Description
Indulgent Red Velvet Cookies cradle a dreamy cheesecake center, melting hearts with rich cocoa and tangy cream cheese. Luxurious bites promise pure bliss you cannot resist, inviting sweet moments of pure dessert delight.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients:
- 1 2/3 cups (210g) all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup (21g) unsweetened natural cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Wet Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup (8 tablespoons; 113g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup (100g) packed light or dark brown sugar
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
- 1 tablespoon (15 milliliters) milk
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon red food coloring (liquid, gel, or 2 teaspoons beet powder alternative)
Cream Cheese Filling:
- 4 ounces (113 grams) full-fat brick cream cheese, room temperature
- 1 3/4 cups (210g) confectioners sugar
- 1 tablespoon (8g) all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
For Rolling:
- 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
Instructions
- Craft a uniform mixture of cocoa-infused dry ingredients by thoroughly blending flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Set this foundation aside for later use.
- Utilize an electric mixer to cream butter with granulated and brown sugars until achieving a silky, homogeneous texture. Incorporate egg, milk, and vanilla extract, mixing until thoroughly integrated and periodically scraping bowl edges.
- Gently fold dry ingredients into wet mixture, ensuring smooth incorporation. Introduce vibrant red food coloring, adjusting quantity for desired intensity. The resulting dough will possess a slight tackiness. Wrap securely and refrigerate for minimum 1.5 hours.
- Prepare cheesecake filling by whipping cream cheese with confectioners’ sugar, flour, and vanilla extract until achieving a luxurious, velvety consistency. Deposit small dollops onto a freezer-compatible baking sheet and freeze for at least 1.5 hours.
- Transform frozen cream cheese portions into delicate spheres, understanding they might remain slightly adhesive. Relocate to refrigerator to maintain optimal coldness.
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats for optimal cookie performance.
- Extract chilled dough, allowing brief room temperature rest if needed. Construct cookie spheres, creating a central cavity in each. Nestle frozen cream cheese orbs within dough pockets, meticulously sealing to ensure complete encapsulation.
- Delicately roll assembled cookies in remaining granulated sugar. Position on baking sheets, maintaining generous spacing. Bake until edges solidify while centers retain softness, approximately 12-13 minutes.
- Allow cookies to rest momentarily on baking sheet before transferring to wire rack for complete cooling.
- Store cookies in sealed container at room temperature for three days or refrigerate up to one week, preserving their delectable quality.
Notes
- Chill the dough thoroughly to prevent spreading and enhance flavor intensity during baking.
- Freeze cream cheese filling beforehand to ensure clean, compact centers that won’t leak during cooking.
- Use gel food coloring for more vibrant red color without altering dough consistency.
- When rolling cookies, keep hands slightly damp to prevent sticky dough from clinging to fingers.
- Prep Time: 2 hours, 45 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Category: Desserts, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 24
- Calories: 150
- Sugar: 14g
- Sodium: 100mg
- Fat: 7g
- Saturated Fat: 4g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 20g
- Fiber: 0g
- Protein: 2g
- Cholesterol: 20mg