Keto Red Velvet Cookies
Published January 26, 2021 • Updated March 14, 2026
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Soft, chewy red velvet cookies with sugar-free white chocolate chips folded into every batch. I've been making these for years and at 1.4g net carbs per cookie, they're the ones I reach for most.
These are not just chocolate cookies with food coloring. I spent a long time getting these keto red velvet cookies right, and the difference comes down to three things: cocoa powder for depth, a touch of vinegar for tang, and white chocolate chips that melt into buttery pockets. That combination is what real baking tastes like. The vinegar is not a typo. I know 1 teaspoon looks wrong, but it reacts with the baking soda to create that subtle tang and keeps the center from spreading flat. Reader Sarah tried a batch without it and confirmed the same thing: they spread more and lost the chew.
I tested these with just almond flour early on and they spread way too thin. The coconut flour is what holds these together. It absorbs extra moisture from the butter and egg, giving you a cookie that’s soft in the middle but doesn’t fall apart when you pick it up. That 1/4 cup makes more difference than you’d expect. Both flours are naturally gluten-free, so these work for anyone avoiding wheat. The low carb count stays at 1.4g net per cookie because coconut flour does so much in small amounts.
I make these for every holiday cookie tray. Christmas and Valentine’s Day especially, because that red color looks festive without any effort. Reader Wendy brought a batch to a winter potluck and three people went back for seconds. Someone asked how she got them so soft without regular sugar, and didn’t believe it was monk fruit until Wendy showed her the recipe on her phone. The cream cheese frosting some readers add on top makes them even more impressive for events (I cover that in the FAQs below). For more keto holiday cookies, try my sugar cookies or German chocolate cookies.
These are delicate when warm, and I mean genuinely fragile. Let them sit on the baking tray for 5 full minutes before you even think about moving them. Once they cool, they firm up and hold beautifully. I use a large cookie scoop (2 tablespoons) and flatten each ball with the back of a spoon. If you’re baking multiple trays, keep the remaining dough in the fridge between batches. If you’re newer to baking with almond flour, my chocolate chip cookies are a more forgiving starting point.
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Ingredients
½ cup butter, softened -
½ cup monk fruit blend sweetener
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1 egg
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1 tablespoon red food coloring, optional
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1 teaspoon vanilla
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1 cup almond flour
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¼ cup coconut flour
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3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
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1 teaspoon baking powder
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½ teaspoon baking soda
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½ teaspoon salt
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2 tablespoon heavy cream
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1 teaspoon vinegar
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1/2 cup sugar-free white chocolate chips
Step by Step Instructions
Step by Step Instructions
Whisk it
In a medium bowl, whisk together almond flour, coconut flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
Add dry ingredients
Slowly add dry ingredients to butter mixture. Add heavy cream and vinegar. Mix until combined.
Scoop the balls
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. Refrigerate remaining dough until ready to bake.
Nutrition disclaimer
The nutrition information provided is an estimate and is for informational purposes only. I am a Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.); however, this content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult your physician or other qualified health provider before making any lifestyle changes or beginning a new nutrition program.
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Get My Macros + Recipes →Frequently Asked Questions
Why do these taste like the real thing and not just chocolate cookies?
I spent a lot of time figuring this out. It comes down to three things working together: the vinegar reacting with baking soda for that subtle tang, cocoa powder for depth (not chocolate flavor, cocoa flavor), and white chocolate chips for buttery contrast. Those three together create the signature taste. Most copycat recipes skip the vinegar and just rely on food coloring. That's how you end up with a chocolate cookie that happens to be red.
Can I skip the vinegar? The amount seems like a typo.
I know 1 teaspoon looks like a mistake, but it's intentional. I tried a batch without it and the cookies spread more and lost that chewy center. Reader Sarah tested the same thing independently and got the same result. The vinegar reacts with the baking soda for lift and structure. Keep it in.
What's the best brand of sugar-free white chocolate chips?
I use ChocZero white chocolate chips in every batch. They hold their shape during baking and taste like real white chocolate. Reader Joy tried Bake Believe brand and they melted into liquid craters in the oven. Lily's is my backup, but I always reach for ChocZero first.
Can I use beet powder instead of red food coloring?
I haven't tested beet powder myself yet, but reader Sarah used it and got a deep burgundy that she says looks more authentic than the dye version. She also noticed the cocoa flavor comes through cleaner. If you go this route, start with 1-2 teaspoons and adjust until you get the shade you want. The taste won't change either way.
Can I use only almond flour and skip the coconut flour?
I tested this early on and the cookies spread way too flat. The coconut flour absorbs moisture from the butter and egg, which is what gives these a soft center that still holds together. It's only 1/4 cup, but that small amount is what keeps them from going flat. I wouldn't skip it.
How do I make cream cheese frosting to go with these?
I beat 4 oz softened cream cheese with 2 tablespoons butter and 1/4 cup powdered sweetener until smooth. Spread a thin layer on top or pipe it for a fancier look. My family prefers them plain, but readers like Wendy swear by the frosting for parties. One thing I've learned: make the frosting day-of, because it softens the cookie surface if it sits overnight.
Can I make the dough ahead and freeze it?
I do this all the time. Scoop the dough balls onto a sheet pan, freeze until solid, then transfer to a freezer bag. They keep for up to six months. Bake straight from frozen and add about 2 extra minutes to the time. I always have a bag in my freezer for when I want fresh cookies without any prep. My no-bake cookies are another good make-ahead option if you want variety.
Third batch in and I finally picked up Lily's white chocolate chips instead of using whatever generic ones I had. They melt differently, way creamier pockets throughout. Still docking a star because my batches keep running a little flat, but that's a me problem.
Brought these to a spring gathering last weekend and two people were convinced they came from a bakery. When I mentioned the white chocolate chips were sugar-free, one friend looked genuinely offended I'd been keeping that to myself all night.
Made these for my daughter last week and she texted me on the drive home asking if I'd left any, which I take as a better review than she'd ever say to my face. The cocoa powder does something that most keto cookies skip, rounds it out so it doesn't taste like a compromise. I'd probably leave out the red food coloring next time, it didn't do much for the flavor.
My 8-year-old saw the red and immediately declared them 'special occasion cookies.' She guarded the container all afternoon. I tried explaining they were just Tuesday cookies. Not convinced.
Ha. She's not wrong. The red makes every batch look like it belongs at a party.
Made these for a get-together last weekend and a friend picked one up and said 'okay, who brought the bakery cookies.' I think it's the white chocolate chips against the red. Sent the link to three people before I even got home.
The red and white contrast is what makes people stop. ChocZero chips are the ones I use because they hold shape through baking. Some brands just melt into the dough and you lose the whole effect.
Used beet powder instead of red food coloring and got this deep burgundy color that actually reads more authentically red velvet than the dye version. The cocoa comes through cleaner too. One note on the vinegar: don't skip it even though the amount looks like a typo. Made a batch without it once and the cookies spread more and lost that slight chew in the center.
The beet powder is interesting, I've seen that suggestion before but wasn't sure how the color held through baking. Burgundy actually sounds more like the real thing than dye. And yeah, that vinegar amount looks like a typo but it's what keeps the center from spreading out.
My grandma made red velvet cake every Christmas and I've been mourning it since I went keto two years ago. These taste like I got something back. The white chocolate chips are doing a lot.
Two years of mourning a Christmas recipe is real. The white chocolate is the piece that makes these actually taste like red velvet instead of just red cookies.
Brought these to a winter potluck last weekend and three people went back for seconds. One woman cornered me by the dessert table asking how I got them so soft and chewy without regular sugar. I told her monk fruit blend and she didn't believe me until I showed her the recipe on my phone. The cream cheese frosting was a huge hit too. Making a double batch for Valentine's Day since I'm apparently the cookie person at these things now.
Ha, 'show her the recipe on your phone' is basically the only way to convince people. The monk fruit skeptics need proof. Double batch for Valentine's is smart, the frosting holds up fine if you make them a day ahead.
Just made these. They turned out so good. They didn’t fall apart at all. When you let them cool, they stay together. One of my favorite recipes from you.
The coconut flour really does help them hold. I tested this with just almond flour and they spread too much.
Not all sugar-free white chocolate chips are created equal! I used Bake Believe brand and they ‘melted.’ I had small craters of liquid where the chip was. For the next pan I tediously picked out all the chips, baked, removed from oven then topped with 3-4 chips. Tasty but fell apart easily. Will bake again and try another brand of chips.
Glad you enjoyed the recipe! I haven't heard of that brand of chocolate chips. The brand I always recommend and use is by ChocZero. I haven't had any issues with these. They bake like regular chocolate chips. Lily's is another good choice. But yes, you can add the chips after you have molded the cookies. Remember to let them cool completely before handling your cookies or they will fall apart.