One of my favorite traditions of the holidays is the annual Christmas cookie swap at our church. Because, come on, it’s cookies! Everyone brings several dozen of their favorite cookies. We sample the cookies, divide up the leftovers and take them home. Each of us goes home with a variety of cookies that we don’t have to cook. How awesome is that? I usually make Peanut Butter blossoms, which take only a few ingredients and come together in a hurry, but I decided to make something a little different this year. After all, I am “competing” against seasoned cooks who produce cookies with both visual and taste appeal. Peanut Butter blossoms just can’t compete. I’m partnering with ALDI to bring you this delicious Red Velvet Thumbprint cookie recipe. These cookies look so festive and are topped with a rich cream cheese frosting. I’ve included a gluten free option as well.
Before you begin, gather all ingredients, including cookie sheets and waxed paper. This makes preparing the cookies so much easier! Mix the butter and sugar together until creamy. Add the egg and food coloring, mix well.
Combine the flour, cocoa and salt. Be sure not to skip the step of sifting as it really does make a difference in texture! Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture, beating on low.
Shape the dough into one inch balls and place on the cookie sheet. Make an indentation with your thumb or use a spoon. When the cookies are baked, remove from the oven and press the indentation again. Allow the cookies to cool completely.
After the cookies have cooled, mix the cream cheese and melted chocolate. Add a spoonful of melted chocolate mixture to each cookie. You can garnish the cookies if you like.
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 1/4 cups all purpose flour (or substitute gluten free flour)
- 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 3 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 1/4 cup white chocolate morsels or white chocolate bark, melted
- 11/2 teaspoons red food coloring
- Preheat oven to 325. Mix butter and sugar until creamy. Blend in egg and food coloring, blend together until smooth.
- Combine flour, cocoa and salt. Sift into small bowl. Add flour mixture to butter mixture. Beat on low until smooth, stir in vanilla.
- Shape dough into one inch balls. Place on wax paper covered cookie sheet 1/2 inch apart. Press thumb into each cookie ball to make an indention.
- Bake at 325 for 10 to 12 minutes. Remove cookies for oven and press indentation again. Allow to cool completely.
- Mix white chocolate and cream cheese together until blended. Add a spoonful to each cookie indentation.
These cookies are sure to be a hit at the Cookie Swap. What is your favorite Christmas cookie recipe?
Just made this recipe gluten free, using the flour with xanthum gum that I use to make all my cookies. They completely flattened out and were very greasy. I was looking forward to surprising my daughter with red velvet cookies as her favorite cake is red velvet. Instead it was a big waste. I read all reviews before hand and none of them seemed to give an opinion after they were made, only that the picture looked good…..so disappointed.
I have had red velvet cake once and I’ve never tried it in cookie for. These look too cute and festive though!
Red Velvet Thumbprint Cookies sound and look amazing! I would love to try these out sometime.
I rarely eat red velvet cakes and doughnuts. I am not into it but more into chocolate flavors. But I bet my son would love this, especially because of the frosting 🙂
These look good. I have never had red velvet cookies.
Oh I love these. they look so yummy and easy to make
Red velvet is definitely a welcome color for the winter season! Thanks for the gluten free option too
Red velvet is so delicious! The cookies look so soft and scrumptious! I want to eat them all!
My mom used to make thumbprint cookies when I was a id. These would be a huge hit with my kids.
I’m anxiously awaiting the day after Thanksgiving so I can start all of my baking. I can’t wait to add these to my cookie plates. They look so yummy.
These are so fun and festive! Love that you include a GF option since my kids and I are glutenfree!
These are my husbands favorite when I can find them in the store. I have never made them before but I am going to do so now. Thanks for this recipe!
The cookies look amazing. I am not on a gluten free diet, but I would love to try this.
These cookies look so delicious and easy to make. I will have to try the gluten free option.
We are big fans of red velvet. These would be a hit in our house.
These are a unique cookie idea. They sound great.
There are 3 boys in this house that would devour these. I love how simple these are to make!
These look fantastic and I love that you included a gluten free option,. YUM, these sound so good.
Yum. I have the worst headache right now and all I want to have is sweets. This looks so good, I’d love to eat a hand full of these!
Classic thumbprints are one of my all time favorite cookies and this version looks both unique and tasty. I know that red velvet and cream cheese combination is perfect!
Oh my goodness I need to try cooking these, I totally have a thing for red velvet 😉 x
My boys love red velvet! I’ll have to try this recipe.
I’d love to try making these festive cookies. Red velvet is always nice for the holidays and I love that these are gluten-free.
Yum! Red velvet is my favorite. These look great.
My Daughter was just talking about Red Velvet last week. I should make these and surprise her.
These cookies look so good. We do a cookie swap at work every Christmas.
red velvet is my husband’s favorite (seems to be a theme lol) so I know he would gobble these up within seconds of them being out of the oven. I love making thumbprint cookies so I’ll gladly whip them up for him
Those look delicious! My family loves red velvet and I definitely need to try making these!
Those cookies sound amazing. I love red velvet anything!
Red velvet is my husband’s #1 favorite. All the food coloring can get to my tummy, but these would be easy to make and easy not to eat too much of.
My husband is a big red velvet fan, too! I want to make him some of these.
Those look so yummy. I love that thumbprint filled with frosting.
I agree, they do look yummy. I like that I can use gluten free flour.