Description
Decadent cheesecake stuffed red velvet cookies featuring a rich cream cheese filling enveloped in a tender, cocoa-infused red velvet dough studded with white chocolate chips. Perfectly soft centers with slightly set edges, these cookies are a delightful treat for any occasion.
Ingredients
Scale
Red Velvet Cookies:
- 1 cup Butter (barely softened)
- 1 cup Brown Sugar
- 1/2 cup Sugar
- 2 large Eggs
- 2 teaspoons Vanilla Extract
- 2 teaspoons Red Food Coloring or Gel
- 1/3 cup Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
- 3 cups Flour
- 1 teaspoon Baking Soda
- 1/2 teaspoon Cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon Salt (use 1/2 teaspoon if using salted butter)
- 1 3/4 to 2 cups White Chocolate Chips
Cheesecake Filling:
- 8 ounces Cream Cheese (barely softened)
- 1 cup Powdered Sugar
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract or Vanilla Bean Paste
Instructions
- Prepare Cheesecake Filling: In a medium bowl, beat the cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract until smooth and creamy. Scoop 16 small portions onto a parchment-lined baking sheet and freeze for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until firm enough to handle.
- Make Red Velvet Cookie Dough: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and line baking sheets with parchment paper. In a large bowl, cream together butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time, followed by vanilla extract and red food coloring.
- Add Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, sift together flour, cocoa powder, cornstarch, baking soda, and salt. Gradually fold the dry ingredients into the wet mixture, mixing until just combined. Then fold in the white chocolate chips evenly into the dough.
- Assemble Cookies: Divide the red velvet dough into 16 balls and flatten each into a disc. Place a frozen cheesecake ball in the center of each disc, ensuring the cheesecake is cold to prevent stickiness. Carefully wrap the dough completely around the cheesecake filling, sealing any seams and rolling gently into a smooth ball to avoid leaks. Place cookie dough balls on prepared baking sheet, spacing about 2 inches apart.
- Bake Cookies: Bake in the preheated oven for 13 minutes or until edges are set but centers remain soft and slightly underbaked for a tender texture. Immediately after removing from the oven, shape the warm cookies into perfect circles with a round spatula, rim of a glass, or spoon.
- Cool and Finish: Allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. Optionally, drizzle with melted white chocolate or sprinkle with festive sprinkles for decoration.
Notes
- For thinner cookies, flatten the dough balls before baking or reduce flour to 2 3/4 cups. For thicker cookies, use full 3 cups of flour and roll dough into larger balls.
- You may divide white chocolate chips, using 1 cup in the dough and reserving 1 cup for drizzling on baked cookies.
- To melt white chocolate for drizzling, place it in a microwave-safe bowl with 1 teaspoon of oil and microwave at 50% power in 30-second increments, stirring thoroughly after each until smooth.
- Ensure cheesecake filling is thoroughly frozen before wrapping to prevent dough stickiness and leakage during baking.
- Use parchment paper to prevent sticking and for easy cleanup.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 320 kcal
- Sugar: 25 g
- Sodium: 180 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 0.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 35 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 50 mg
