Red Velvet Thumbprint Cookies

I had planned to make these cookies last week, before Valentine’s Day, but our area has been hit by a series of snow storms, so all plans got thrown out the window. It rarely snows in the Seattle area, and we have four snowstorms hit us over the course of a week or so. Schools were cancelled, people were told to stay home unless they had to get out. It was quite the weather event!

I did some baking while I was house bound, but more comfort food things. I had all of the ingredients for these cookies, and while I didn’t really want to post them after Valentine’s Day, I wanted to make them. I had red and white sugar sprinkles that I knew would be perfect for these cookies. I used gel food color for these cookies, which I probably used about a teaspoon. It’s really hard to measure gel food coloring, but you need a lot less than traditional liquid food coloring to get the same depth of color.

These cookies are a little different in their preparation. First of all, you bake the cookies at 300 degrees, which is such a cold oven for baking. On the other hand, you bake the cookies for a total of 22 minutes, rather than the typical 8-10 minutes. You bake the cookies for half the time, then add the cheesecake filling and finish baking. I was worried that the cheesecake filling would look all lumpy and bumpy, but it evens out while the cookies bake. These are the perfect cookie for Valentine’s Day, or even for Christmas due to their festive color.

Red Velvet Thumbprint Cookies

1 cup butter, room temperature

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1/8 teaspoon salt

1 egg yolk

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 cups flour

4 teaspoons red food coloring

2 teaspoon cocoa powder

Sugar Sprinkles

4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature

1 egg yolk

1/4 cup sugar

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon vanilla

 Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Line two baking sheets with silicone baking mats.

In a large mixer bowl, beat the butter, brown sugar, egg yolk, salt and vanilla until light. Add the flour, food coloring, and cocoa powder and mix on low until the dough comes together.

Shape the dough into 1-1/4 inch balls. Roll in the sugar sprinkles and place on the prepared baking sheet. Make an indentation in each cookie with your thumb or the end of a wooden spoon.

Bake for 10 minutes. While the cookies start baking, make the filling.

In a large mixer bowl, beat the cream cheese, egg yolk, sugar, salt, and vanilla on medium until smooth.

After the cookies have baked 10 minutes, remove the cookies from the oven and fill the thumbprints with the cream cheese filling.

Bake the cookies for an additional 12 minutes, until the filling is set. Chill the cookies before serving.

Recipe from DIY Candy