Description
These Cheesecake Stuffed Red Velvet Cookies combine the rich, moist flavor of classic red velvet cookies with a creamy, tangy cheesecake center. Perfectly baked with white chocolate chips and a hint of cocoa, these cookies offer a delightful balance of textures and flavors. Ideal for festive occasions or an indulgent treat, they’re easy to make and irresistibly delicious.
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:
- 1 (8-ounce) pkg. 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. Using a small scoop, portion the filling into 16 equal small portions on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Freeze these for 45 minutes to 1 hour until the balls are firm and easy to handle.
- Mix Cookie Dough: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper. In a large bowl, cream together the butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then add the vanilla extract and red food coloring, mixing well to combine.
- Add Dry Ingredients: Sift together the flour, cocoa powder, cornstarch, baking soda, and salt. Gradually fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until just combined, being careful not to overmix. Finally, fold in the white chocolate chips evenly throughout the dough.
- Assemble Cookies: Divide the dough into 16 balls and flatten each ball into a disc using your hands. Place one frozen cheesecake ball in the center of each disc. Wrap the cookie dough carefully around the cheesecake to fully enclose it, pinching seams and rolling gently to ensure no filling can leak out. Place each dough ball seam-side down on the prepared baking sheet about 2 inches apart.
- Bake: Bake in the preheated oven for 10-13 minutes until cookie edges are set but centers remain soft and slightly underbaked for a moist texture. Immediate after removing from the oven, use a round spatula, the rim of a glass, or a spoon to gently shape the warm cookies into perfect circles.
- Cool and Serve: Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. Optionally, drizzle melted white chocolate over the cooled cookies or decorate with additional white chocolate chips or festive sprinkles for a stunning presentation.
Notes
- For thinner cookies, flatten the dough balls further or reduce the flour to 2 3/4 cups. For thicker cookies, use the full 3 cups and form larger dough balls.
- You may reserve 1 cup of white chocolate chips to melt for drizzling over the baked cookies. Melt white chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl with 1 teaspoon of oil at 50% power in 30-second increments, stirring well after each until smooth.
- Ensure the cheesecake filling is well frozen before wrapping with dough to prevent stickiness and leaking during baking.
- Underbaking slightly helps maintain a soft, chewy cookie with a creamy center.
- Use parchment paper for easy cookie removal and cleanup.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie (approx. 70g)
- Calories: 280 kcal
- Sugar: 18 g
- Sodium: 150 mg
- Fat: 15 g
- Saturated Fat: 8 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 0.2 g
- Carbohydrates: 32 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 45 mg
