Description
These Red Velvet Valentine’s Day Bear Cookies are adorable, chewy, and delicious treats perfect for celebrating love and friendship. Made with cocoa powder, a hint of vinegar for tang, and vibrant red food coloring, these cookies are beautifully decorated with melted white and dark chocolate to create charming bear faces. The dough rests in the fridge for extra chewiness and is baked to tender perfection, making these cookies both fun to make and delightful to eat.
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
- Red food coloring (quantity as needed for vibrant red 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 the dry ingredients—flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt—until well combined.
- Combine Wet Ingredients: In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment (or using a hand mixer or whisk), mix melted butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar on medium speed until combined. Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl to ensure even mixing. Add vanilla extract, white vinegar, egg, and red food coloring; mix until the batter is smooth and uniform in color.
- Incorporate Dry Ingredients: Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and stir until just combined. Adjust red food coloring if needed to achieve a vibrant red shade.
- Chill Dough: Cover the dough and refrigerate for 20-30 minutes. This resting time allows the flour to hydrate and the butter to firm up, resulting in chewier cookies and easier dough handling.
- Prepare for Baking: Preheat your oven to 325°F (163°C) and line two baking trays with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
- Scoop and Shape Cookies: Using a small cookie scoop (approximately 1 ½ tablespoons), scoop dough and roll into balls. Place them about 3 inches apart on the baking trays. Reserve some dough for the ears.
- Create Bear Ears: From the reserved dough, portion about 1 teaspoon, split it into two equal pieces, roll into small balls, and place on top of each cookie to form ears.
- Bake: Bake for 9-11 minutes or until edges are set and centers are slightly puffed. Slightly underbaking will yield chewier cookies.
- Cool Cookies: Let the cookies cool on the baking tray for 5-10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Decorate Bear Faces: Using piping bags, toothpicks, or cookie scribes, decorate the cookies. Use melted white chocolate to draw snouts and ears. Tint leftover white chocolate with oil-based pink or red food coloring for blush on cheeks. To prevent chocolate from seizing when adding food coloring, stir in a teaspoon of neutral oil as needed. Use melted milk or dark chocolate to dot eyes and noses.
- Enjoy: Serve and enjoy these charming red velvet bear cookies with family and friends.
Notes
- Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week.
- To make these cookies vegan, substitute unsalted butter with high-quality vegan butter and use vegan chocolate for decoration. Omit the egg and adjust dough moisture by adding 1-4 tablespoons of alternative plant-based milk if needed until dough is thick but scoopable.
- Oil-based food coloring is essential for coloring chocolate without seizing. If unavailable, add neutral oil gradually to melted chocolate to keep it smooth.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 130 kcal
- Sugar: 9 g
- Sodium: 120 mg
- Fat: 7 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 17 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 1.5 g
- Cholesterol: 20 mg
