Description
Indulge in these decadent Cheesecake Stuffed Red Velvet Cookies, featuring a soft and rich red velvet cookie exterior filled with a creamy, sweet cheesecake center. Perfectly baked with white chocolate chips and a hint of cocoa, these cookies offer a delightful contrast of textures and flavors that make them a crowd-pleaser 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 into 16 small portions on a parchment-lined baking sheet and freeze for 45 minutes to 1 hour until firm.
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Baking Sheets: Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Cream Butter and Sugars: In a large bowl, cream together the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until light and fluffy using a mixer or by hand.
- Add Eggs and Flavorings: Beat in the eggs one at a time, then add the vanilla extract and red food coloring, mixing until fully combined.
- Add Dry Ingredients: Fold in the flour, cocoa powder, cornstarch, baking soda, and salt gradually, mixing just until combined to avoid overmixing.
- Incorporate White Chocolate Chips: Fold in the white chocolate chips evenly throughout the cookie dough.
- Shape Cookies with Cheesecake: Scoop the red velvet dough into 16 balls and flatten each into a disc. Place a frozen cheesecake ball in the center of each disc, then carefully wrap the dough around the cheesecake, sealing completely and smoothing into a ball to prevent any leaks.
- Place on Baking Sheet: Position the dough balls on the prepared baking sheet about 2 inches apart to allow for spreading.
- Bake the Cookies: Bake for 13 minutes or until the edges are set but the centers still look soft. Avoid overbaking to keep the cookies tender as they will continue to set after removal.
- Shape Cookies While Warm: Immediately after removing from the oven, use a spatula or the rim of a glass to gently press and shape the cookies into perfect circles.
- Cool the Cookies: Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Optional Decoration: Drizzle the cooled cookies with melted white chocolate or sprinkle with festive sprinkles for an elegant finish.
Notes
- For thinner cookies, flatten the dough balls more before baking or reduce flour to 2 3/4 cups; for thicker cookies, use all 3 cups of flour and roll into larger balls.
- You may reserve 1 cup of white chocolate chips to melt and drizzle over the baked cookies for added decoration and flavor.
- To melt white chocolate, place it in a microwave-safe bowl with 1 teaspoon of oil and heat at 50% power in 30-second increments, stirring well each time until smooth.
- Ensure the cheesecake filling is well frozen before wrapping in dough to prevent leakage during baking.
- Use parchment paper on baking sheets to prevent sticking and facilitate easy cleanup.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 320 kcal
- Sugar: 24 g
- Sodium: 180 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 35 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 55 mg
