Cheesecake Stuffed Red Velvet Cookies

If you are looking for a cookie that no one can resist, I got you covered. Cheesecake Stuffed Red Velvet Cookies are creamy, festive, and are the perfect sophisticated yet delicious treat to have during the holiday season. 

With my recipe you get two treats in one. A delicious red velvet filled with cream cheese, in cookie form!  These yummy delights are so easy to make, it is unbelievable. These little red beauties are perfect for holidays, celebrations, and make the cutest hostess gifts.

I have a weakness for cheesecake, you can see how many cheesecake recipes I have on the blog. But also I am a huge fan of buttery, tender cookies. With the holiday season approaching, I decided that I don’t have to choose, put my baker skills to some serious work and combined my two favorite desserts into one.

These Cheesecake Stuffed Red Velvet Cookies are just the perfect treat. They are festive, delicious, creamy, and almost too pretty to eat. Once you try one, I am quite certain you will want to eat another one!

This is one of my favorite holiday cookie recipes, they are perfect for Christmas and Valentine’s Day because of the stunning deep red color. The rich and sweet cheesecake filling makes them a hit on any cookie table. And it is not a difficult recipe to make, even though there are a few steps. Every step is worth it.

Although this is not the easiest recipe to make, it is well worth every single step. You do need to chill the dough and filling before you bake the cookies. Therefore, plan ahead and have some spare time to make them. It is well worth the process. In addition, they are great to make ahead. You can simply refrigerate them for a couple of days.

Why you will love this recipe

• No need to wait for hours like regular cheesecake: These tiny cheesecake cookies do not have to chill in the fridge for hours after baking like regular cheesecakes. In fact, they can be devoured minutes after they come out of the oven for those who want to enjoy the creamy middles or let them chill for a more cheesecake-type cookie.
• They are beautiful holiday cookies: For any holiday from Valentine’s Day to Christmas or even just for any day of the week. They are so fun to make and taste so good, that it is fine to serve them for a snack or dessert any time. But they are pretty enough for holiday parties too.
• Save money making them at home: Instead of buying them at a bakery, make these delightful fancy cookies at home for a fraction of the price. Plus, when making them yourself, decide how much stuffing to add and what goes in them.
• Combines two desserts in one: This dessert is really two treats in one because the red velvet is also a cheesecake in disguise. Nobody even knows there is cheesecake hiding in there until they bite into it.

What you’ll need to make cheesecake-stuffed red velvet cookies

Special items

• Large cookie sheet – For baking the cookies.
• Stand mixer – To mix everything.
• Bowls
• Cooking utensils

Ingredients

For the filling:

• Softened cream cheese – Use full-fat brick-style cream cheese for this recipe for the best flavor and texture. The tub-style cream cheese is too airy and thin, and the low-fat stuff is watery.
• Powdered sugar – Powdered sugar works best to make this filling smooth and silky.
• Salt

For the cookie dough:

• Softened unsalted butter – The butter should be softened to incorporate into the sugar, and it holds air better to give the dough more lift.
• White granulated sugar – Granulated sugar adds pure sweetness while also cutting into the butter to add air pockets for extra lift.
• Large egg – Also, the egg should be at room temperature to blend more easily and help create structure without causing the butter to cool again.
• Pure vanilla extract – Adds flavor as well as moisture to give these cookies a complex taste and aroma.
• All-purpose flour – I like to use all-purpose flour because it provides an average amount of gluten for both chewy and soft as well as crisp cookies depending on the other ingredients and cooking methods.
• Unsweetened cocoa powder – Because this is made with baking powder instead of soda, Dutch-process or natural can be used. I prefer the Dutch process because it is richer and more chocolatey.
• Baking powder – Better for lighter and airier cookies to make them puffy, which is what I like for wrapping the dough around the cheesecake filling.
• Red gel food coloring – Be sure to get a high-quality gel food coloring to be able to color the dark cocoa color. AmeriColor soft gel paste is my favorite.

How to make cheesecake-stuffed red velvet cookies?

• Preheat the oven: Before starting, I preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Make the filling: Then, I mix the powdered sugar, cream cheese, and salt in a small bowl until smooth. I scoop 12 small dollops of cream cheese filling onto the parchment paper with a one-tablespoon (#60) cookie scoop and freeze the whole thing for 30 minutes.

• Mix the dough: In the meantime, I beat the sugar and butter in my stand mixer until light and fluffy before mixing in the vanilla and egg, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.

• Add dry ingredients: Then, the baking powder, cocoa powder, flour, salt, and a few drops of food coloring are stirred in until just combined. 

• Assembling the cookies: To make the cookies, I remove the baking sheet from the freezer and place a clean piece of parchment paper on it. Then, I use a two-tablespoon (#30) cookie scoop to remove a dough ball and flatten it in my hand. I place the cheesecake ball in the middle and wrap the cookie dough around it tightly before putting it onto the cookie sheet. I continue doing this, placing the cookies about two inches apart until they are all done.

• Bake, cool, and serve: Finally, I bake the cookies for 15 to 17 minutes, until they are flattened out and the edges are set. After, they go on a wire rack until they are completely cool before serving.

Expert tip

To chill or freeze

I have made these cookies in different ways, and they have turned out wonderful, no matter what. However, I want to share the details on how they work best. I typically mix the cream cheese filling first to make the middles and put them into the freezer. Then, I make the cookie dough and use it right away. However, chilling the cookie dough for just a short time can also help.

Do not chill the cookie dough too long, as it will make it too hard to wrap around the filling. These cookies are different from any others I have ever made. They have to be at precise temperatures to work right together. The filling must be frozen when starting, no matter what. That is essential. But the cookie dough should be warm enough.

It is a choice, really. I prefer to use it right away because it wraps around the filling perfectly and is not too stiff. I have tried it when it is chilled, and it seemed rather difficult to work with. Others say it is easier to work with that way. One thing I do know is that after making the cookies, putting them in the freezer for a few minutes to chill them before baking makes them set better.

Recipe variations and add-ins:

• Coated in sugar: Roll each cookie in sanding sugar before baking for a crispy and shiny finish.
• Caramelize them: Another way to top these gorgeous cookies is to drizzle some of melted wite chocolate on top.
• Frost them: Make them into sandwich cookies, either using my easy-to-make cream cheese frosting or vanilla ice cream.
• Chocolate chips: Top these yummy cookies with chocolate chips of any kind to make them even more amazing.
• Sprinkles: Make these red velvet cookies festive by adding some rainbow sprinkles right after they get out of the oven.

Serving suggestions:

• These cakey cookies are amazingly good dipped in a glass of ice-cold milk.
• They also taste heavenly dipped in red velvet hot chocolate made with semi-sweet chocolate, heavy cream, and red sand sugar.
• Another way to serve these decadent cookies is with my 3-ingredient Oreo ice cream. It is simple to make in minutes.
• These little red beauties would be the perfect dessert for a home-cooked meal of this savory juicy air fryer ribeye steak with herb garlic butter, baked potatoes, and veggies. 

Frequently asked questions

How to store:

• Refrigerate: Refrigerate for up to four days in a sealed container.   
• Freezing: To freeze, wrap in plastic, then place in a freezer bag or a freezer-safe container for up to three months.   
• Defrost: Thaw overnight in the refrigerator for the best texture and taste.

More cookies to try:

Recipe tips:

• If the cream cheese starts to get too gooey while making them, put it in the freezer for a few minutes to chill it out.
• If you want to plan ahead and make them in advance, feel free to do so. It is best to prepare and bake them up to 2-3 days prior, then let them cool prior to storing in the fridge. 
• Check the oven to make sure it is cooking at the right temperature. If it is cooking too hot, the butter will melt before anything else and cause the cookies to be flat.
• Using too much flour or not enough sugar can cause the same problem.
• If the cream cheese filling is too runny, check that the cream cheese is full fat, and be sure to use the brick style.
• Also, do not overfill them because the cheesecake needs room to expand as it bakes.
• Chilling the cookies after assembling and before baking will also help them bake better.
• Be sure not to overcook them because the filling will get hard. Remove them when the edges are firm, and the centers are set.