
Place cookie dough balls 2 inches apart onto prepared baking sheet. Bake for about 9-11 minutes, or until cookies begin to crack on top. Allow to cool for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
Cookies will keep for up to 5 days in a sealed container. To help keep cookies fresh, place a slice of bread in the container with the cookies. Replace the bread slice as needed.
Raw cookie dough will keep in the refrigerator for 3 days. Cookie dough balls (and baked cookies) freeze well, up to 3 months in a sealed plastic container or freezer bag. Allow frozen balls to thaw for up to 10 minutes on the baking sheet before baking, or add 1-2 minutes to the baking time.
Red food coloring can be omitted if desired. However, cookies will turn out a medium brown color instead of red as shown. Gel can be substituted with liquid food coloring at a 1:2 ratio.