Red Velvet Cookies with Cheesecake Filling

 

I owe you an apology. I have been MIA, but I do have an excuse: I've completely torn apart my kitchen (pictures to come!). I'm talking refinishing the cabinets (myself, gasp), ripping down dry wall, installing new countertops, the works. Which means my baking has been put on temporary hold.

But not completely.

I recently challenged my friend to a bake-off for a little mid-week entertainment. (What has my life come to? I know.) The only rule: The recipe had to come from Pinterest. Our judge was my man, Frank, which gave me a slight advantage. He's a devout follower of all things red velvet, so I settled on Red Velvet Cookies with Cheesecake Filling. The name alone is enough to make me drool.

 

The cheesecake filling was a bit laborious to prepare. I had to make the filling, roll it into little balls, then freeze it. (My patience is lacking, so I didn't freeze it for the full two hours, though.) But, wow, the payoff was big. The cookies had the divine, chocolatey depth of red velvet cake, and the filling contributed the perfect amount of pure, sugary sweetness. The white chocolate drizzle was the icing, quite literally, on an incredible cookie.

Oh, and my dessert won. Obviously.

Red Velvet Cookies with Cheesecake Filling
Courtesy of two peas & their pod

What you need

For the cookies:
1 box red velvet cake mix

2 Tbsp all-purpose flour

2 large eggs

½ cup canola oil 

1 tsp vanilla

For the filling: 

4 oz cream cheese, at room temp

2 cups powdered sugar

1 tsp vanilla 

For the drizzle:

1 ½ cups white chocolate chips, melted

Put it all together

1. Thoroughly combine the cake mix and flour in a large bowl. Then, mix with eggs, oil, and vanilla extract until smooth. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
2. To make the filling, use an electric mixer to combine the cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla, mixing until smooth. Scoop out teaspoon-size balls, place on a plate, and freeze for at least 2 hours.
3. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Flatten about a quarter cup of dough in your hand, and wrap it around a frozen ball of cheesecake filling. Roll into a ball, and place on baking sheet. (Only bake three cookies per sheet. They spread.) Bake for 11-13 minutes, and remove from oven. Cool for 5 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack and let cool completely.
4. Melt the white chocolate chips in a microwave-safe bowl, stirring every 30 seconds. Drizzle over the cooled cookies.

Double Mint Chocolate Cookies

I know, it's not even December 1st and I'm baking Christmas cookies. But who says mint-chocolate can't be delicious in November? No one. These cookies are one of my dig-through-the-pantry efforts that turned out to be a winner. No matter the time of year. 

I started with Jell-O Candy Cane Pudding Mix, then crunched up a (well-preserved) box of Thin Mints to deepen the minty flavor and add texture. I stirred in a little Hershey's cocoa powder to deliver the chocolatey richness I craved, and used self-rising flour so the cookies would have a cakey texture. I rolled the dough into perfect little balls, shoved them in the oven, and hoped for the best. 

I didn't let myself down.

These cookie are divine. They're so soft they should be called a "cakie" instead of a cookie. The mint flavor isn't as overwhelming as, say, a York Peppermint Patty. But it's strong enough to deliver the coolness that contrasts so beautifully with the depth of chocolate. 

Double Mint Chocolate Cookies

What You Need
2 ¼ cups self-rising flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 cup butter, softened
¾ cup packed brown sugar
¼ cup white sugar
1 package instant candy cane pudding mix
2 eggs
2 Tbsp cocoa powder
14 Thin Mints, crumbled*

*Not a Thin Mint hoarder like me? Try Mint Oreos.

Put It All Together

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. 
2. Use a mixer to cream the butter, brown sugar, and white sugar in a large bowl. Add the pudding mix, and beat until incorporated completely. Mix in the eggs and vanilla.
3. Combine the flour and baking soda, then add to the butter mixture. Blend thoroughly.
4. Stir in the crushed cookies with a wooden spoon. (Don't use the mixer. It will crush them.) 
5. Roll dough into 1" balls, and position them at at least 2 inches apart on a cookie sheet covered in parchment paper (or an ungreased cookie sheet). Bake for 10-12 minutes.

Birthday Cake Batter Cookies

I've never baked a cookie that I liked more than the dough itself. Until now. I've also never regretted making a cookie as much as I regret making these. I seriously can't stay out of them. 

I'm obsessed with three things:

Cookie dough.

Cake batter.

Sprinkles.

These cookies capture the magic of all three in one seriously sweet treat. This might possibly be the best cookie I have ever made. 

The inspiration started with my favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe. I first discovered it in high school, when I was trying to impress my boyfriend with my baking skills. I'm fairly certain those cookies were why he fell in love with me. I eventually dumped him, but I stuck by that recipe for the long haul. It's a no-fail crowd pleaser—the soft, dense type of cookie most people assume could only come from a bakery. 

The irony? The secret ingredient is a basic supermarket staple: instant pudding mix. 

I wanted to create a cookie with the same soft, cake-like texture. But I was afraid pudding mix would overpower the cake batter flavor I sought. So I broke out the milk powder, the secret weapon of Momofuku Milk Bar, one of my favorite NYC bakeries. I combined it with sugar, cornstarch, and a little salt to create my own milk-flavored pudding mix. The powdery mixture contributes creaminess more than it does flavor.

The effect was exactly as I intended. The batter was, as you'd expect, delicious, but the cookies were otherworldly. If I sound like I'm bragging, it's because I am. These cookies were GOOD.

Fresh out of the oven!

Birthday Cake Batter Cookies

What you need
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 ½ cups yellow cake mix
3 sticks butter, softened
1 ¼ cups brown sugar, packed
1/3 cup white sugar
2 ½ Tbsp milk powder
3 ½ Tbsp white sugar
2 ½ Tbsp cornstarch
Pinch of salt
2 eggs
1 ½ Tsp vanilla extract
2 cups white baking chips
½ cup sprinkles

Put it all together

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. 
2. Beat the butter, brown sugar, and 1/3 cup sugar until well combined. 
3. In a separate bowl, combine the milk powder, 3 ½ Tbsp white sugar, cornstarch, and salt. Slowly beat the mixture in with the butter and sugar.
4. Stir in the eggs and vanilla, then gently fold in the white baking chips and sprinkles.
5. Roll dough into 1" balls, and place on an ungreased baking sheet, about 1 to 2 inches apart. Bake for 13-15 minutes. 

Or, if you really want to get experimental, grill the cookie dough! 

I flattened a ball of dough into a pancake shape, and grilled it on a 350°F griddle. The outside was crispy, the inside gooey. I have no idea if this is safe, since the inside wasn't fully cooked, but I do know it was delicious!

Grilled cookie!

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Birthday Cake Oreo Bark

Birthday Cake Cheesecake

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