Red Velvet Crinkle Cookies

red velvet cookies on a surface covered with powdered sugar.

4.75 from 4 votes

These soft and chewy red velvet crinkle cookies are stuffed with a creamy, cheesecake-like filling for a sweet-and-special surprise!

Prep Time30

Cook Time12

Chilling Time1 30

Total Time2 12

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: cheesecake filling, chocolate crinkle cookie dough, cream cheese filling, red velvet cookie dough, red velvet cookies

Servings: cookies

Author: Stephanie Wise

Ingredients

For the cheesecake filling:

8 ounces full-fat cream cheese softened
⅓ cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons sour cream
1 teaspoon vanilla

For the cookies:

1 ⅔ cups all-purpose flour
¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon baking soda
1 ¼ cups granulated sugar
¼ cups butter melted
1 tablespoon low fat buttermilk
1 teaspoon red food coloring if desired
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs
½ cup powdered sugar plus more for coating hands

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

First, make the filling: Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a large bowl using an electric hand mixer or in the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, beat cream cheese, 1/3 cup granulated sugar, sour cream and 1 teaspoon vanilla until creamy and smooth, about 1 minute. Spoon filling, one tablespoon at a time, onto lined baking sheet (you should end up with 12 scoops/dollops). Freeze dollops 2 hours or until solid.
Meanwhile, make the cookies: In a large bowl, sift or whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, salt and baking soda. In a separate large bowl, whisk together 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar, melted butter, buttermilk, red food coloring (if using), 1 teaspoon vanilla and eggs until smooth. Use a spatula to fold flour mixture into sugar mixture until just combined. Cover bowl with plastic wrap; refrigerate 30 minutes to firm up (dough will still be soft, but more pliable).
Heat oven to 350°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Place powdered sugar in a shallow bowl; cover hands with extra powdered sugar. Scoop 1 generous tablespoon of cookie dough and flatten into a circle. Place 1 dollop of frozen cream cheese mixture in center, then top with another 1 generous tablespoon of dough. Use powdered sugar-covered hands to enclose dough around dollop and shape into a ball. Roll ball in powdered sugar and place on prepared baking sheet. Repeat with remaining dough and cream cheese dollops, spacing cookies at least 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets (6 cookies per sheet). Continue to coat hands in powdered sugar as you go to keep dough from sticking.
Place baking sheets in the oven; bake 10 to 15 minutes or until cookies have spread and edges are set, rotating baking sheets halfway through bake time. Cool cookies 10 minutes on baking sheets, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.
Store fully cooled cookies in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

Notes

Adapted from The Food Network.
*If you don't want to buy buttermilk just for this recipe, you can add a small squeeze of lemon juice or a splash of white vinegar to milk to give it the acidity it needs to act like buttermilk in this recipe!
**The red food coloring is optional in this recipe, but it does give the cookies their signature red color.

Storage:
Store cooled cookies airtight in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

Technique:
Freeze the cheesecake dollops until solid so they stay creamy and centered while baking.

Variation:
Swap the filling flavor by adding a little lemon zest or almond extract to the cheesecake mixture.

Nutrition