Red Velvet Crinkle Cookies: How to Fix Flat Results

Oh no — your red velvet crinkle cookies didn’t turn out like the picture? Don’t worry. You can rescue flat red velvet crinkle cookies and transform them into delightful red velvet whoopie pies instead.

If you’re actually searching for a reliable recipe for red velvet cookies made with cake mix and Cool Whip, try a dedicated Red Velvet Cake Mix Cookies recipe instead. And if your goal is to make classic red velvet whoopie pies from a cake-mix shortcut, look for a trusted cake-mix whoopie pie method.

But if you baked the trendy cake-mix + Cool Whip crinkle cookies and they came out as sad, flat puddles — this is the place to be. Read on to learn how I fixed my flat cookies and turned them into a pretty, party-ready treat.

How to turn flat Red Velvet Cookies into Red Velvet Whoopie Pies

The trick is simple: bake the flat crinkle cookies as directed, then trim, fill, and decorate them so they resemble whoopie pies. Below is how I made mine and what worked to revive them.

Ingredients for Cake Mix Red Velvet Cookies

Only 5 Ingredients

1. 1 box red velvet cake or cupcake mix (brand packets vary by size)
2. 8 oz (about 1 cup) Cool Whip, thawed to room temperature
3. 1 large egg
4. ½ cup granulated sugar
5. ½ cup powdered sugar

1. In a stand mixer bowl, beat the cake mix, Cool Whip, and egg until the mixture is smooth and fluffy.
2. Cover the sticky dough and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to firm it up.
3. Pour the granulated sugar and powdered sugar into separate shallow bowls.
4. Using a tablespoon cookie scoop, portion the dough and roll each portion into a ball.
5. First roll each ball in the granulated sugar, then coat completely in powdered sugar.
6. Place the coated dough balls on parchment-lined baking sheets about 2 inches apart.
7. Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 13–15 minutes, or until edges are set.
8. Cool on the baking sheet for 1 minute, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Why did my cookies go flat?

There are a few likely reasons, and sometimes it’s a combination of factors. Pack sizes and product formulations vary by country, and the specific cake mix I found locally was labeled as a cupcake mix rather than a full cake mix—this could change how the dough behaves. The Cool Whip package sizes and the method used to measure the Cool Whip can also affect dough texture. Even when chilled thoroughly, these doughs can spread more than traditional cookie dough because of their higher moisture content and softer structure.

In my case the cookies were definitely chilled, so I suspect either the particular cupcake mix or the Cool Whip proportions led to excessive spreading. Regardless of the cause, I ended up with flat cookies that needed a little creativity to make them look and taste great.

How to fix flat cookies so they look better

• Use a 3-inch cookie cutter to cut each cooled cookie into a neat circle. Trimming evens out irregular, overly thin edges.
• Spooned or packaged icing (for example, the frosting that comes with some cupcake mixes) works well as a filling. Spread a thin layer of icing on the underside of half the cookies.
• Gently sandwich another cookie on top, bottom-side down, to create a whoopie-pie style cookie.
• For decoration, put some icing in a small sandwich bag, snip off a tiny corner, and drizzle a little icing across the tops.
• And just like that, your flat crinkle cookies are now red velvet whoopie pies (or, as I like to call them, Whoopsie Pies!).

Serve them with confidence — they taste delicious, and guests won’t know they were rescued from a baking mishap. A little trimming, filling, and drizzle turns a disappointing batch into a charming, tasty treat.

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Other cookie recipes you may be interested in:

• No Bake Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies
• Church Window Cookies | Easy Holiday Treat Recipe
• Original Scotcheroos – A Delightful No Bake Cookie Bar
• Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
• Glazed Fresh Apple Cookies