Cookie Monday | Red Velvet Cheesecake Cookies

I know, I know.

Cookie Monday on a Tuesday... shame, shame.

I know. I know... I promise, I'll work on it. But if the guys in the shop don't complain... well... these cookies are worth the wait. I swear.

These are Red Velvet Cheesecake cookies. When I first saw this recipe, from Two Peas and Their Pod, I thought, "no way."

No, really, no way. Cheesecake-filled cookies? Wow. My two favorite desserts... in one... imagine the applications, the implications. This is like my cookie kryptonite. My cookitonite. Seriously. These might be a problem.

Anyways, make these giant, delicious orbs of red velvety goodness. I promise you will enjoy every cheesecakey, wonderful bite. And before you scoff at the filling part, it's not as hard as you think. Really, just mix, freeze, and squish into giant yummy cookie balls. Super easy and so delicious you'll want to eat every single giant tasty cookie.

Red Velvet Cheesecake Cookies
Slightly adapted from Two Peas and Their Pod's original recipe, here.
Yield | 10 giant cookies

Prep Time | 10 minutes
Cook Time | 11-13 minutes
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Ingredients:

Cookie Dough

1 package red velvet cake mix (I know, totally cheating, but I promise... no one will be able to tell! I used Duncan Hines, so good)

2 tablespoons flour

2 large eggs

1/2 cup canola oil

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Cheesecake Filling

4 oz cream cheese, softened

2 cups powdered sugar

1 tablespoon sour cream

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For white chocolate icing, see my White Chocolate Ganache recipe.

Mix all ingredients for dough together. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 hours.

While dough is chilling, prepare your cheesecake filling. Mix all filling ingredients together. Scoop into tablespoon-sized balls and place on wax paper. Chill for at least 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Take roughly 1/4 cup cookie dough and wrap it around 1 scoop of cheesecake filling. Make sure it completely covers the filling so nothing leaks out. Place 3 cookies on a baking sheet (trust me, the original poster is correct, they really do expand) and bake for 11-13 minutes.

Let cool and frost with your icing. Eat. Enjoy. SO. GOOD.

Be honest. Really, could you resist?

Cookies! | Triple Chocolate Fudge

Almost too much chocolate for one cookie.

So, it's a dreary day outside, and in my boredom, I decided to make the extra cookie dough from Monday's cookies into Triple Chocolate Fudge cookies.

I took my Double Chocolate Cookies and took out the white chocolate chips.

The chips became a ganache.

And the ganache became a sweet, smooth white chocolate icing.

Top it with a milk chocolate Hershey's kiss and... voila! Triple Chocolate Fudge cookies.

I used the white chocolate ganache recipe below to coat the cookies (recipe can be found here). Once your cookies are baking, make your chocolate - it will need to chill.

Fresh, hot cookies.

White Chocolate Ganache
Yield | Enough for 12 cookies

Cook Time | 1-2 minutes, plus 15 minutes to chill
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Ingredients:

2 ounces white chocolate (I used Hershey's white chocolate chips)
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 1/2 tablespoons powdered sugar

Pour all ingredients into a microwave-safe bowl.

Microwave all ingredients in short 20 second intervals, stirring in between, until smooth. Refrigerate for 15 minutes, until chocolate is thick and smooth.

Microwave until smooth and creamy.

After the cookies were finished in the oven, I set them out to cool for 5-10 minutes, while the ganache finished setting in the fridge.

Once set, I scooped the ganache into a plastic baggy, cut the tip, and squeezed the sweet, creamy goodness onto the still-warm cookies in a spiral pattern while the cookies are still on the pan.

The warm white chocolate melts over the cookie while it stays warm on the pan.

Stick a Hershey's kiss in the middle and let the cookies sit for a couple minutes on the warm pan and the icing will melt all over their dark chocolatey deliciousness.

Probably one of my favorite variations of this cookie. So rich and chocolately, the gooey brownie-like cookie with the creamy white chocolate... so good. I highly recommend eating on right after the icing has gotten all melty - the Hershey kiss gets all soft and the middle all gooey.

Pour yourself a glass of cold milk and enjoy!

Cookie Monday | Double Chocolatey Goodness

Oh, cookies.

If there's anything I love (nearly) as much as bacon, it's cookies. I love cookies. All shapes, all sizes, they're all delicious.

In our house, surprisingly, sweets don't go that fast - with the exception of the boyfriend's favorites, like cobbers. So I send a lot of baked goods with the boyfriend for work. A garage full of men can definitely find a home for our uneaten goodies.

The first time I made these cookies, they broke the mold. Not only were they all eaten, but I made a second batch the next day, and another a week later.

And now I'm revisiting them.

Try them. They're amazing. Fantastic, even. Be warned, however: you'll never look at cookies the same way again. It's just not possible.


Double Chocolate Fudge Cookies
Yield | 12 cookies

Prep Time | 5 minutes, plus 15 minutes to chill
Bake Time | 10-12 minutes
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Ingredients:

1 box dark chocolate brownie mix (I like Duncan Hines)
1 cup flour
1 large egg
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 cup white chocolate chips
3/4 cup powdered sugar

Ignore the butter. I was thinking of frosting them, but they are so good without it!

Mix the brownie mix, flour, egg, water, and oil together. Add chocolate chips. Pour powdered sugar in a separate dish and set off to the side. Chill for 15 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Scoop out tablespoon-sized balls of dough. Roll in powdered sugar.

Bake for 10-12 minutes.

Ooey, gooey, and cracked is the best way! Sooo good.

I've tried these cookies so many ways and the dark chocolate mix is by far my favorite. Some of the flavored ones, like the peanut butter or mocha brownies, don't seem to have the same rich, chocolatey taste after the flour is added. Instead, I use the dark chocolate and vary my mix-ins. Dark chocolate with dark chocolate chips and coconut is fantastic!

Oh yes. They're that good.

Next time: Cheesy Bacon & Mushroom Chicken... a truly man-approved meal. Bacon, mushrooms, red onions and chicken with a tangy Cajun and honey mustard marinade.

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