Description
Delight in these decadent Inside-Out Red Velvet Cookies featuring a creamy, tangy cream cheese center encased in a soft, rich red velvet cookie dough. Perfectly balanced with a hint of cocoa and a vibrant red hue, these cookies offer an irresistible twist on classic red velvet treats.
Ingredients
Cream Cheese Filling
- 6 oz. cream cheese, softened
- 1/4 cup plus 2 tbsp. powdered sugar
- Pinch Kosher salt
Cookie Dough
- 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/2 tsp. baking powder
- 1/2 tsp. Kosher salt
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 tbsp. red food coloring
- 1/4 tsp. pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Baking Sheet: Preheat your oven to 350°F (177°C) and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper to prevent sticking and ensure even baking.
- Make Cream Cheese Filling: In a small bowl, combine the softened cream cheese, powdered sugar, and a pinch of kosher salt. Mix until smooth and creamy. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for about 25 minutes until slightly firm, which helps in easy scooping and shaping later.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: While the filling chills, whisk together the all-purpose flour, unsweetened cocoa powder, baking powder, and kosher salt in a medium bowl. Set this mixture aside to be incorporated into the dough.
- Cream Butter and Sugars: In a large bowl using a hand mixer, beat the softened butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar together until the mixture becomes light and fluffy, setting the perfect base for your cookie dough.
- Add Wet Ingredients and Combine: Beat in the egg, red food coloring, and pure vanilla extract until fully incorporated. Gradually add the dry ingredient mixture to the wet ingredients, mixing just until combined to keep the dough tender.
- Form Cookie Bases: Scoop heaping tablespoons of the cookie dough and roll into 13 evenly sized balls. Flatten each ball into a 3 ½-inch circle about 1/4 inch thick, creating a base to hold the filling.
- Fill and Shape Cookies: Place about 2 teaspoons of the chilled cream cheese filling in the center of each dough round, keeping edges clean. Carefully bring the dough edges up around the filling and pinch to seal completely. Gently roll each filled dough into a ball ensuring the cream cheese is enclosed.
- Bake: Arrange the filled cookie balls on the prepared baking sheet spaced about 3 inches apart. Bake for 15 to 17 minutes until the cookies are set and slightly firm to the touch but still soft in the center.
- Cool and Serve: Let the cookies cool slightly on the baking sheet before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely or serve warm for a gooey cream cheese surprise.
Notes
- Ensure the cream cheese filling is well chilled to prevent it from oozing out during baking.
- Do not overmix the dough once the flour is added, as it can make cookies tough.
- Red food coloring is key for authentic red velvet color but adjust quantity for desired intensity.
- Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or refrigerate for up to a week.
- For a festive touch, dust the cookies with powdered sugar before serving.
