Chewy Red Velvet Cookies with Cream Cheese Icing
Confession time. I’m ready to not be pregnant anymore. I never thought I’d get to that place this time around. I’m only 34 weeks so I have a ways to go, and I really thought I’d be fine with this baby taking as long as possible to come so I would have more time with Hugo. He has been my best bud for 2 solid years, hands down the person that I spend the most time with, and I know our relationship is going to change. But, I just am sick of it…this pregnancy has been fine, but just uncomfortable enough to make me want to feel like myself again. You know, my spit-up covered, sleep deprived, newborn-holding, milk maid self but still. You get me right?
I also seem to have regressed to the first trimester again where certain smells and tastes send me over the edge as well as certain cravings that I just *have* to have. Last week? Red Velvet everything. It’s weird because it’s not normally my #1 must have flavor (I normally choose lemon or salted caramel,) but once I got the idea of these cookies in my head I had to have them.
The base is a chewy cocoa-y cookie with crisp edges and super soft middles. I added dark chocolate chips and sea salt for fun, and topped them with a fluffy cream cheese frosting. They are festive and delicious, the perfect Vday treat in my opinion!
I hope to start feeling better soon, maybe I’ll get that late 3rd trimester burst of energy like I did last time and be able to crank out tons of great new recipes before baby’s arrival. If not, I appreciate your patience with my sporadic posting…can you believe I started this blog 5 years ago!? xoxoxo
Chewy Red Velvet Cookies with Cream Cheese Icing
Ingredients
- ¾ cup butter, softened (1½ sticks)
- ¾ cup brown sugar
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1¾ cups all-purpose flour
- 1/8 cup cocoa powder
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon red food coloring (1 teaspoon if using gel)
- 1 dark chocolate chips
- Flaky sea salt
Frosting:
- 4 oz cream cheese, softened
- 1/4 cup butter, softened
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- In a medium sized bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, cornstarch, and salt set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Add the egg, vanilla, and food coloring, and mix for another minute or two until smooth and creamy.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Fold in the chocolate chips.
- Scoop dough into 2-inch balls and arrange on a cookie sheet or plate. Freeze for an hour.
- Preheat oven to 350F.
- After dough has cooled, Place cookie dough on sheet. 2 inches apart. Sprinkle with flaky sea salt.
- Bake for 12-14 minutes or until the edges are set. Cool for a few minutes before removing from cookie sheet and cooling on a wire rack. Repeat with remaining dough!
For the Frosting:
- Cream together the cream cheese and butter until smooth. Gradually add the powdered sugar and then the vanilla extract.
- Frost cookies when cool.
Notes
Recipe adapted from The Pinning Mama
1. 18-24 cookies? It’s kind of hidden under “icing.”
2. Chocolate chips – how much?
Sorry the quantity is hidden- 18-24 cookies and 1 cup of chips!
Thank you!… and good luck!
I don’t know what red velvet foods would look like without the red food dye, but since you are pregnant, please consider not using it! You can google side effects of red food dye to see the dangers.
I checked with my midwives and they said in moderation it was fine!
Um…is it bad that I totally FEEL YOUR PAIN…and I am only almost-28 weeks!!! Oy. I definitely have mixed feelings…part of me just feels huge and uncomfortable and just wants to meet this kid already, and the other part is going to miss having her with me kicking me at all times. And then most of me just really wants to eat all the cookies and can’t wait until I can again without having to worry about having a 10+ pound baby. Is it May yet?
Making these right now! Question – you say to freeze these for an hour and they become rock solid. How long do you let them thaw before baking or do you put them in the oven frozen?
Sorry for the delay Jay. Obviously you are done making them but for future you want to bake them frozen :)
These are gorgeous cookies! & red velvet cravings must mean you have a pretty cool baby in there ;)
It’s funny, i was feeling the exact way you are. I have my sweet boy, Greyson, who is just a bit over 2 yrs and my newborn son, Graham, who is now about a week and a half old. I was so ready to not be pregnant anymore. It is so difficult to function w/ a 2 yr old and a big aching belly. I feel your pain.
With regards to your closeness with your firstborn, I recommend you mentally prepare yourself for the change that is coming. Those first few days were very hard. I, like yourself, had spent basically every waking hour with my son. He was my buddy. The relationship we have cultivated was (still is) quite strong. It was very hard to let go of someof that and let others jump in. I am still trying desperatly to balance both of my boys. Bedtimes are the hardest. If he is crying for me to help get him ready for bed but I’m nursing me other son, my husband has to take the lead. It sucks. I mean, I’m thankful he does, but it breaks my heart to have to say, “I can’t, I’m feeding Graham…” The disappointment in his eyes is a killer. Prepare yourself for that face.
From what I hear, it gets easier. I guess I believe them ;) Only time will tell.
Get in all the snuggles and hugs you can. Spend the extra five minutes in the rocking chair or extra time popping every individual bubble in the tub.
Enjoy and be blessed. xo
Meredith thank you so much for your sweet comment. It’s funny because since I wrote that post I started feeling better and now I’m like “please don’t come out baby- I am not ready!!!” I guess I”m just realizing how precious my time is with Hugo and I’m trying to give him all my attention as long as I can. I”m so nervous for the transition, I’m glad I hopefully have another month to get everything in order. xoxo
Wow, these are easily some of the best cookies I’ve ever made!! I used salted butter and left out the added salt and the salt flakes, and just used maybe a handful or two of dark chocolate chips that I chopped up into smaller pieces. I will definitely be making these again!
Does the icing harden? I would like to just drizzle the icing, but need to be able to stack them for christmas cookie trays.
It develops a little crust but not enough to stack. I’d suggest making a more traditional glaze- just powdered sugar with enough milk to make it drizzling consistency and vanilla if you’d like. That should drizzle easily :)
I’m looking for a bit more of the cream cheese flavor. I made one last night that has 2 oz. of cream cheese, 3 T. of butter and 3 T. of cream then 3 c. of powdered sugar. It was thin enough to drizzle at first, but harden way too fast to be able to work with. Also, far too sweet. I will keep experimenting! Thanks!
Also, I probably shouldn’t say drizzle. I put it in a squeeze bottle and just do a swirl on the cookie, so it wouldn’t have to be super runny, just thin enough to go through the nozzle.
We absolutely love these cookies! How do you get yours flat? Each time I’ve made them they come out more in mounds, which is fine, but your photos show a flatter cookie.