Red Velvet Cookies With Cream Cheese Frosting

Total Time: 1 hr 15 mins Preparation Time: 1 hr Cook Time: 15 mins

Ingredients

• 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1 1/4 cups sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 2 tablespoons red food coloring
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup buttermilk
• parchment paper
• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• salt, a dash
• 1 (1 lb) box powdered sugar

Recipe

• 1 preheat oven to 350°.
• 2 combine the first 5 ingredients in a mixing bowl.
• 3 beat butter at medium speed with an electric mixer 2 minutes, until creamy.
• 4 gradually add sugar, beating well.
• 5 add eggs, 1 at a time, beating until blended after each addition.
• 6 beat in food coloring and vanilla.
• 7 add flour mixture alternately with buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour mixture.
• 8 beat at low speed until blended after each addition, stopping to scrape the bowl as needed.
• 9 drop dough by 1/4 cupfuls 3 inches apart onto parchment paper-lined baking sheets.
• 10 spread dough to 3-inch rounds.
• 11 bake for 15 minutes, until tops are set; cool on baking sheets 5 minutes.
• 12 remove to wire racks, and cool completely.
• 13 crumble 1 cookie into fine crumbs to use as garnish.
• 14 make frosting--beat cream cheese, butter, vanilla, and salt at medium speed with an electric mixer 1 minute, until creamy.
• 15 gradually add powdered sugar, beating at low speed 2 minutes or until smooth.
• 16 spread about 2 1/2 tablespoons cream cheese frosting onto each cookie; sprinkle with crumbs.
• 17 store cookies in refrigerator up to 5 days.