Red Velvet Crinkle Cookies

Red velvet adjective Before food colouring became the popular way to make baked goods scarlet, the hue was caused by the way vinegar, cocao and buttermilk reacted together, creating a much more subtle hue.

Ingredients:

• 3 cups plain flour
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 cup of cocoa powder
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 3/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 1/3 cups caster sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 1 tbsp milk
• 2 tsp vanilla essence
• 2 tsp lemon juice
• 5 tsp red food colouring
• 1 cup dark or white chocolate chips
• 1 cup icing sugar

Method:

1. In a mixing bowl, dry whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cocoa powder, and salt until combined. Set aside.
2. In a separate bowl whip the butter and caster sugar together, using a hand mixer or an electric stand mixer on high speed, until pale and fluffy. Mix in the eggs one at a time, blending until combined. Add the milk, vanilla essence, lemon juice, and red food colouring, blending until combined.
3. With the mixer set of low speed, slowly add in the dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Stir in the white chocolate chips.
4. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and chill for 2 hours or until firm enough to shape into balls.
5. Preheat oven to 180⁰C. Pour the icing sugar into a bowl. Remove the cookie mixture from the refrigerator. Using buttered hands, scoop out about 2 tbsp worth of mixture and shape into balls. Roll each cookie dough ball in the icing sugar. Transfer to a non-stick baking paper lined baking tray and flatten slightly. Bake in the preheated oven for 14 minutes.
6. Remove from the oven and allow to rest on the baking tray for a few minutes before transfer to a wire rack to cool completed. Try not to eat them all at once!