Cream Cheese Stuffed Red Velvet Cookies Recipe
Decadent and festive Cream Cheese Stuffed Red Velvet Cookies combine the rich cocoa flavor and vibrant red color of red velvet with a luscious, creamy cheesecake center. These soft, tender cookies are rolled in sugar for a slight crunch and baked to perfection, making them a perfect holiday treat or everyday indulgence.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 13 minutes
- Total Time: 2 hours (including chilling and freezing time)
- Yield: About 24 cookies 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
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
Cookie Dough:
- 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
For Rolling:
- 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
Instructions
- Make the cookie dough: Whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl until combined. In a separate large bowl, beat the butter with granulated sugar and brown sugar on high speed until smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes. Add the egg, milk, and vanilla extract and mix until combined, about 1 minute, scraping bowl sides as needed. Gradually blend in the dry ingredients on low speed, then beat in the red food coloring. Cover dough tightly and chill for at least 1.5 hours up to 2-3 days for best results.
- Make the cream cheese filling: In a clean bowl, beat cream cheese, confectioners’ sugar, flour, and vanilla 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. Roll frozen dollops into balls and refrigerate until ready to fill cookies.
- Preheat the oven: Heat oven to 350°F (177°C). Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats and set aside.
- Assemble the cookies: Remove dough from fridge and, if chilled longer than 3-4 hours, let sit 20 minutes to soften for easier handling. Roll dough into 1 tablespoon-sized balls. Using thumb, indent one dough ball to fit a cream cheese ball from the refrigerator. Place a cream cheese ball inside and cover with another dough ball, molding together to fully encase the cream cheese. Repeat with remaining dough and filling.
- Roll and bake: Roll each stuffed dough ball in granulated sugar and arrange them spaced 3 inches apart on prepared sheets. Bake for 12-13 minutes, until edges look set but centers remain soft.
- Cool the cookies: Let cookies cool on baking sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.
- Storage: Store cookies covered at room temperature for up to 3 days or refrigerate up to 1 week.
Notes
- Use full-fat cream cheese for the best creamy texture and flavor.
- Adjust the amount of red food coloring as desired for a more vibrant red color.
- Chilling the dough and freezing the filling ahead improves handling and shape retention during baking.
- Allow dough to soften slightly if refrigerated longer than recommended to make rolling easier.
- For a natural alternative to red food coloring, beet powder can be used but may impart slight earthy notes.
- Cookies can be frozen after baking for longer storage; thaw before serving.
Keywords: red velvet cookies, cream cheese stuffed cookies, red velvet dessert, holiday cookies, soft cookies, cream cheese filling
