Description
Red velvet cream cheese thumbprint cookies bring pure joy to your holiday baking adventure. Delicate cocoa-kissed cookies topped with creamy cheese filling make sweet memories that melt right into your heart.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients:
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
Wet Ingredients:
- 1 cup unsalted butter
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 tablespoon red food coloring
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Filling:
- 8 ounces cream cheese
- ¼ cup powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Your kitchen will smell amazing soon.
- Cream 1 cup softened butter with 1 cup granulated sugar until the mixture becomes fluffy and light.
- Mix in 1 large egg, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, and 1 tablespoon red food coloring until everything blends smoothly.
- Whisk 2 ½ cups flour, 2 tablespoons cocoa powder, 1 teaspoon baking powder, and ½ teaspoon salt in a separate bowl.
- Gradually fold dry ingredients into wet ingredients, mixing until the dough just comes together.
- Refrigerate the dough for 30 minutes if it feels too soft to handle.
- Roll dough into 1-inch balls and place them 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheet.
- Press your thumb gently into the center of each cookie ball to create a small well.
- Beat 8 oz softened cream cheese with ¼ cup powdered sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract until completely smooth.
- Spoon a small dollop of cream cheese filling into each cookie’s center indent.
- Bake at 350°F for 12-15 minutes until cookie edges look set and slightly crisp.
- Let cookies rest on the baking sheet for 3 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack for complete cooling.
Notes
- Chilling the dough helps prevent spreading and makes the cookies easier to shape, giving them a more defined thumbprint.
- Room temperature ingredients blend more smoothly, creating a creamier texture in both the cookie dough and cream cheese filling.
- For a cleaner look, use a small spoon or piping bag to fill the thumbprints with cream cheese mixture, ensuring neat and even distribution.
- Store cookies in an airtight container between layers of parchment paper to keep the cream cheese filling fresh and prevent sticking.
- Prep Time: 40 minutes
- Cook Time: 12-15 minutes
- Category: Cookies
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 24
- Calories: 170 kcal
- Sugar: 10 g
- Sodium: 90 mg
- Fat: 9 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
- Trans Fat: 0.2 g
- Carbohydrates: 22 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 25 mg