Description
Red velvet thumbprint cookies with cream cheese provide a delightful twist on classic desserts. Rich cocoa-infused cookies cradle silky cream cheese filling, offering sweet indulgence that satisfies chocolate and cookie enthusiasts.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup (113 grams) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 1 1/4 cups (156 grams) all-purpose flour
- 4 ounces (113 grams) cream cheese, softened
Flavor and Color Ingredients:
- 3/4 cup (150 grams) granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon red food coloring
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Finishing and Binding Ingredients:
- 1/4 cup (30 grams) powdered sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup holiday sanding sugar
Instructions
- Thoroughly blend softened butter and sugar until achieving a light, airy consistency with no visible sugar crystals.
- Incorporate egg, vanilla extract, and vibrant red food coloring, mixing until uniformly distributed and creating a rich crimson hue.
- Gradually fold dry ingredients into wet mixture, stirring gently to prevent overmixing and maintain cookie’s tender texture.
- Refrigerate dough for approximately 30 minutes to enhance flavor development and facilitate easier handling.
- Roll chilled dough into uniform spheres, generously coat with festive sprinkles, then create precise indentations using thumb or back of a rounded measuring spoon.
- Position cookies on parchment-lined baking sheet, ensuring adequate spacing, and bake at 350°F for 10-12 minutes until edges appear slightly crisp.
- While cookies cool completely, whip cream cheese filling until smooth and velvety, achieving a light, spreadable consistency.
- Carefully pipe or spoon cream cheese filling into each cookie’s center, ensuring elegant presentation and balanced flavor profile.
- Briefly chill filled cookies to allow filling to set and maintain structural integrity, enhancing overall texture and taste.
Notes
- Chill dough thoroughly to prevent spreading and maintain vibrant red color during baking.
- Use gel food coloring for more intense, uniform red velvet hue without altering cookie texture.
- Press thumbprint gently to create perfect indentation without cracking cookie base.
- Cream cheese filling works best when ingredients are room temperature for smooth, creamy consistency.
- Prep Time: 45 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Category: Desserts, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 24
- Calories: 164
- Sugar: 9 g
- Sodium: 72 mg
- Fat: 7 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 23 g
- Fiber: 0.5 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 20 mg