RED VELVET THUMBPRINT COOKIES

Red Velvet Thumbprint Cookies image

These festive sugar-coated red velvet cookies are perfect for Christmas. They're just as delicious as they are beautiful. -Colleen Delawder, Herndon, Virginia

Provided by Taste of Home

Time 45m

Yield 2 dozen.

Number Of Ingredients 14

Ingredients

1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1 large egg yolk, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon red paste food coloring
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons baking cocoa
1/2 cup coarse sugar
FILLING:
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup sugar
1 large egg white, room temperature
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

Steps:

Preheat oven to 300°. In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy, 5-7 minutes. Beat in egg yolk, vanilla and food coloring. In another bowl, whisk flour and cocoa; gradually beat into creamed mixture. Roll into 1-in. balls; roll in coarse sugar. Place 2 in. apart on parchment-lined baking sheets. Press a deep indentation in center of each with the back of a 1/2-teaspoon measure., Bake 10 minutes. Meanwhile, for filling, beat cream cheese, sugar, egg white, vanilla and salt until blended. Reshape indentations in par-baked cookies as needed. Fill each with 1 teaspoon filling. Bake until filling is set, 10-12 minutes longer. Remove to wire racks to cool completely.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 166 calories, Fat 10g fat (6g saturated fat), Cholesterol 33mg cholesterol, Sodium 39mg sodium, Carbohydrate 19g carbohydrate (10g sugars, Fiber 0 fiber), Protein 2g protein.