Description
These delightful Red Velvet Cookies combine the classic flavors of red velvet cake with a soft, cakey texture and a surprise white chocolate peanut butter heart center. Perfectly sweetened and lightly cocoa-flavored, these cookies are rolled in sugar for a slight crunch on the outside and baked to a crackled perfection. They make an ideal treat for holidays, special occasions, or any time you crave a festive, indulgent cookie.
Ingredients
Scale
Cookie Dough
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar, plus extra for rolling
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon red gel food coloring
- 1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/8 teaspoon fine salt
Topping
- 6 white chocolate peanut butter hearts (like Reese’s)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a small baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat to prevent sticking.
- Mix wet ingredients: In a bowl, stir together the melted butter, granulated sugar, egg yolk, vanilla extract, and red gel food coloring until thoroughly combined and smooth.
- Add dry ingredients: Sprinkle the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and fine salt evenly over the wet mixture. Stir gently just until all ingredients are combined into a dough, being careful not to overmix.
- Shape the dough: Press the dough flat and evenly in the bowl, then eyeball dividing it into two halves, each half producing 3 cookies for a total of 6 cookies. Roll each piece into a ball.
- Prepare for baking: Roll each dough ball lightly in additional granulated sugar, then space them evenly on the prepared baking sheet, leaving room for spreading.
- Bake: Bake in the preheated oven for 10-12 minutes or until the cookies spread, start to crackle on top, and appear dry.
- Cool slightly: Let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for 2 minutes to firm up before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely, about 10 minutes.
- Add white chocolate hearts: Once cooled, press one white chocolate peanut butter heart into the center of each cookie gently but firmly.
- Set in fridge: Place the cookies in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to allow the white chocolate hearts to set without melting.
- Serve: Bring the cookies to room temperature before serving for optimal flavor and texture.
Notes
- Using gel food coloring gives these cookies their vibrant red color without adding extra liquid, which helps maintain the perfect cookie texture.
- Be careful not to overmix the dough after adding dry ingredients to keep the cookies soft and tender.
- The white chocolate peanut butter hearts add a delicious creamy and slightly salty contrast to the sweet cocoa flavor.
- If you don’t have white chocolate peanut butter hearts, you can substitute with plain white chocolate or peanut butter chips, though the texture will vary slightly.
- The cookies can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 150 kcal
- Sugar: 12 g
- Sodium: 90 mg
- Fat: 8 g
- Saturated Fat: 4.5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 18 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 35 mg
