My New Favourite Dessert: Red Velvet Cookies

There's nothing like homemade baked goods. Mike, my boyfriend, and I both have major weak spots for sweets and I often enjoy experimenting with recipes I come across or are recommended to me. Pictured above is the Valentine's Day version of the cakes, same recipe as below but the edges are dipped in heart-shaped sprinkles!

Red Velvet Cookies
Ingredients for the Cookies:
1 1/3 cups flour
2 tbsp cocoa powder
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 cup butter, room temp.
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
2 tbsp buttermilk (which can be made with 2 tbsp milk and about a 1/4 tsp of vinegar - white or cider)
2 tsp apple cider vinegar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tbsp red food colouring (I have done without, which means the cookies are dark brown in colour.)
Ingredients for the Cream Cheese Frosting:
1 pkg (8 oz) light cream cheese
1 sticks (1/2 cup) butter (I have used salted and unsalted and it doesn't seem to matter.)
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups powdered sugar

Directions for the cookies:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Mix together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda in a small bowl.

Cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs 1 at a time. Then beat in the buttermilk, vinegar, vanilla, and red food colouring. Once creamed together, add the dry ingredients to wet. Mix until completely combined.

Drop batter using a tablespoon onto a parchment lined baking sheet, forming 1.5-inch round circles.

Bake for 10 minutes, until baked through. If you're not sure, test with a toothpick. If the toothpick comes out clean, they are ready. Cookies should be light and cake-like. Allow to cool for a few minutes on the baking sheet, then remove to a wire rack to cool completely.


Directions for the Cream Cheese Frosting:
In a large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese, butter, and vanilla together until smooth. Add the sugar and on low speed, beat until well-mixed. Increase the speed to high and mix until very light and fluffy.

Spread the cream cheese frosting between two cooled cookies.

This recipe makes about 24-28 cookies.

Mint Cream Cheese Icing
Ingredients:
1/4 above made icing
1/4-1/2 tsp mint extract
3 drops of green food colouring
Mix well.

Raspberry Cream Cheese Icing
Ingredients:
1/4 above made icing
1-2 tbsp pre-made raspberry jam
Mix well.

Maple Cream Cheese Icing
Ingredients:
1/4 above made icing
1/4-1/2 tsp maple extract
4-6 drops blue food colouring
Mix well.

I have made these cookies on several occasions now. They always come out perfectly and are enjoyed by all those who try them! For Easter, I created theme-coloured and flavoured icing. I divided the icing above into four equal parts and created the flavours below. The measurements are not exact, as it is up to you how potent you would like the flavourings and how bright you would like the icing colours. Let me know how your experiments turn out.

Happy baking!


http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/paula-deen/red-velvet-sandwich-cookies-recipe/index.html