Isn’t the vibrant red color so festive for the holiday season? These would be perfect on any cookie tray! The cookies are slightly crisp at the edges and a bit cakey in the center. They’re not quite as fluffy as the cake-like cookies that you’d use for whoopie pies, though you could definitely make cookie sandwiches with these if you want. They have that classic red velvet tang, provided by sour cream rather than the usual buttermilk. And of course they’re topped with sweet cream cheese frosting – that’s a must for all things red velvet!
By Tracey
Red Velvet Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting
just barely adapted from America’s Test Kitchen Christmas Cookies
Ingredients:
Cookies
- 1 3/4 cups (8.75 oz) all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1 cup (7 oz) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
- 1 tablespoon red food coloring
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup sour cream (light is fine), at room temperature
Frosting
- 1/4 cup (4 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 4 oz cream cheese, softened (reduced-fat is fine)
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 1/4 cups (5 oz) confectioners’ sugar
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
To make the cookies: In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt (you could just whisk, but I really like to make sure the cocoa powder is lump free). In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar on medium speed until fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Mix in the egg, food coloring, and vanilla until incorporated. With the mixer on low, add half of the dry ingredients, followed by the sour cream, and then the remaining dry ingredients, beating just until combined. The batter will be thick and sticky.
Using a 2-tablespoon scoop, portion the batter onto the prepared baking sheets, leaving about 2 inches between cookies. Bake for about 15 minutes (rotating the baking sheets from front to back and top to bottom halfway through if you do both sheets at once), or until the centers of the cookies spring back when lightly pressed with your fingertip. Transfer the baking sheets to wire racks and let the cookies cool for a few minutes before removing to the racks to cool completely.
To make the frosting: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter, cream cheese, and vanilla on medium-low speed until combined, about 30 seconds. With the mixer on low, gradually add the confectioners’ sugar, and beat until combined, about 1 minute. Raise the mixer to medium-high, and beat for about 1 minute, or until the frosting is light and fluffy. Spread each of the cooled cookies with frosting.
Makes about 18-20 cookies.
