Healthy White Chocolate Red Velvet Cookies

 
A couple of summers during my childhood, I flew to Arizona with my mom and brother. After a few days of science experiments and meetings in Phoenix, Mom drove us to the southern part of the state to spend the 4^th of July with her parents.  

As part of the holiday festivities, we sat on the back patio facing the left side of their property after the sun went down. With the flat desert landscape, we could easily see the fireworks show hosted at the local high school in their neighborhood, the colorful lights bursting and shimmering well above the cacti and mesquite trees in the black sky.
 

 
After dinner but before the fireworks, we always climbed into the car and headed to the Dairy Queen less than a mile away from my grandparents’ house. We joined the line of people waiting to order ice cream, and as we inched forward, we debated which treats to buy.

Although we spotted plenty of different options on the menu boards, we usually picked something simple and classic: a vanilla ice cream cone dipped in chocolate, a hot fudge sundae (with no nuts!), or a dilly bar (a round disc of vanilla ice cream on a stick and dipped in chocolate too!). We knew better than to ask for one of Dairy Queen’s iconic blizzards… Mom always told us those were much too big for us!
 

 
As we clambered back into the car, the challenge began… Could we make it to the house before the fireworks show started and without our ice cream treats melting? Or would we miss the first few minutes… And have to start licking at the stray drops that slowly trickled down the sides so we wouldn’t make a mess in the sedan?

Even though we turned on the air conditioning as high as it would go, we usually still ended up doing the latter… And by the time we sat down on the back patio, everyone’s desserts were missing a few bites!
 

 
In hindsight, a sweet and festive 4^th of July treat like these Healthy White Chocolate Red Velvet Cookies might’ve been a slightly better option… We wouldn’t have to wait in line at the ice cream parlor and nearly miss the start of the fireworks show, and these definitely wouldn’t melt like our Dairy Queen desserts!

These healthy white chocolate red velvet cookies are supremely soft and chewy, and they’re really easy to make. You just need two bowls and a fork — no mixer required! They also have no eggs, butter, or refined flour (with an entirely dairy-free option too!) and just 92 calories!

So maybe this year… We could compromise instead of going to Dairy Queen… And serve ourselves a scoop of vanilla ice cream along with one of these cookies or sandwich some ice cream between the cookies!

What do you think? Good idea??
 

WHAT ARE RED VELVET COOKIES?

What are red velvet cookies? In case you’re wondering… They’re a soft and chewy cookie version of classic red velvet cake!

Red velvet cake rose to fame in the early 20^th century during the Great Depression and World War eras. With ingredients so expensive and hard to come by, bakers got a little creative when making cakes.

Since they couldn’t always depend on their usual flour, they used a few tricks to make sure their cakes turned out supremely moist and tender. First, they added another dry ingredient to the flour (such as cornstarch or cocoa powder!), which would prevent the flour from developing long gluten strands (aka what causes a tough or gummy texture!) when they mixed together the batter. Second, they stirred an acid (such as vinegar!) into the batter to react with the baking soda. That reaction created air bubbles, which helped their cakes rise and also gave them a more tender texture.
 

 
However, in the early 20^th century, cocoa powder had a different acidity level than it does today. When bakers used cocoa powder in their cake batter, it also reacted with the vinegar and baking soda… And that ended up dying the batter red! At the same time, it also created that iconic chocolaty vanilla flavor that we now call “red velvet cake” today.

Pretty nerdy and pretty cool, right??

But since cocoa powder has a different acidity level today, it no longer dyes cake batter red… Which means modern bakers typically result to food coloring to achieve that same beautiful bright red color. Yet the taste and texture of today’s red velvet cakes still remain the same!

Now with that little lesson out of the way…
 

HOW TO MAKE THE BEST HEALTHY WHITE CHOCOLATE RED VELVET COOKIES

Let’s go over how to make the best healthy white chocolate red velvet cookies! These are soft, chewy, and the perfect combination of not quite chocolate and not quite vanilla… Or, as I call it, “chocolaty vanilla!”

You’ll start with white whole wheat flour and unsweetened cocoa powder. Yes, I know it sounds like a bit of an oxymoron… But white whole wheat flour actually exists, and it’s not just a combination of white (aka all-purpose) flour and regular whole wheat flour!

Instead, white whole wheat flour is made by finely grinding a special type of soft white wheat (hence the name!), whereas regular whole wheat flour comes from a heartier variety of red wheat. They both have the same health benefits (like extra fiber!), but white whole wheat flour has a lighter taste and texture. That lets the supremely soft and chewy texture of your healthy white chocolate red velvet cookies really shine!
 

 
For the cocoa powder, use the regular unsweetened kind, like this! Skip the “special dark” or Dutched cocoa powders. Those have a different acidity level, as well as a different flavor, so your cookies won’t turn out with the same taste and texture if you substitute either of these options.

Although most traditional red velvet recipes call for a very small amount of cocoa powder compared to flour — usually somewhere in the neighborhood of 1 or 2 tablespoons of cocoa powder for every 2 to 3 cups of flour — I’ve found that results in a pretty bland flavor… One that just tastes like buttery vanilla. So I use a higher ratio of cocoa powder to flour to achieve the best “true” chocolaty vanilla flavor in these healthy white chocolate red velvet cookies!

One very important thing to note… It’s extremely important to measure both the flour and cocoa powder correctly, using this method or a kitchen scale. (← That’s the one I own!) Too much of either ingredient will make your cookies cakey and dry, and it’ll also prevent them from spreading. Too much cocoa powder can also make your cookies taste bitter. I promise it’s worth taking a few extra moments to properly measure your ingredients. You’ll get the best ever healthy white chocolate red velvet cookies that way!
 

 
Whereas many traditional cookie recipes call for a full stick of butter — if not more! — you only need a mere 1 ½ tablespoons to make these. That really helps keep your healthy white chocolate red velvet cookies low calorie and low fat!

Tip: For a dairy-free and vegan version of these healthy white chocolate red velvet cookies, substitute stick-style vegan butter (this is my favorite!) or coconut oil!

Then to make your cookies taste just as buttery, you’ll use one of my secret ingredients. If you’ve made any of my cookie recipes before, then you probably have an idea of what it is already…
 

 
Vanilla extract! Vanilla can imitate butter’s rich flavor, so when you use a little extra vanilla, it makes your healthy white chocolate red velvet cookies taste just as rich and buttery as “regular” more indulgent recipes. Such a fun trick, right??

Then to make these healthy white chocolate red velvet cookies eggless, you’ll use unsweetened vanilla almond milk instead. Any milk will work — this is just the rest of my family’s favorite dairy-free milk and the one they always keep on hand! (I love it too, along with unsweetened cashew milk!) Just remember to use room temperature milk. Cold milk will immediately re-solidify your melted butter (or melted coconut oil!).
 

 
You’ll skip the refined granulated sugar and sweeten your healthy white chocolate red velvet cookies with coconut sugar instead. Coconut sugar is exactly what it sounds like: an unrefined sweetener that comes from coconuts! However, it does not actually taste like coconuts. It has a rich caramel-like flavor, similar to brown sugar. You can usually find it on the baking aisle right next to the regular sugar!

To achieve that gorgeous hue, you’ll mix in red food coloring. I ended up using the regular kind (like this!) to make these cookies. I haven’t had good luck with more natural options, such as beets or pomegranates. Those ended up looking mostly brown with just a hint of mahogany, rather than the classic bright and beautiful red. Yet if you’re staunchly against red food coloring, you’re welcome to try one of those natural options — or you can replace the food coloring with additional milk!
 

 
Then for the patriotic finishing touch, you’ll need white chocolate. I roughly chopped some white chocolate chips to make these cookies in the photos. I like having at least one small morsel of chocolate in every bite, and my usual go-to white chocolate chips tend to be really big… So unless I cut them, some bites of cookie occasionally end up without any! If you’re lazy and don’t feel like chopping a bar of white chocolate — or your white chocolate chips — it’s totally fine to simply pour the white chocolate chips into the batter. I won’t judge one bit! 😉

Tip: For a dairy-free and vegan version of these healthy egg-free red velvet cookies, use vegan-friendly white chocolate, like this!
 

 
Now that you’ve made the cookie dough, you’ll probably notice something… It’s pretty soft and sticky. So you must chill the cookie dough! Chilling stiffens it, which makes it easier to handle and also prevents your cookies from spreading into one massive blob on the baking sheet.

And because someone always asks… No, I don’t use a cookie scoop! I just use a spoon and this mini spatula (← isn’t it cute??) to drop the cookie dough onto my baking sheets. Then I use the same spatula to smooth out the sides so my cookies look nice and round. No secret tools here… Just a little extra effort and patience!
 

 
How cute do these cookies look?? I think they’re definitely perfect for the 4^th of July… But also Christmas, Valentine’s Day, or even Memorial Day and Labor Day! As well as any ol’ day you’re craving something red velvet, chocolaty vanilla, and sweet. 😉

And when you make your own, remember to snap a picture and share it on Instagram using #amyshealthybaking and tagging @amyshealthybaking IN the photo itself! (That guarantees I’ll see your picture! 🙂 ) I’d love to see your healthy white chocolate red velvet cookies!

Healthy White Chocolate Red Velvet Cookies

© Amy's Healthy Baking

Yields: 12 cookies

These cookies have the same exact “chocolaty vanilla” flavor as classic red velvet cake, but they’re much easier and faster to make! They’re supremely soft and chewy, and the white chocolate chunks add the perfect sweetness to these rich and buttery cookies. Leftovers will keep for at least four days (if not longer!) if sealed in an airtight container at room temperature or at least one week (if not longer!) if sealed in an airtight container in the refrigerator. They freeze really well, too!

5 from 6 votes

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Ingredients 

• ¾ cup + 1 tbsp (97g) white whole wheat flour or gluten-free* flour (measured like this)
• 3 tbsp (15g) unsweetened cocoa powder (measured like this)
• ½ tsp baking soda
• ⅛ tsp salt
• 1 ½ tbsp (21g) coconut oil or unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
• 2 tbsp + 2 tsp (40mL) unsweetened vanilla almond milk, room temperature
• 2 ½ tsp liquid red food coloring (see Notes!)
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• ½ cup (96g) coconut sugar
• 3 tbsp (42g) finely chopped white chocolate, divided (see Notes!)

Instructions

• Whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk together the coconut oil or butter, milk, red food coloring, and vanilla extract. Stir in the coconut sugar. Add in the flour mixture, stirring just until incorporated. Fold in 2 ½ tablespoons of white chocolate. Chill the cookie dough for 30 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 350°F, and line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper.
• Drop the cookie dough into 12 rounded scoops onto the prepared sheet using a spoon and spatula. Gently press the remaining white chocolate into the tops. Bake at 350°F for 9-11 minutes. Cool on the pan for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.

Notes

Whole wheat pastry flour or all-purpose flour may be substituted for the white whole wheat flour. Regular whole wheat flour may be substituted in a pinch, but the cookies may have detectable “wheat-y” taste.

 

Do not use Dutched or special dark cocoa powder! They’re much less acidic than regular cocoa powder, so the texture and flavor of these cookies won’t be the same. Use regular unsweetened cocoa powder, like this.

 

Remember to measure the flour and cocoa powder correctly, using this method or a kitchen scale. (← That’s the one I own and love!) Too much of either will dry out your cookie dough, make your cookies taste cakey or dry, and prevent them from spreading. Too much cocoa powder may make your cookies taste bitter.

 

If using coconut oil, the cookies may have a faintly detectable coconut flavor.

 

Any milk may be substituted for the unsweetened vanilla almond milk.

 

Regular red food coloring (like this) will give the brightest color. Liquid “natural” red food coloring may also be used, but the color will be more of a mahogany shade. I have not tried anything else (i.e. gel food coloring) and don’t know how other options will turn out. I haven’t had good luck with other natural options (beets, pomegranates, etc).

 

Brown sugar may be substituted for the coconut sugar.

 

I used these white chocolate chips, and I roughly chopped them because they’re a bit larger in size. (I prefer at least one small morsel of chocolate in every bite of cookie!) You can also use bars of white chocolate, like this. See below for a dairy-free and vegan alternative!

 

This recipe is easily doubled!

 

GLUTEN-FREE OPTION: Use a high-quality store-bought gluten-free flour blend (this is my favorite!) or gluten-free oat flour (this is my favorite!). Make sure you measure them carefully, like this! (This is especially important if using the oat flour! It tends to be more absorbent, so using too much will dry out your cookies and prevent them from spreading.)

 

DAIRY-FREE + VEGAN OPTION: Use stick-style vegan butter (this is my favorite!) or coconut oil in place of the unsalted butter. Use vegan-friendly white chocolate (like this!) for the chopped white chocolate.

 

CLEAN EATING OPTION: Substitute milk or water for the red food coloring (or your preferred “natural” red food coloring, although I haven’t had good luck with those; they never seem to look as bright in color!). Substitute mini chocolate chips for the white chocolate.

 

IF YOUR COOKIES DID NOT SPREAD: There was too much flour and/or cocoa powder in your cookie dough! See here for information on how to properly measure them. Alternatively, if you used less sugar or substituted a no-calorie sweetener (such as monk fruit, erythritol, etc), that would have prevented your cookies from spreading as well.

 

{gluten-free, egg-free, dairy-free option, vegan option, clean eating option, low fat}

DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE?I'd love to hear what you think of it in a comment below! If you take a picture, tag @amyshealthybaking on Instagram or use the hashtag #amyshealthybaking.

View Nutrition Information + Weight Watchers Points
 
 
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♡  Healthier Baked Red Velvet Donuts