Red Velvet Gooey Butter Cookies

These chewy little morsels with a pop of red velvet color and flavor are the perfect treat for all the Valentines in your life.

Valentine’s Day is only 2 days away and I’ve teamed up with a bunch of bloggers to share some #FoodBloggerLove, hosted by Allison of The PinterTest Kitchen. After saving the recipe for these cookies, makes sure to scroll all the way to the bottom of this post to check out everyone else’s recipes!

Well, I managed to do it again. I didn’t think I would be able to come back with an equally stellar cookie after last week’s rousing success but the recipe for these cookies has been requested just as much from everyone who has had them. And since it made 6 dozen in my hands, that was a lot of people! Maybe I should take a month-long hiatus more often… just kidding.

It really should come as no surprise that these cookies were a success. After all, I stacked my cards because I modified the recipe from the lemon gooey butter cookies that were one of the top 10 recipes for 2017 even though they were only just posted in December! Heck that’s why I decided to make another version because clearly you all dig the gooey butter cookies, but this time they are all dressed up for Valentine’s Day.

Red velvet tends to rise in popularity this time of year, clearly due to it’s rich red coloring. I would eat it year round but I admit, the inspiration for such things does tend to be linked to the impending holiday of Valentine’s Day. While I am attending two Galentine’s Day events, Bob and I actually don’t have any plans for Valentine’s Day itself because we feel like planning a wedding kinda covers it. I’m sure I’ll throw something corny at him at some point during the day however, because I just cannot resist.

One year ago: Weekly Meal Plan: 7

Two years ago: Nutella Stuffed Biscotti

Three years ago: Homemade Lip Balms Revisit

Four years ago: Quinoa Turkey Meatballs

Five years ago: Red Velvet Molten Lava Cakes

RED VELVET GOOEY BUTTER COOKIES

Makes approximately 6 dozen

Ingredients:

2-1/4 all-purpose flour

2 Tbsp cocoa powder

2 tsp baking powder

1 (8 oz.) package cream cheese, room temperature

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature

1-1/2 cups sugar

2 tsp red food coloring

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 tsp salt

1 egg + 1 egg yolk

1 cup confectioners’ sugar

Directions:

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa, and baking powder. Set aside.
2. Using an electric stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment on medium speed (or handheld electric mixer and a large bowl), cream together cream cheese and butter until smooth. Beat in sugar, food coloring, vanilla, and salt until light and fluffy. Add egg and egg yolk and beat until creamy, about 1 to 2 minutes.
3. On low speed, gradually add flour mixture and mix until just incorporated. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours or overnight.
4. When ready to bake, arrange oven rack in lower third of oven and preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper; set aside. Place confectioners’ sugar in a small bowl; set aside.
5. Roll dough into 3/4-inch balls (I used a small cookie scoop), roll in confectioners’ sugar to coat, and place on prepared baking sheets at least 2 inches apart.
6. Bake for 10 minutes, or until cookies are puffed and crackly. Transfer baking sheet to wire rack and allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for at least 10 minutes. Remove cookies from baking sheet and transfer to wire rack to cool completely. Once completely cooled, transfer cookies to an airtight container.

Source: Adapted from Lemon Gooey Butter Cookies.