Red Velvet Cookie with a Cream Cheese Drizzle

Ah, the holidays.  What a perfect excuse to go on a baking frenzy and it's socially acceptable and not a personal affront to any health nuts.  (Personally, I'm all about healthy food too... but wonderful sweet treats are in a category all their own.)  I had grand plans (even possible delusions of grandeur) for my holiday baking this year as I love to bring in treats as my gifts to coworkers and mail them to family and friends.  I spotted a Red Velvet Cookie recipe that used a cake mix, and although I like to make stuff from scratch, I figured one cookie with some "assistance" out of the bazillion I had planned was acceptable!

After baking these, and tasting them, I thought they were tasty but a bit dry.  Hm, what to do.  Frosting would be great, but they're plenty sweet already with that cake mix.  What goes with Red Velvet?  Cream cheese!  Okay, a cream cheese glaze with a lessened amount of sugar so the cream cheese tang comes through and is reminiscent of the real cake.  I whipped it up, and drizzled it on through my "pastry bag" of a Ziploc bag.

The boyfriend's verdict?  "The glaze really pulls it all together."  Awesome!

Red Velvet Cookies with a Cream Cheese Glaze
(adapted from WhipperBerry)


1 box of Red Velvet cake mix
1 cup of all-purpose flour
2 sticks of softened butter
1 egg
2 cups of white chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a mixing bowl, add butter and mix until soft and fluffy. Slowly add cake mix and flour. Once combined, add egg and mix completely. Add white chocolate chips, and mix for a minute or so until well combined. Form dough into one inch balls, and place into the oven for 8-10 minutes.

Cream Cheese Glaze
(adapted from Epicurious)

2 oz. cream cheese, softened
2/3 cup powdered sugar (or to taste)
2 Tbsp butter, softened
1/4 tsp. vanilla extract

Combine cream cheese, powdered sugar, butter, and vanilla in a small bowl.  Using electric mixer, beat until smooth.  Spoon glaze into Ziploc bag, cut off tip, and drizzle over cookies.  The glaze will firm up a bit after sitting for a few hours.

Enjoy!