Red Velvet Cheesecake Cookies
Red velvet? Delicious. Cheesecake? Also delicious. So why not put them together in a fun new form! Try these soft red velvet cookies loaded with white chocolate chips and stuffed with a sweetened cream cheese.
Make the Cheesecake Filling
Mix together softened cream cheese, granulated sugar, and vanilla extract until smooth. I used a handheld mixer with a paddle attachment for this, but you could do it by hand if you put in some elbow grease.
Drop dollops of the cream cheese mixture (about 1.5 to 2 teaspoons worth - exact measurements not needed) onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. You will want at least 12. Freeze until solid - about 30 minutes to 1 hour.
Mix the Cookie Dough
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt and set aside. In a large bowl using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix softened butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add an egg, milk, and vanilla and mix until fully combined.
Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix on low speed until mostly combined. Add enough red food coloring to achieve your desired color and mix until just combined. Fold in the white chocolate chips with a wooden spoon or stiff rubber spatula. The dough will be thick but not sticky. I found it easier to use my hands for the final bit of mixing.
Stuff the Cookies
Portion the dough out into about golf ball sized balls and then flatten to about 1/8 inch discs. Save a little bit of dough to use for patching if needed.
Remove the cheesecake filling from the freezer and put one dollop in the center of each disc. Wrap the dough around the filling so it is completely covered. You can patch any holes with the reserved dough.
Put the stuffed dough balls on baking sheets lined with parchment paper or silicone baking mats at least two inches apart. Slightly flatten them with your palm, making sure none of the filling leaks out.
Bake the Cookies
Bake the cookies at 350°F for 13-15 minutes until the tops just begin to crack. Keep any dough balls you aren’t baking in the refrigerator until ready to bake.
Allow the cookies to cool on the pan for at least 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. If you want the cheesecake filling to be more set you can refrigerate the cookies before eating. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
Red Velvet Cheesecake Cookies
Ingredients
- 6 oz cream cheese, softened to room temperature
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 and 3/4 cup all purpose flour
- 1/4 cup cocoa powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 3/4 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 egg, room temperature
- 1 tbsp whole milk
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- red food coloring
- 1 cup white chocolate chips
Instructions
- Make the filling: Using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix together the softened cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla until smooth. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Drop 1.5 - 2 teaspoon dollops - no need to be exact - of the cream cheese mixture onto the parchment paper (you should have at least 12). Put in the freezer until solid, about 30 minutes to 1 hour.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- In a large bowl using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix the softened butter and sugars on medium speed until light and fluffy.
- Add the egg, milk, and vanilla and mix until fully combined.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix on low speed until mostly combined. Add enough red food coloring to achieve your desired color and mix until just combined.
- Fold in the white chocolate chips. The dough will be thick but not sticky. I found it easier to use my hands for the final bit of mixing.
- Using your hands, roll the dough into about golf ball sized balls, saving a little dough in case you need to use it for patching later. Flatten the balls so you have about 1/8 inch thick disks (again, no need to be exact).
- Remove the frozen cream cheese from the freezer. Place a dollop in center of each dough disk and fully wrap the dough around the cream cheese, using the reserved dough to patch any holes.
- Place the cream cheese filled dough balls on the prepared baking sheets at least 2 inches apart and slightly flatten with your palm, making sure none of the filling spills out.
- Bake for 13-15 minutes until the cookies just start to crack. Allow the cookies to cool on the pan for at least 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. If you want the cheesecake filling to be more set you can refrigerate the cookies before eating.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Or freeze for up to 3 months.
