Red Velvet Cookies (Print Version)

# Ingredients:

01 - Cream cheese, softened (4 ounces).
02 - White sugar (1/4 cup).
03 - Salt (1/8 teaspoon for filling).
04 - Egg yolk, room temperature (1 for filling).
05 - Sour cream (2 teaspoons).
06 - Vanilla extract (1/4 teaspoon for filling).
07 - All-purpose flour (2 cups).
08 - Cocoa powder (2 teaspoons).
09 - Salt (1/4 teaspoon for cookies).
10 - Butter, softened (1 cup).
11 - Brown sugar (1/2 cup).
12 - Egg yolk, room temperature (1 for cookies).
13 - Vanilla extract (1 teaspoon for cookies).
14 - Red gel food coloring.
15 - Red sanding sugar.

# Instructions:

01 - Beat cream cheese and sugar until well blended. Add salt, vanilla, egg yolk and sour cream. Mix until combined. Chill for 30 minutes.
02 - Mix flour, cocoa powder and salt. In separate bowl, cream butter and sugar. Add egg yolk and vanilla. Gradually mix in flour mixture and red food coloring.
03 - Roll dough into balls, coat in red sugar. Make well in center of each cookie. Bake at 300°F for 10 minutes.
04 - Press centers again, fill with cream cheese mixture. Bake additional 10-12 minutes until filling sets.
05 - Cool on baking sheet 2 minutes, then transfer to wire rack to cool completely.

# Notes:

01 - Can make own red sugar with regular sugar and food coloring.
02 - Can omit sour cream from filling if desired.
03 - Stores 2-3 days at room temperature or 5 days refrigerated.

Back