Save it
-
Let me share these showstopping red velvet cookies that always steal the spotlight at holiday parties! Imagine soft red velvet cookies filled with creamy cheesecake goodness and rolled in sparkly sugar. I perfected this recipe after lots of testing and now they're my most requested Christmas cookie. Plus that cream cheese filling? Pure heaven!
Why These Are Special
-
These aren't your regular thumbprint cookies they combine two classics red velvet cake and cheesecake in one perfect bite! The cookies stay soft like little cakes and that tangy cream cheese filling balances out the sweetness just right. Best part? They look fancy but they're actually pretty simple to make even beginners can nail these.
Round Up These Ingredients
- For The Cookies:
- Soft butter real unsalted stuff
- Regular sugar for sweetness
- One fresh egg room temp works best
- Good vanilla the real deal
- Red gel food color for that perfect hue
- Regular flour nothing fancy
- Cocoa powder unsweetened please
- Baking basics soda and salt
- For That Amazing Filling:
- Cream cheese nice and soft
- Powdered sugar sifted no lumps
- More vanilla because why not
- The Sparkly Finish:
- Holiday sanding sugar red and green make them festive!
Let's Start Baking
- Make That Dough
- Beat your butter and sugar until it's super fluffy takes about 3 minutes. Mix in egg vanilla and that red food color until it's bright and beautiful. Sift in those dry ingredients mix just until they come together.
- Chill Time
- Wrap up that dough pop it in the fridge for 30 minutes. Makes it way easier to handle trust me!
- Filling Magic
- While that's chilling mix up your cream cheese filling. Just blend everything until it's smooth and creamy stick it in the fridge too.
- Shape Em Up
- Roll dough into balls coat them in that sparkly sugar. Press your thumb in each one making a perfect little nest for the filling.
- Bake Time
- 350°F for about 11 minutes edges should be set but centers still soft. Let them cool a bit before filling those thumbprints with cream cheese goodness.
Make Them Perfect
-
Getting everything to room temp first makes mixing so much easier. Use gel food coloring it won't mess with your dough texture. If your thumb prints puff up while baking just press them down again while they're warm. And don't skip chilling the dough or they'll spread too much trust me I learned this the hard way!
Storage Tips
-
These beauties keep great in the fridge about 5 days. Want to freeze them? Do it before adding the filling the cream cheese doesn't freeze well. When you're ready just thaw add fresh filling and you're good to go! Perfect for getting ahead on holiday baking.
Save it
Mix It Up
-
Love chocolate? Dip half in melted white chocolate after filling. Want them minty? Add peppermint extract sprinkle with crushed candy canes. Make them nutty roll in chopped pecans instead of sugar. Double the filling for more cheesecake flavor. They're your cookies make them your way!
Frequently Asked Questions
- → Why chill the dough?
Makes it easier to shape and handle.
- → What type of food coloring is best?
Gel food coloring gives brightest color.
- → Can I make these ahead?
Yes, store filled cookies in fridge up to 3 days.
- → Why re-press indents?
Centers can puff while baking.
- → How should I store them?
Keep refrigerated due to cream cheese filling.