Decadent Red Velvet Cookies

Featured in Sweet Treats Everyone Will Love.

These eye-catching treats mix rich red cookie dough with creamy cheese centers, showcasing vibrant color and sweet sugar coating that's perfect for special occasions.
Emily Watson
Updated on Thu, 13 Mar 2025 05:20:30 GMT
A plate of glittery red cookies showing creamy white middles, with bite marks visible on some cookies. Pin it
A plate of glittery red cookies showing creamy white middles, with bite marks visible on some cookies. | thefamilycooks.com

I'm thrilled to let you know about these Crimson Cheese-Filled Treats! They're the number one requested sweet at my holiday gatherings, and you'll soon see why. Imagine biting into a bright red, tender cookie with an amazing cream cheese center hiding inside. My kitchen fills with the most wonderful smells when I bake these, and they vanish in no time flat! Take my word for it – once you make them, they'll become your holiday must-have.

The Magic Behind These Delightful Treats

You know those sweets that make people go wide-eyed with joy? That's exactly what happens with these! The crimson base has this subtle chocolate flavor that works so well with the zingy cheese filling. I first whipped them up for family Christmas get-togethers, but now folks ask for them all year long. Just this past February, my kid's teacher sent me a message wanting to know how to make them after trying the ones my little one brought to school!

All The Stuff You'll Need

  • Flour: Plain old all-purpose will do the trick but watch your measurements!
  • Cocoa Powder: Splurge on quality powder here it truly matters.
  • Salt: A tiny bit brings out all the flavors.
  • Butter: Set it out ahead so it gets nice and soft.
  • Brown Sugar: My trick for keeping these cookies extra tender.
  • Egg: Let it warm up with your butter on the counter.
  • Vanilla: Don't skimp with the fake stuff here.
  • Cream Cheese: Get the full-fat kind for the dreamiest filling.
  • White Sugar: This sweetens our cheese mixture.
  • Sour Cream: My sneaky add-in for extra zing!
  • Red Food Coloring: Try to find the gel type if you can.
  • Sanding Sugar: Not needed but adds a pretty sparkle for parties!

Creating Your Sweet Masterpiece

Tackle The Filling First
Begin with the cheese center since it needs cooling time to set up nicely. Mix everything till smooth as silk. I always grab a tiny taste at this point gotta make sure it's good!
Cookie Foundation Steps
Combine all dry stuff first so you won't get any powder clumps! Then whip your butter and sugar until it gets really fluffy. It should look soft as a little cloud.
Color Transformation
Now comes the exciting part when you drop in that red coloring! My kids always want to help with this. Stir until everything turns beautifully red, but don't overdo it or your cookies won't stay soft.
Form With Care
Make dough balls roughly the size of ping pong balls. I love rolling them in sparkly sugar for a festive touch! Push a small dent in each one to hold our cheese filling.
Two-Step Baking
You'll need to bake these twice first to set the cookie shape, then again after adding the filling. Your house will smell absolutely wonderful!

Tricks I've Learned Along The Way

After baking countless batches of these goodies, I've picked up some wisdom! Track down gel food coloring if you can the liquid stuff can make your dough too wet. Make sure your cream cheese is totally soft or you'll end up with bumpy filling. And here's my biggest tip: don't hurry when mixing. Those extra moments beating the butter and sugar really pay off!

Storing Your Treats

Since they've got cream cheese inside, these yummy bites need to stay in the fridge. I put them in my favorite cookie box with paper between each layer. They'll stay yummy for about 4 days if anyone lets them stick around that long! Want to plan ahead? You can freeze them too just let them thaw slowly in the fridge overnight.

Great For Special Occasions

These treats just look like a party! Their bright color stands out on any holiday spread. I love bringing them to Christmas cookie swaps everyone always wants to know how I made them. For Valentine's Day, sometimes I shape them into little hearts so adorable!

Questions Folks Always Ask

People ask me lots of things about these treats! Yes, you can make the dough early just wrap it up tight in the fridge. Could you skip the cheese filling? Sure, but honestly it's what makes them special! And about that food coloring question, go with gel I found out after ending up with pink cookies more than once!

Fun Twists To Try

I like to play around with the basic recipe sometimes. Tossing tiny chocolate chips into the dough? So good! Last December, I topped some with green sparkles for Christmas flair. And once I swirled some hazelnut spread into the cheese filling talk about amazing!

Ways To Enjoy Them

These treats go perfectly with a tall glass of cold milk! I love putting them out at holiday gatherings next to warm cocoa they always get grabbed first. And they make such thoughtful gifts pop them in a cute box, and you'll make someone smile!

What Makes Them Crowd Favorites

There's something truly wonderful about this red dough and tangy cheese combo it's just meant to be! These treats hit all the right notes with flavor, they look stunning, and they bring that special occasion feeling. Whenever I bake a batch, they spread a little happiness to everyone who tries them. And isn't that what makes holiday baking so worthwhile?

A close-up of red velvet cookies topped with a dollop of creamy frosting on a baking tray lined with parchment paper. Pin it
A close-up of red velvet cookies topped with a dollop of creamy frosting on a baking tray lined with parchment paper. | thefamilycooks.com

Frequently Asked Questions

→ Why should I cool the cream cheese mixture?
Cooling makes the mixture firm and easier to handle. This stops it from running out during baking and helps it keep its shape inside your cookies.
→ Can I prepare these treats beforehand?
Sure thing. Keep them at room temp for 2-3 days or pop them in the fridge for up to 5 days. Since they've got cream cheese inside, the fridge is best for keeping them fresh longer.
→ Why pick gel coloring over liquid drops?
Gel packs more punch with less liquid added. You'll need just a tiny bit for bright red color without messing up your cookie texture with extra moisture.
→ Will these cookies freeze well?
The raw dough freezes fine before adding filling, but finished cookies don't thaw nicely. The cream cheese can turn grainy after freezing and thawing.
→ What's the point of pushing centers down twice?
The first push creates a spot for your filling. The second push halfway through baking makes sure that spot stays deep enough to hold all that yummy cream cheese as the cookies finish baking.

Velvet Cheese Cookies

Tender, gooey red cookies stuffed with smooth cream cheese and coated in sparkly red sugar. A standout treat for any celebration.

Prep Time
20 Minutes
Cook Time
20 Minutes
Total Time
40 Minutes

Category: Desserts

Difficulty: Intermediate

Cuisine: American

Yield: 36 Servings (36 cookies)

Dietary: Vegetarian

Ingredients

01 Softened cream cheese (4 ounces).
02 Regular sugar (1/4 cup).
03 Pinch of salt (1/8 teaspoon for filling).
04 Single egg yolk at room temp (1 for filling).
05 A dollop of sour cream (2 teaspoons).
06 Touch of vanilla (1/4 teaspoon for filling).
07 Standard flour (2 cups).
08 Dark cocoa (2 teaspoons).
09 Salt sprinkle (1/4 teaspoon for cookies).
10 Room temp butter (1 cup).
11 Packed brown sugar (1/2 cup).
12 Warm egg yolk (1 for cookies).
13 Splash of vanilla (1 teaspoon for cookies).
14 Bright red gel coloring.
15 Sparkly red sugar.

Instructions

Step 01

Mix the cream cheese with sugar till smooth. Toss in the salt, vanilla, egg yolk and sour cream. Stir everything together. Pop it in the fridge for half an hour.

Step 02

Combine flour with cocoa and salt. In another bowl, beat the butter and sugar till fluffy. Drop in the egg yolk and vanilla. Slowly work in the flour mix and add the red coloring.

Step 03

Roll the dough into small balls, then roll in red sugar. Push your thumb into each cookie center. Bake them at 300°F for about 10 minutes.

Step 04

Push down the centers once more, then spoon in the cheese mixture. Pop back in the oven for another 10-12 minutes until the filling looks set.

Step 05

Leave cookies on the tray for 2 minutes, then move them to a wire rack and let them cool all the way.

Notes

  1. You can mix regular sugar with food coloring to make your own red sugar.
  2. Feel free to skip the sour cream in the filling if you want.
  3. They'll last 2-3 days on the counter or up to 5 days in the fridge.

Tools You'll Need

  • Hand beater or standing mixer.
  • Cookie sheets.
  • Baking parchment.
  • Small cookie scooper.

Allergy Information

Please check ingredients for potential allergens and consult a health professional if in doubt.
  • Milk products.
  • Egg ingredients.
  • Wheat flour.

Nutrition Facts (Per Serving)

It is important to consider this information as approximate and not to use it as definitive health advice.
  • Calories: 98
  • Total Fat: 6 g
  • Total Carbohydrate: 10 g
  • Protein: 1 g