Red Velvet Sandwich Cookies
Soft, cocoa-flavored red velvet cookies paired with a smooth and tangy cream cheese filling. These bakery-style sandwich cookies are easy to make, beautifully festive, and ready in about an hour.
Ingredients
For the Red Velvet Cookies
- 1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 tablespoons cocoa powder
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter softened
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/3 cup brown sugar packed
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon vinegar
- 2 teaspoons red food coloring gel preferred
For the Cream Cheese Filling
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter softened
- 2 tablespoons vegetable shortening
- 3 ounces cream cheese softened
- 1 1/2 –2 cups powdered sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon heavy cream if needed
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and prepare baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Mix the flour, cocoa powder, cornstarch, baking soda, and salt in a bowl.
- Beat butter and sugars until light and fluffy, then add egg, vanilla, vinegar, and red food coloring.
- Slowly mix in the dry ingredients until a soft dough forms.
- Scoop dough onto baking sheets and bake for about 8 minutes. Cool completely.
- Prepare the filling by beating butter, shortening, cream cheese, powdered sugar, and salt until smooth.
- Match cookies by size, add cream cheese filling, and gently sandwich them together.
Notes
For the best results, use room-temperature ingredients and avoid overmixing the dough, as this helps keep the cookies soft and tender. Let the cookies cool completely before adding the cream cheese filling to prevent it from melting. Gel food coloring will give you the most vibrant red color, while chilling the frosting slightly can make assembly easier. Store the finished sandwich cookies properly to maintain their fresh texture and creamy filling.