Description
Red velvet thumbprint cookies with cream cheese bring classic Southern charm to holiday dessert tables. Rich cocoa-infused cookies cradle silky cream cheese filling, offering a delightful twist you’ll savor with each delectable bite.
Ingredients
Scale
- 0.5 cup (115 g) butter, unsalted, softened
- ⅔ cup (135 g) sugar, granulated
- 1.5 cups (190 g) flour, all-purpose
- 1 egg, large
- 2 tbsps (15 g) cocoa powder
- 1 tbsp red gel food coloring
- 0.5 tsp baking powder
- 0.25 tsp salt
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 4 oz (115 g) cream cheese, softened
- 0.25 cup (30 g) sugar, powdered
- 0.5 tsp vanilla extract
- 0.5 cup (50 g) sugar, powdered (for rolling, optional)
Instructions
- Prepare Cream Cheese Filling: Whip cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract into a silky, uniform mixture. Transfer to a piping bag and refrigerate until firm and chilled, ensuring a stable consistency for later filling.
- Create Cookie Dough: Blend dry ingredients like flour, cocoa powder, and salt. Incorporate butter, sugar, eggs, and red food coloring to form a vibrant red velvet dough. Chill the mixture to enhance flavor development and prevent spreading during baking.
- Shape and Indent Cookies: Roll chilled dough into uniform balls. Using a thumb or the back of a small measuring spoon, create gentle wells in each cookie’s center. Place cookies on a parchment-lined baking sheet, spacing them evenly.
- Bake and Cool: Slide cookies into a preheated oven at 350°F. Bake for 10-12 minutes until edges are set and centers appear slightly soft. Remove and allow cookies to cool completely on the baking sheet, ensuring the delicate structure remains intact.
- Fill and Finish: Once cookies have cooled, pipe the chilled cream cheese filling into the center indentations. Use a steady hand to create elegant, even swirls. Optionally, dust with powdered sugar for a final decorative touch.
Notes
- Control Cream Cheese Consistency: Whip cream cheese mixture at room temperature to achieve a smooth, lump-free filling that pipes effortlessly into cookie centers.
- Prevent Color Bleeding: Refrigerate filled cookies for at least 30 minutes to help stabilize the cream cheese and maintain the vibrant red velvet color without smudging.
- Master Thumbprint Technique: Create precise cookie indentations using the back of a measuring spoon or your thumb, ensuring uniform depth for even filling distribution.
- Dietary Adaptation: Substitute regular cream cheese with dairy-free alternatives and use gluten-free flour blend to make these cookies suitable for various dietary restrictions while maintaining their rich, decadent flavor profile.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Desserts, Snacks
- Method: Blending
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 25
- Calories: 143
- Sugar: 10 g
- Sodium: 78 mg
- Fat: 7 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 18 g
- Fiber: 0.5 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 20 mg