Red Velvet Cheesecake Cookies
Soft red velvet cookies stuffed with a tangy cream cheese center and finished with a sweet vanilla glaze.
Ingredients
Ingredients
- 4 ounces brick-style full-fat cream cheese softened
- 3/4 cup powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
- 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter softened
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar packed
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or vanilla bean paste
- 1 teaspoon distilled white vinegar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons red gel food coloring
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar for rolling (optional)
- 1 –2 tablespoons milk or heavy whipping cream
- 1 –2 cups powdered sugar for glaze
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, beat the cream cheese, 3/4 cup powdered sugar, and 1 tablespoon flour until smooth and creamy.
- Line a cookie sheet or plate with wax paper and scoop 2-teaspoon mounds of the cream cheese mixture onto the lined surface.
- Place the tray in the freezer and freeze the cream cheese scoops for at least 2 hours, or until very firm.
- In another medium bowl, whisk together 1 2/3 cups flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt until well combined; set aside.
- In a large bowl, beat the softened butter, brown sugar, and 1/3 cup granulated sugar until light and creamy.
- Add the egg, vanilla bean paste, vinegar, and red food coloring to the butter mixture and beat until fully combined.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and beat on low speed just until no dry streaks remain.
- Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate the cookie dough for at least 2 hours or up to 48 hours, until firm.
- Once the dough is chilled and the cream cheese scoops are frozen, line baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
- Scoop about 1 to 1 1/2 tablespoons of cookie dough and roll it into a ball, then flatten it slightly and press the center to create a shallow bowl shape.
- Working with one cream cheese scoop at a time, remove a frozen scoop from the freezer and place it in the center of the dough.
- Scoop another 1 to 1 1/2 tablespoons of dough, flatten it slightly, and place it on top of the cream cheese filling.
- Pinch the edges of the top and bottom dough pieces together to fully seal in the cream cheese, then gently roll into a smooth ball, making sure no filling shows.
- If desired, roll each dough ball in the additional 1/3 cup granulated sugar to coat the outside.
- Place the filled dough balls on a parchment-lined tray, cover lightly, and freeze for at least 30 minutes, or until firm.
- When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350°F and arrange the frozen dough balls on prepared baking sheets, spacing them at least 2 inches apart; do not thaw.
- Bake one sheet at a time in the center of the oven for 12–14 minutes, or until the tops look set and the edges are just firm.
- Allow the cookies to cool completely on the baking sheet so the centers can set before glazing.
- For the glaze, whisk 1 tablespoon milk with 1 cup powdered sugar until smooth, then add more milk or powdered sugar as needed until the glaze is white, smooth, and thin enough to drizzle.
- Drizzle the glaze over the cooled cookies using a spoon or by transferring it to a small bag with the tip snipped off, then let the glaze set before serving.
Notes
- Keep the cream cheese scoops in the freezer and only take out one at a time while forming the cookies so they stay firm and easy to handle.
- Make sure the cookie dough fully seals the cream cheese center to prevent any leaking during baking.
- Chilling the dough and freezing the stuffed dough balls helps the cookies keep their shape and the filling stay creamy.
- These cookies store well in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days; bring to room temperature before serving.
- Make sure the cookie dough fully seals the cream cheese center to prevent any leaking during baking.
- Chilling the dough and freezing the stuffed dough balls helps the cookies keep their shape and the filling stay creamy.
- These cookies store well in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days; bring to room temperature before serving.