Description
Delightfully soft and chewy red velvet cookies with a subtle cocoa flavor, topped with creamy white chocolate peanut butter hearts for a festive and indulgent treat. Perfect for gifting or enjoying with a glass of milk.
Ingredients
Scale
Cookie Dough
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar, plus extra for rolling
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon red gel food coloring
- 1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/8 teaspoon fine salt
Topping
- 6 white chocolate peanut butter hearts (like Reese’s)
Instructions
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Baking Sheet: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a small baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat to prevent sticking.
- Mix Wet Ingredients: In a bowl, combine the melted unsalted butter, granulated sugar, egg yolk, vanilla extract, and red gel food coloring. Stir thoroughly until the mixture is smooth and well blended.
- Add Dry Ingredients: Gradually sprinkle the all-purpose flour, unsweetened cocoa powder, baking soda, and fine salt evenly over the wet mixture. Stir gently just until all ingredients are combined to form the cookie dough.
- Divide and Shape Dough: Press the dough flat and even in the bowl, then visually divide it into two halves. Each half will yield approximately three cookies. Roll each portion into dough balls with your hands.
- Coat with Sugar and Arrange: Lightly roll each dough ball in extra granulated sugar to coat. Space them evenly on the prepared baking sheet, allowing room for spreading.
- Bake the Cookies: Place the baking sheet in the oven and bake for 10–12 minutes. The cookies should spread out, crackle slightly on top, and appear dry when done.
- Cool Briefly: Remove the baking sheet from the oven and let the cookies rest for 2 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Add White Chocolate Hearts: Once cooled for about 10 minutes, press one white chocolate peanut butter heart into the center of each cookie.
- Set the Cookies: Place the cookies in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to allow the white chocolate hearts to set without melting.
- Serve: Bring the cookies back to room temperature before serving to enjoy their soft texture and rich flavors.
Notes
- Use gel food coloring for vibrant red color without altering dough consistency.
- Be careful not to overmix the dough once dry ingredients are added to keep cookies tender.
- Chilling the cookies after adding the white chocolate hearts helps maintain their shape and prevents melting.
- Store cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or refrigerate for longer freshness.
- For a gluten-free option, substitute all-purpose flour with a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 150 kcal
- Sugar: 12 g
- Sodium: 80 mg
- Fat: 8 g
- Saturated Fat: 4.5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 18 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 30 mg
