For those following a ketogenic lifestyle, the desire for a sweet treat can be challenging. This recipe delivers the beloved red velvet flavor in a soft, chewy, and keto-friendly cookie. These cookies capture the essence of bakery-style treats with a fraction of the carbs. These are like those giant soft baked cookies you'd get at a bakery. These are the best Sugar Free Red Velvet Cookies. This is the perfect recipe for Sugar Free Red Velvet Cookies for so many reasons.
Why Red Velvet?
The truth is that red velvet anything (yummy that is) is known for more than just being red. Anything that tastes good and is called red velvet also has red food coloring in it. Well, I just mentioned that these cookies have unsweetened cocoa powder in them. Many red velvet cookies have white chocolate chips in them. When I first posted this recipe sugar free chocolate chips did not exist on the market. However, today you can find sugar free white chocolate chips online here! YAY!!
Key Ingredients and Their Roles
To create the perfect keto red velvet cookie, understanding the function of each ingredient is crucial.
- Almond Flour and Coconut Flour: These form the base of the cookie, providing a low-carb alternative to traditional wheat flour. To make the base for these Keto Cream Cheese Stuffed Red Velvet cookies, we use a combination of almond flour and coconut flour along with psyllium husks and xanthan gum.
- Xanthan Gum: This is essential for texture in gluten-free and keto baking. Xanthan gum binds the flour with the liquid, preventing crumbliness and leading to more moist, soft, and chewy baked goods. It's expensive, but a tiny amount goes a long way. Technically you don't NEED xanthan gum for this recipe but If you plan on doing any amount of keto baking (or even cooking as it's used in sauces as well) then I'd recommend purchasing a bag.
- Psyllium Husks: Whole Psyllium Husks are optional in this recipe. But Psyllium Husks add a nice chewy/gooey texture to cookie and brownie recipes. If you have cornstarch or arrowroot starch you can try substituting 2 tsp of that.
- Powdered Monkfruit/Erythritol Sweetener: This sweetener blends seamlessly into cookies and has a taste closest to sugar compared to other sweeteners. Yes! You can use another sweetener that measures like sugar and sub it in 1:1. The reason I used powdered monkfruit/erythritol sweetener is because it blends seamlessly into cookies and has the closest taste to sugar when compared to other sweeteners (I actually am experimenting with allulose though which may give it a run for it's money!
- Sugar-Free White Chocolate Chips: Soft and chewy keto red velvet cookies are filled with chunks of sugar-free white chocolate chips. The combination of white chocolate chips and red velvet flavoring should not be overlooked. You must add in some sugar-free white chocolate chips into these soft, chewy keto cookies. The butter, sweet white chocolate pairs perfectly with the slightly tangy red velvet cake cookies.
- Red Food Coloring: You do have to add a lot of red food dye in order to achieve a true red velvet color. Red food coloring: adds color, there are now natural options that do not include artificial dyes. In case you are freaked out to add that much red dye food coloring to your cookies, you can add a smaller amount or just omit it completely; however, your keto red velvet cookies won’t have the characteristic red color. Any less and your cookies will look more brown than red. They will still taste amazing if you choose to omit the red dye.
Recipe Variations and Substitutions
I consider this recipe a base recipe because it is easy to customize.
- Flour Alternatives: Almond flour is a key ingredient for keeping these cookies low carb and keto-friendly. However, if you need a substitute, you can try using sunflower seed flour, but keep in mind that it may alter the flavor and texture.
- Sweetener Alternatives: You can use erythritol or stevia as a substitute for monk fruit blend sweetener. Just be sure to adjust the quantity, as some sweeteners are sweeter than others. Specific sugar alternatives are not given in the recipes presented on this site. Only suggestions are given as to the 'kind' of alternative to use. It is up to you to select the alternative to use that suits your needs best. If the recipe is heated or cooked, it is best to use an alternative that can be heated or cooked with for best results.
- Make it Gluten-Free: Make this recipe gluten free by using gluten free flour instead of regular flour.
- Low Carb Option: Or, you can make this recipe low carb by using low carb Carbalose flour.
- Keto-Friendly: Make this 'keto friendly' by using a keto friendly flour. Please check the packaging to assure whether or not you will need a binder such as an additional egg.
Step-by-Step Instructions
These low-carb sugar cookies can be made in just a few simple steps. Please read through the instructions before you begin.
Read also: Easy Low-Carb Cheese Crackers
- Mixing the Dry Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl whisk together almond flour, coconut flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt, set aside. In a medium mixing bowl use a fork or a whisk to mix together the flour and the baking powder. Then mix in the unsweetened cocoa powder using the fork or whisk.
- Creaming the Wet Ingredients: Using an electric mixer, cream the butter and monkfruit sweetener until well blended. Next, in a large mixing bowl, beat together the sugar alternatives with the butter until creamy. In a separate bowl, add your butter and sweetener. Add in your whole egg, egg yolk and vanilla extract. Add egg, food coloring and vanilla and continue beating until combined, about 1 minute.
- Combining Wet and Dry: With mixer set on low speed slowly add in flour mixture and mix until combined. For the next step, we will add the dry ingredients from the first bowl to the mixing bowl. Do this by adding half of the dry ingredients at a time, stirring gently between additions. Then add the egg, vanilla extract, and the red food coloring . Mix until just combined. Add the dry ingredients to the butter and egg mixture and stir quite a few times until a thick dough forms. If you are adding the sugar free white chocolate chips, simply fold them in at this point. Slowly add dry ingredients to butter mixture. Add heavy cream and vinegar. Mix in white chocolate chips.
- Chilling the Dough: Yes! Chilling the dough is absolutely essential. You will NOT HAVE GOOD RESULTS if you skip this step! Cookie dough is chilled to solidify the fat in the dough, which prevents the cookies from spreading too much. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and shape into a round disk. Chill for a minimum of 2 hours, preferably overnight. The cookies have the perfect texture when they have been chilled overnight.
- Shaping and Baking: To assemble, grease 2 cookie sheets. Take a piece of the cookie dough about half the size you want your cookie and form it into a ball. Form another small ball of dough, flatten it in your hands then form it over top of the cream cheese and other piece of dough, squishing the edges from the two pieces of dough together. (This doesn’t have to be perfect, if some cream cheese shows through it won’t melt out). When ready to bake preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Preheat your oven to 325 and prep your cookie sheet for nonstick. When scooping the cookie dough onto the prepped sheets for baking, please leave ample room between the cookies. Using a large cookie scoop, scoop 2 tablespoon-sized balls of dough and place on a parchment lined baking tray leaving 1.5 inch space in between balls. Flatten balls with the palm of your hand or the back of a spoon. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 to 12 minutes. Scoop the dough using a small cookie scoop and bake on a silicone lined baking sheet at 350 degrees F for 9-11 minutes. Bake for 9-11 minutes. Bake the cookies for 18-20 minutes or until they appear to be set. You may not be able to notice any golden edges are these cookies are red.
- Cooling: Remove from the oven when the center is still slightly undercooked, it will finish baking as it cools. Remove from oven and let cool on the baking tray for 5 minutes until set before transferring to a cooling rack. These cookies will be VERY soft when they first come out of the oven. Don't be tempted to keep baking them if you want that soft gooey center. Cookies are very delicate when they are warm. Let them cool completely on the tray before trying to lift them. Allow the cookies to cool 10 minutes on the baking sheet and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. These will firm up as they cool and even more in the fridge over-night. (After ~5-10min you can set them in the fridge to speed up the cooling) They will harden up as they cool. Allow the cookies to cool on a wire rack before serving or frosting.
Frosting Options
- Low Carb Cream Cheese Frosting: To really take these cookies to the next level, we top them with low carb cream cheese frosting! For the frosting: Combine the cream cheese, butter, vanilla extract and 1/2 cup of the powdered sugar to a mixing bowl and beat with an electric mixer. Add 1/2 cup of the sweetener at a time until it reaches your desired consistancy and sweetness.
- Sugar-Free Powdered Sugar: I alternatively like to dust these cookies with a sugar free powdered sugar.
- Optional- sugar free cream cheese frosting or sugar free powdered sugar.
Storage Instructions
Let these cool fully before placing in an airtight container between layers of wax or parchment paper OR place on a plate and cover with saran wrap. Store you cookies in an air tight container at room temperature. Store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. You can also make up the cookie dough ahead of time and store in the refrigerator for 2-3 days or in the freezer for up to six months. That way, you can enjoy keto red velvet cookies whenever you want! For longer storage, you can keep them in the refrigerator for up to a week or freeze them for up to 3 months.
Tips and Considerations
- Like with most anything that is made in the kitchen and is also red, there is always a chance of staining. I know this from experience :).
- Nutritional Information: Please note: Nutritional data has been calculated using a tool that comes with this recipe card and not by me. This means that Nutritional Information is only an estimate and can vary especially with ingredients that you use. The accuracy of this tool may differ from other tools as expected.
- Visual Aid: Also note that there is no instructional value to the video that may be attached to this recipe. It is only there for visual pleasure. For more information about the images in this recipe, please refer the the recipe instructions.
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