Description
Cream Cheese Stuffed Red Velvet Cookies are decadent, soft, and moist cookies with a rich red velvet flavor wrapped around a creamy, sweet cream cheese filling. Perfect for holiday treats or whenever you crave a luxurious, bakery-style cookie at home.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 1 and 2/3 cups (210g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
- 1/4 cup (21g) unsweetened natural cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Wet Ingredients
- 1/2 cup (8 Tbsp; 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 (15ml) milk
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 Tablespoon red liquid food coloring (or 3/4 tsp red gel food coloring, or 2 tsp beet powder alternative)
Cream Cheese Filling
- 4 ounces (113g) full-fat brick cream cheese, room temperature
- 1 and 3/4 cups (210g) confectioners’ sugar
- 1 Tablespoon (8g) all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Topping
- 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar (for rolling)
Instructions
- Make the cookie dough: Whisk flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt together in a bowl until combined; set aside. In a large bowl, beat butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar on high speed until smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes. Add egg, milk, and vanilla extract; beat for about 1 minute. Scrape bowl sides as needed.
- Combine dry and wet ingredients: On low speed, slowly mix the dry flour mixture into the wet ingredients until combined. Beat in red food coloring; add more if you want a brighter red. The dough will be slightly sticky. Cover tightly and chill for at least 1.5 hours or up to 2-3 days.
- Make the cream cheese filling: Beat cream cheese, confectioners’ sugar, flour, and vanilla extract on medium-high speed until smooth and creamy, about 3 minutes. Drop teaspoonfuls onto a lined baking sheet and freeze for at least 1.5 hours or up to 2-3 days.
- Prepare filling balls: Remove frozen cream cheese portions and roll each into a ball, a bit sticky. Refrigerate the balls until ready to use to keep them very cold.
- Preheat oven and prep sheets: Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats.
- Assemble cookies: Remove dough from fridge; if chilled more than 3-4 hours, let sit 20 minutes at room temperature for easier handling. Roll dough into 1 tablespoon balls. Use thumb to make an indent in one ball, place one cream cheese ball inside, then cover with another dough ball, molding tightly so cream cheese is fully encased. Repeat with remaining dough and filling.
- Roll in sugar: Roll each stuffed dough ball in granulated sugar. Place on baking sheets 3 inches apart.
- Bake cookies: Bake for 12-13 minutes or until edges are set but centers look soft.
- Cool cookies: Let cookies cool on baking sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.
- Store: Keep cookies covered at room temperature up to 3 days or refrigerated up to 1 week.
Notes
- Use full-fat brick cream cheese for best filling consistency.
- Chilling dough helps prevent spreading and improves texture.
- Freezing cream cheese filling balls makes assembling easier and cleaner.
- Make sure cream cheese is very cold when assembling to prevent melting.
- You can adjust red food coloring to get your preferred intensity of red color.
- Rolling the cookies in granulated sugar gives a nice crunchy coating and a sweet contrast.
- Cookies are best eaten within a few days for optimal freshness but can be refrigerated for longer storage.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 13 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: Red Velvet Cookies, Cream Cheese Stuffed Cookies, Holiday Cookies, Soft Cookies, Baked Cookies
