Red Velvet Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting

Happy Valentine's Day!  Here's a great recipe for chewy red velvet cookies with tangy cream cheese frosting.  They're addictive!  I made these for Drew this year. :)  Here's how to make them:

What you'll need:

2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 1/2 cups brown sugar

1/2 cup white sugar

2 eggs, at room temperature

1 1/2 tbsp vanilla extract

1 oz. red food coloring

2 3/4 cups all purpose flour

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp instant espresso

8 oz. bittersweet chocolate, chopped

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

In a large bowl, combine the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, salt and espresso powder.  Whisk together.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the butter and both sugars.  Turn the speed to medium and mix until well combined.

Add the eggs one at a time, then add vanilla and food coloring.  Mix well.

With the speed on low, slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients.  Mix until just combined.  Fold in the chopped chocolate with a spatula.

Using a scoop or two spoons, scoop out the batter onto sheet trays, whichever size you prefer.  I did about 2 tablespoons of dough for one cookie.  Leave some space between scoops because they will spread out.

Bake at 350 for 16 minutes.  Let cool completely.

While the cookies are cooling, prepare the frosting.

For the cream cheese frosting:

8 oz. cream cheese, at room temperature

1 stick unsalted butter, at room temperature

2 tsp vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

Pinch of salt

Food coloring, optional

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the butter and cream cheese until well mixed.  Add the vanilla and food coloring (if using).  I used a little pink food coloring in mine since it's Valentine's Day.  Mix, then with the speed on low add the powdered sugar and salt and mix until there are no lumps.

Frost the cookies any way you'd like.  I just spooned a little frosting onto each cookie then spread it out with a small offset spatula.  Dust with cocoa powder or powdered sugar!

Enjoy and Happy Valentine's Day!