Delightful Red Velvet Bear Cookies for Any Occasion

Ingredients

• 2.5 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon cocoa powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 0.5 tsp salt
• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1.5 cups granulated sugar
• 1 large egg
• 2 tablespoons buttermilk
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 tsp red food coloring
• 1 cup white chocolate chips
• 0.5 cup mini chocolate chips (for decoration)
• 1 unit Bear-shaped cookie cutter

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
3. In a large mixing bowl, cream together the softened butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes.
4. Add the egg, buttermilk, vanilla extract, and red food coloring to the butter-sugar mixture. Mix until well combined.
5. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, mixing until just combined. Be careful not to overmix!
6. Fold in the white chocolate chips gently with a spatula, ensuring they are evenly distributed.
7. Chill the dough in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes. This will make it easier to handle.
8. Once chilled, scoop tablespoon-sized balls of dough and press down lightly to form a bear shape using your cookie cutter. Repeat until all dough is shaped.
9. Place the shaped cookies on the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 2 inches apart.
10. Decorate the tops of the cookies with mini chocolate chips for eyes and a nose, pressing them into the dough gently.
11. Bake for 10–12 minutes or until the edges are set, and the cookies appear slightly puffy.
12. Remove from the oven and let the cookies cool on the sheets for about 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.