Description
These Red Velvet Cookie Cups with Cream Cheese Frosting combine the rich, slightly chocolatey flavor of red velvet with a soft, creamy cream cheese topping. Perfect as a festive treat or dessert, the cookie cups are baked in mini muffin tins for individual servings and topped with a luscious, fluffy cream cheese frosting that melts in your mouth.
Ingredients
Scale
Cookie Dough
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tbsp cocoa powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 tbsp buttermilk
- 2 tbsp red food coloring
- 1/2 tsp white vinegar
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 8 oz cream cheese, softened
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
- Preheat the Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a mini muffin tin or line it with cupcake liners to prepare for baking.
- Make the Cookie Dough: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. In a separate large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter and granulated sugar together until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Add in the egg, vanilla extract, and red food coloring, mixing until well combined. Stir in the buttermilk and white vinegar. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, mixing just until combined to avoid overmixing.
- Shape the Cookie Cups: Using about 1 tablespoon of dough per muffin cup, scoop the dough into the prepared mini muffin tin, pressing it gently down to shape the cups. This helps create a slight indentation for the frosting later. Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let the cookies cool in the tin for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Make the Cream Cheese Frosting: In a large mixing bowl, beat together the softened cream cheese and butter until smooth and creamy. Add the powdered sugar gradually, along with the vanilla extract and a pinch of salt. Continue beating the mixture for 3-4 minutes until it becomes fluffy and spreadable.
- Assemble the Cookie Cups: Once the cookie cups have cooled fully, use a piping bag or spoon to generously pipe or spread the cream cheese frosting onto each cup. For extra decoration, consider adding sprinkles or red velvet crumbs on top. Serve immediately or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Notes
- Allow the cookie cups to cool completely before frosting to prevent the frosting from melting.
- You can substitute buttermilk with regular milk mixed with a teaspoon of vinegar if unavailable.
- For a more intense red color, adjust the amount of red food coloring to your preference.
- Store leftover cookie cups refrigerated and bring to room temperature before serving for best texture.
- Use cupcake liners for easy removal and presentation or grease the tin well if skipping liners.
