Red Velvet Cheesecake Cookies

It is officially the Christmas season, our tree is up, presents are being bought and the baking has begun!! I love all the lights on the houses in my neighborhood and the Christmas music that is now constantly being played in my car. I've had these cookies on my list to make since last season, I patiently waited till this weekend to make them and boy was that a stupid idea because we have totally been missing out!! These may be one of the best cookies I have ever baked :) Just a note about these cookies this is one of those recipes where the dough has to sit in the fridge for awhile so make sure you account for that when you begin making these cookies. I didn't do that and ended up making these over the last two days.

Ingredients:

1 Box Red Velvet Cake Mix

2 Tbsp Flour

2 Eggs

1/2 Cup Canola Oil

2 Tsp Vanilla Extract

4 oz Cream Cheese - Softened

2 Cups Powdered Sugar

1 Cup White Chocolate Chips

Adapted from: www.twopeasandtheirpod.com

In your stand mixers bowl combine the box of red velvet cake mix and flour. Mix them together using the whisk attachment until completely combined and there are no lumps. Add the eggs, oil and 1 Tsp of the Vanilla extract. Wrap the dough in plastic or parchment paper and place in the fridge for at least 2 hours. 

 In the cleaned out stand mixers bowl, with the paddle attachment combine the softened cream cheese, powdered sugar and the remaining Tsp of Vanilla extract. Mix until smooth. Spoon the cream cheese mixture out onto a plate with a Tsp so that you have individual cream cheese balls. If you are making them large you should make about 10-12 balls, if you're going with a smaller cookie adjust the number accordingly. Cover the plate with tin foil and freeze for at least 2 hours.

When both your dough and your cream cheese mixture are ready to be handled, preheat the oven to 350 F. Create yourself an assembly line with the cream cheese balls, red velvet dough and a baking sheet covered with parchment paper. Rip off a few Tbsp of the Red Velvet dough and flatten in the palm of your hand, place a cream cheese ball in the middle and fold the red velvet dough over top. Roll the ball in your hand so the cream cheese is completely covered this will prevent it from leaking out while in the oven. 

If you are making larger cookies only place 3-4 on each baking sheet because they will expand quite a bit. If you are making smaller ones you can put a few more on each sheet. Bake for 13 minutes or until the top of the cookie begins to crack. 

 Allow the cookies to cool for 5 minutes on the baking sheet. Don't try to remove them before hand. Mine were inflated a little bit but they did flatten out while they cooled. Remove them from the baking sheet and let them completely cool on a wire rack.

In a microwave safe bowl heat the white chocolate chips on a low power setting of about 3 for 2 minutes. Give them a good stir and using a fork drizzle the warm white chocolate over the cooled cookies.

Allow the white chocolate to set which should take about 15 minutes. If you are storing these cookies for more than a day they should be kept in the fridge.

Enjoy!! - Nicole

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