I made these cookies as part of my annual Christmas cookie baking. The original recipe was from Sally's Baking Addiction, but I ended up with some modifications after my baking experience. The original recipe had cream cheese stuffing, however these cookies were a ton of effort to stuff and when they were baked, the filling was overly sweet and not evenly distributed, and some of the filling was leaking out of the cookies. I prefer to frost these cookies with a stiff cream cheese icing instead to still keep that cream cheese flavor, but simplify the format.
Makes 3 dozen.
Ingredients:
Cookie:
1 1/2 cups flour
1/3 cup unsweetened natural cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup sugar, divided
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 large egg, at room temperature
1 tablespoon milk
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 tablespoon red food coloring (liquid or gel)
Frosting:
4 ounces (1/2 brick) cream cheese, at room temperature
1/8 cup butter, at room temperature
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
2 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon milk
Preparation:
1. Start by making the cookies. Sift the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt together until combined. Set aside.
2. In a large bowl using a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter, 1/2 cup sugar, and the brown sugar together on high speed until completely smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes. Add the egg, milk, and vanilla and beat until combined, about 1 minute. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.
3. On low speed, slowly mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until combined. Finally, beat in the food coloring. Add 1-2 teaspoons more for a brighter red, if desired. The cookie dough will be slightly sticky. Cover dough tightly with aluminum foil or plastic wrap and chill for at least 1 and 1/2 hours and up to 2-3 days. Chilling the dough makes it more workable to form into cookies and prevents cookies from spreading too much while baking.
4. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two large baking sheets with silicone baking mats. Set aside.
5. Remove cookie dough from the refrigerator. If the cookie dough chilled longer than 3-4 hours, let it sit at room temperature for about 20 minutes. This makes the cookie dough easier to scoop and roll. Roll cookie dough, 1 tablespoon each, into balls.
6. Roll each cookie dough ball in remaining granulated sugar and arrange 3 inches apart on the baking sheets. Bake for 12-13 minutes or until edges appear set. Centers will look soft.
7. Remove from the oven and allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
8. While cookies are cooling, make frosting. Using a hand mixer, beat together cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla. The frosting will be relatively thick. Mix in a teaspoon of milk to thin as needed.
9. Once cookies are cooled, frost cookies with either a circle of frosting or drizzle with a piping bag. Let frosting set at room temperature. Refrigerate cookies.
Makes 3 dozen.
Ingredients:
Cookie:
1 1/2 cups flour
1/3 cup unsweetened natural cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup sugar, divided
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 large egg, at room temperature
1 tablespoon milk
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 tablespoon red food coloring (liquid or gel)
Frosting:
4 ounces (1/2 brick) cream cheese, at room temperature
1/8 cup butter, at room temperature
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
2 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon milk
Preparation:
1. Start by making the cookies. Sift the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt together until combined. Set aside.
2. In a large bowl using a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter, 1/2 cup sugar, and the brown sugar together on high speed until completely smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes. Add the egg, milk, and vanilla and beat until combined, about 1 minute. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.
3. On low speed, slowly mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until combined. Finally, beat in the food coloring. Add 1-2 teaspoons more for a brighter red, if desired. The cookie dough will be slightly sticky. Cover dough tightly with aluminum foil or plastic wrap and chill for at least 1 and 1/2 hours and up to 2-3 days. Chilling the dough makes it more workable to form into cookies and prevents cookies from spreading too much while baking.
4. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two large baking sheets with silicone baking mats. Set aside.
5. Remove cookie dough from the refrigerator. If the cookie dough chilled longer than 3-4 hours, let it sit at room temperature for about 20 minutes. This makes the cookie dough easier to scoop and roll. Roll cookie dough, 1 tablespoon each, into balls.
6. Roll each cookie dough ball in remaining granulated sugar and arrange 3 inches apart on the baking sheets. Bake for 12-13 minutes or until edges appear set. Centers will look soft.
7. Remove from the oven and allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
8. While cookies are cooling, make frosting. Using a hand mixer, beat together cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla. The frosting will be relatively thick. Mix in a teaspoon of milk to thin as needed.
9. Once cookies are cooled, frost cookies with either a circle of frosting or drizzle with a piping bag. Let frosting set at room temperature. Refrigerate cookies.