Welcome to day 2 in Sally’s Cookie Palooza!
I’ve had a cookie like this on my mind for over a year now. Red velvet cake with cream cheese frosting in cookie form. (While we’re on the subject of cakes as cookies… anyone try the carrot cake cookies in Sally’s Cookie Addiction?!)
It took me many failed attempts and horrific cream cheese disasters… but here it is. Cream cheese stuffed red velvet cookies will be the talk of the town on every holiday cookie tray this year.
The red velvet cookie dough is pretty straightforward. It’s basically the same cookie dough I use for my red velvet chocolate chip cookies, and it’s similar to my red velvet kiss cookies, only I use a little extra cocoa powder in place of flour. The extra cocoa flavor definitely stands out. One of the main questions I receive regarding this red velvet cookie dough is… how is it red velvet? Isn’t it just chocolate chip cookie dough tinted red? Honestly, that’s a great question. But to me, red velvet is a blend of cocoa and vanilla paired with LOTS of buttery flavor. It’s a buttermilk-based cake, so you have a tangy flavor mixed in as well. And the chocolate flavor is toned down by only adding a small amount of cocoa. The cookies include all of it, though the buttermilk flavor isn’t as strong.
So what about today’s cookies?
I had a wonderful starting off point with my red velvet cookie dough, so the real issue was with the cream cheese filling. Man this stuff was annoying! It would either seep out the sides of the cookie, taste gross, or pull a disappearing act. Like, it would melt into the cookie dough itself. It simply wasn’t thick or sturdy enough. Like most cookie doughs, the cream cheese filling needs to be super cold going into the oven. And it needs to fit snugly inside the red velvet cookie dough. So how do we make it? The filling is basically an extremely thick cream cheese frosting.
Um, did you read that? These are cookies stuffed with frosting (!!!).
You’ll need cream cheese, obviously. Confectioners’ sugar to sweeten and thicken, a smidge of flour to also thicken, and a touch of vanilla extract for flavor. I always add butter to my cream cheese frosting, but butter caused the filling to melt. Once I (1) ditched the butter, (2) got the filling as cold and sturdy as possible, and (3) shaped the cookie dough completely around the filling… we were golden!!!
Let’s walk through the general process:
- prepare + chill red velvet cookie dough
- make the cream cheese filling
- drop spoonfuls onto baking sheet and freeze
- roll frozen spoonfuls of filling into balls
- assemble cookies
- bake cookies!
Here’s a video to show you exactly how to do each step:
After the cream cheese filling is mixed together, it’s pretty sticky. So that’s why we have to freeze it. I don’t recommend freezing the filling in the bowl; rather, freeze it as little spoonfuls. It will freeze faster and more evenly this way. Once the little spoonfuls are frozen/cold, it’s easier to roll into balls to fit inside the cookie dough. It’ll still be a little sticky, but much more manageable.
Step Photos
red velvet cookie dough:
cream cheese filling:
drop spoonfuls + freeze them:
roll frozen cream cheese filling into balls as best you can:
assemble cookies:
That bottom right picture shows how to mold the cookie dough around the cream cheese filling. Just push the dough down the sides to completely enclose the filling. As you’re assembling the cookies, the cream cheese filling balls may get a little soft. So don’t be afraid to just pop them back in the fridge for a few minutes.
Roll the stuffed cookie dough balls in granulated sugar for some sparkle because sparkles are pretty.
Bake up some stuffed cookie success!
Red Velvet Cookie Conclusion
- If you love red velvet, you’re going to obsess over these cookies.
- If you don’t love red velvet, you’re going to obsess over these cookies.
- I haven’t met a single person who doesn’t love these cookies.
- Even people who are all like “eh, I don’t really like dessert” (who even are you?) love these cookies.
See all cookie palooza recipes. And for your next red velvet-inspired bake, try my red velvet seven layer bars!
Print
Cream Cheese Stuffed Red Velvet Cookies
- Prep Time: 2 hours, 45 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Total Time: 3 hours, 15 minutes
- Yield: 18 cookies
- Category: Cookies
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
These cream cheese stuffed red velvet cookies are like a chewy and dense slice of red velvet cake with cream cheese frosting.
Ingredients
- 1 and 2/3 cups (210g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
- 1/4 cup (21g) unsweetened natural cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup (1 stick; 115g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar, divided
- 1/2 cup (100g) packed light or dark brown sugar
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
- 1 Tablespoon (15ml) milk*
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 Tablespoon red food coloring (liquid, gel, or 2 tsp beet powder alternative)*
Cream Cheese Filling
- 4 ounces (112g) full-fat block cream cheese, room temperature
- 1 and 3/4 cups (210g) confectioners’ sugar
- 1 Tablespoon (8g) all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- Make the cookie dough: Whisk the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt together until combined. Set aside.
- In a large bowl using a hand-held or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter, 1/2 cup granulated sugar, and the brown sugar together on high speed until completely smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes. Add the egg, milk, and vanilla extract and beat until combined, about 1 minute. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.
- On low speed, slowly mix the dry ingredients (flour mixture) 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.
- Meanwhile, make the cream cheese filling: In a large bowl using a hand-held or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese, confectioners’ sugar, flour, and vanilla extract together on medium-high speed until completely smooth and creamy, about 3 minutes. Drop teaspoonfuls onto a lined baking sheet that will fit in your freezer. Freeze for at least 1 and 1/2 hours and up to 2-3 days.
- Remove cream cheese spoonfuls from the freezer. Roll each into a ball as best you can. It will be a little sticky. Place in the refrigerator until ready to use in step 7. You want them as cold as possible!
- Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. (Always recommended for cookies.) Set aside.
- Assemble the cookies: 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. Using your thumb, make an indent into one cookie dough ball. Remove cream cheese balls from the refrigerator. Place one inside the indentation. Cover the cream cheese ball with another cookie dough ball and mold the two dough balls around the cream cheese, making sure it is completely covered and snug inside. Repeat with remaining cookie dough and cream cheese.
- Roll each stuffed 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.
- 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.
- Cookies will stay fresh covered at room temperature for 3 days or in the refrigerator for 1 week.
Notes
- Make Ahead Instructions: You can make the cookie dough and chill it in the refrigerator for up to 2-3 days. You can also make the cream cheese filling in step 4 and freeze for up to 2-3 days. Baked cookies freeze well for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and bring to room temperature, if desired, before serving. Unbaked cookie dough balls with cream cheese inside (that you assembled in step 7) will freeze well for up to 3 months. Let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes, pre-heat the oven, then roll in remaining 1/2 cup granulated sugar. Bake as directed. Read my tips and tricks on how to freeze cookie dough.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): KitchenAid Stand Mixer | Americolor Super Red Food Coloring | Silpat Baking Mat | Baking Sheet | Cooling Rack
- Milk: Any milk, dairy or non-dairy, works. I like to use buttermilk.
- Red Food Coloring: I’ve successfully made these cookies using beet powder instead of red food coloring – this is a wonderful natural alternative to food coloring. Use 2 teaspoons for a slight red color.
- Keep Everything Cold: If the cream cheese filling or cookie dough become too soft as you assemble the cookies in step 7, simply place back into the refrigerator for a few minutes.
- Be sure to check out my top 5 cookie baking tips AND these are my 10 must-have cookie baking tools.
Keywords: cream cheese stuffed red velvet cookies
Hi Ms. Sally!
I’m Grace and I saw this recipe and decided to make these for my parents on their anniversary next month (maybe I’m planning a little too early, I don’t know). But I was wondering, could I use salted butter instead of the unsalted butter? I can’t wait to make these cookies!
Thank you so much !
Have a nice day !
Hi Grace! You can use salted butter in place of unsalted butter in a pinch. We hope your parents enjoy these cookies for their anniversary!
What will happen if I add cream cheese to the cookie dough? Is it okay?
Hi Lisa! We don’t recommend mixing in cream cheese to the cookie dough, it will change the consistency of the dough too much. Best to stick with the recipe as written for best results!
If I were to freeze these should I bake them first?
★★★★★
Hi Krystina, this recipe will freeze well for both baked and unbaked cookies. See “Make Ahead Instructions” in the recipes notes for more details. Enjoy!
When I’m rolling the cookies I’m pretty sure I’m fully enclosing the filling but I’m still have issues with the filling oozing out from the bottom of the cookies once cooked. Do you know what else I could be doing wrong?
Hi Jocelyn! If you chill the assembled cookie dough balls (or even freeze them!) for at least 30 minutes prior to baking, the cookies are bound to hold their shape better.
These cookies are delicious, thanks for the recipe. Will be cooking these over and over again, I’m sure. My only problem was the cream cheese filling was too runny, and so could not freeze the filling as a small ball like your recipe pics. Any tips to correct this issue?
Hi Peter, we’re glad you enjoyed these! Did you use full-fat block cream cheese (not spreadable cream cheese)? You might also try adding a bit more confectioner’s sugar next time to help thicken it up a bit.
I used the spreadable variety, low fat. Will make sure I use the full fat block cream cheese next time. Thanks for the tip!!!
★★★★★
Hi Sally!
Would I be able to make this as a cookie cake for valentines day in a 6 in springform pan? Please let me know!!
Hi Sydney, unfortunately there is too much cookie dough for 1 6 inch pan. You could likely divide the dough between 3 6-inch pans. (or make some cookies and 1 6 inch cake) I’m unsure of the best bake time for a 6 inch cake.
Hi Sally – thanks for the recipe. Please correct me if I’m wrong but the ingredient list shows 1 cup of sugar (200g), while the instruction list mentions to cream the butter with 1/2 cup of sugar. What do I do with the other half cup of sugar? Or am I supposed to cream all 200g? Thank you!
Hi Ying, correct – the cup of granulated sugar is divided. 1/2 cup for creaming with the butter, the other 1/2 cup for rolling the cookies in step 8. Hope this helps!
Making these cookies felt like a lot more work than most other cookies, but the result was a dream. Hands down these are some of the best cookies I’ve ever had. Seriously obsessed with them. 2 things to note: the filling was enough for 2 batches of cookies (definitely wasn’t complaining about that— meant more cookies!) And my first batch spread a lot so the filling was just a little bump in the middle, but the flavors were all still there and we all still loved them. My second batch I used a silicone baking mat and a different pan and they didn’t spread. ‘
I just can’t get over how good these are!!
★★★★★
Hi Sally! Just wanted to ask if this recipe would still work if I don’t stuff the cookies with the cream cheese frosting but instead, make them like whoopie pies?
Hi Bettina, we actually have a separate red velvet whoopie pies recipe we’d recommend following instead. Would love to know if you give it a try!
These were great! I skipped the rolling in sugar step and they were perfect without it. The cookie stuffing strategy that worked best for me was flattening both balls of dough and moulding them around the ball of cream cheese icing. Definitely worth a try!! I don’t usually like red Velvet but these were
★★★★★
Absolutely amazing cookies. I definitely thought the filling would just melt into the cookies, but it didn’t at all!! Absolutely deserves more than five stars.
★★★★★
So excited to make these! Does this recipe make 18 stuffed cookies or just 18 rolled cookie doughs that you will still pair up to sandwich the filling?
Hi Maria, You will have 18 full cookies when you are finished. Enjoy!
Another winner, Sally! Just made these today (forgot to roll in sugar, but they were amazing anyhow!). The cream cheese didn’t melt, but they were ginormous cookies, lol. Will definitely add these to my Christmas cookie list!
★★★★★
Delicious and impressed everyone! Can’t wait to make them again
★★★★★
Hi Sally, I was wondering how long do these cookies last in the pantry? And if it’s possible to keep the cookies in the freezer?
Hi Emily, these cookies will stay fresh covered at room temperature for 3 days or in the refrigerator for 1 week. See recipe note #1 for freezing instructions!
Hey Sally,
I was hoping to bake cookies for my coworkers tomorrow on my day off and the resounding flavor combination everyone wanted was red velvet with white chocolate chips. These look so delicious but I’m tentative about adding white chocolate chips to this recipe in the event they might fall apart? Do you think they’d hold up fine or should I just make your Red Velvet Chocolate Chip Cookies instead replacing the chips with white chocolate? Thanks in advanced!
Hi Stephen, I recommend using the red velvet chocolate chip cookie recipe and using white chocolate chips instead. Enjoy!
Hi Sally!
I made your recipe the today and they came out flat and not like how yours are pictured. Any advice? I follow all the steps to the T and chill in the fridge. When I bake, they puff up but when I allow them to rest on the rack they all deflate to a thin cookie and the cream cheese pops out like a sore pimple. Please help! I love your recipes.
Hi Gia! I’m just seeing your question now. Add extra flour to the dough– this always helps when cookies seem to overspread. Another 2-4 Tbsp will help for next time. (It’ll soak up the fat, which are causing excess spread.) You might find my 10 Guaranteed Tips to Prevent Cookies from Spreading post helpful too!
These are insanely delicious! I love the rolled sugar look, and the cream cheese in the middle is incredible. This recipe made 15 cookies for me, but as I was assembling them I realized I could have made some smaller, so I imagine I could have gotten 18 cookies out of this if I had made them smaller. Will definitely make again in the future. They would be perfect for a holiday cookie tin.
★★★★★
Hello Sally. Let me start by saying that I fall in love with this recipe. The moment I found it I did one batch and it was amazing. It made 15 cookies and lasted for about 2 hours (:D). The next day I want to make a big batch to keep in the freezer, so I tripled the recipe.
Yesterday, I baked a few and I came across an issue. Once I take the cookies out they deflate in the middle so much that a hole is created and cream cheese comes out.
I don’t know what went wrong, could it be that I tripled the recipe? Should I do one batch at a time? FYI when baking I bake as per your instructions and only 6 cookies per tray. I tried 17 cookies from the tripled batch and all had the same issue.
★★★★★
Hi Dimosthenis, I’m so glad to read that you love this cookie recipe. Thank you! It’s one of my favorites. I’m concerned that there may have been an issue the 2nd time you made them, when tripling the recipe. Perhaps an error in measuring 3x the ingredients. I always recommend making separate batches. Doubling is typically fine for cookie recipes, but I would be careful when tripling a recipe or more. Sometimes our mixers can’t handle that amount of dough either. Try making separate batches of dough next time. Thanks again!
Thank you so much for taking the time to answer to me. From now one I will make a double batch at the most. Honestly, your recipes are by far the best I found. I already tried a few others and I am amazed. I want to also thank you for providing the ingredients in metric, very helpful.
Great recipe! I skipped the red food coloring and just added a little extra milk to achieve the correct consistency. I used a small cookie scoop and it worked out well. Per my calculations each cookie side weighed out at 17.5 grams. I ended up with 20 small balls for the cream cheese filling which is what lead me to weigh and divide the dough. My husband is a huge fan of these. Thank you for sharing!!
★★★★★
I thought when you said dry ingredients, you meant the other 1/2 cup of caster sugar was included in the biscuit mix. Did not realise I might have been wrong til I got to the rolling stage! Turned out as expected. Maybe you could clarify what dry ingredients in paranthesis so others don’t make my mistake!
Wasted my afternoon and ingredients, but I still want to try these.
Hi Sally , I loved this recipe, tastes just like cake! However, I was wondering if I can add white vinegar like in other of your Red Velvet recipes or would doing so will alter the flavor?
Thank you so much!!
★★★★★
I’m currently in the middle of assembling the cookies, and they started melting in my hands within two minutes. I chilled everything longer than the minimum requirement, but it got really messy very quickly. I stuck everything back in the fridge/freezer, but I’m hoping I can get through these. I doubled the recipe for my office.
The cookies turned out well! However, the filling tasted more like powdered sugar than cream cheese, so I would use a lot less powdered sugar next time. Other than that, it’s good.
★★★★
Ohoho, I am in love with that cream cheese filling! I just made the dough and the filling balls and I’m going to make the cookies tomorrow with my little cousin, but man… the leftover cream cheese frosting was so good, I might just make it again to just eat it like it is lol. It reminds me of Pillsbury cream cheese frosting and is soooooo good!!
★★★★★
Question: could these be made as cookie cups (baked in a cupcake tin) and could one substitute the cream cheese frosting for cheesecake filling? I find cream cheese frosting to be too sugary sweet but adore pairing cheesecake with red velvet.
Hi Liz, I suggest using my recipe for Mini Red Velvet Cheesecakes 🙂
I just tried to make this and had a few issues with it, Sally I hope you’re able to help me out here!
1. The 1-3/4 cups of confectioners sugar is too much! I only added 1-1/4 cups and already felt that it’s insanely sweet, I don’t know how you guys can stand the sweetness level with the extra 1/2 cup added. Can I reduce the amount of sugar and add on some corn starch/flour to get the consistency that the confectioners sugar is suppose to do?
2. The cookie dough basically melted in my hands while I was trying to form it into balls. I even tried to put it in the fridge before forming them (leaving out the “sit at room temperature” step, and even so it just turned out to be one entire sticky mess. Should I have added more all purpose flour to the batter?
★★★
Hi Sam, these cookies are meant to be sweet including that cream cheese filling. Feel free to thicken with cornstarch or flour, though I haven’t tested the recipe this way. You can also add more flour to the cookie dough if it’s much too sticky. The colder the dough, however, the easier it is to handle. Also, make sure your butter isn’t too soft. If the butter is too soft, the cookie dough will be too sticky. My room temperature butter post may be helpful if you’re interested.
So when I made these cookies, they spread so huge, but still tasted amazing! I kept trying to chill everything but nothing worked and it was a giant mess to roll which was very confusing? I have a ton of cream cheese left, and not enough cocoa to make another batch. What is another cookie suggestion that I could use to stuff the extra cream cheese balls in?
★★★★★
Hi Mallory! If you decide to make the red velvet cookies again, try adding another 2 Tbsp of flour to help bulk up the dough. The cream cheese would taste wonderful in my regular chocolate chip cookies.
Delicious! I did these with a friend of mine today while we’re stuck inside. We played with the colors and made the cookies black and colored the cream cheese a pinkish-orange. They ended up looking like lava! And they taste amazing, especially right out of the oven. Great recipe!
★★★★★
Hi Sally, i’m skipping food coloring and will be using beet root powder instead. Question though, do i mix it together with the dry ingredients? Thanks in advance! Loving all your cookie recipes btw!
Hi Cindy, You can certainly do that. I’ve added it at the end with no issues.
Great recipe! I didn’t have vanilla extract so I omitted it but still tastes amazing!
The only downside for me was the sweetness of this recipe. I have halved all the sugars required but it’s still too sweet for me and my husband.
I shall try to omit the sugar completely in the cream cheese in my next batch and try to see if it works!
Do you know if I can completely omit out the sugar or will it affect the texture?
★★★★★
My brother keeps begging me to bake these again! He likes them even better than our family favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe : )
★★★★★