On the ninth day of Christmas, Jena’s Tiny Kitchen gave to you Red Velvet Cookies, Pumpkin Spice Madelines, Italian Crescent Cookies, Booze-free Brandy Snaps, Florentines, Coconut Macaroons, Peppermint Pinwheels, Rice Krispie Treats and Snickerdoodle cookies.

I don’t remember the first time I heard the story of “How the Grinch Stole Christmas”, I just remember loving it. I loved the concept of this grumpy, angry, green creature living up on a mountain all on his own, and hating all happy people. I also loved the part of how the simple spirit of Christmas, the joy of spending time together, made the Grinch realise that presents and decorations don’t matter. And that his heart grew three sizes that day.

Now, yes, Grinch cookies should be green on the outside and red on the inside, but I wanted to make red velvet cookies, and so here you go. The cream cheese filling is killer and amazing, and if you make these your friends will go wild.

If I may paraphrase a friend of mine, who is a killer cupcake QUEEN, “I just wanted to reiterate how amazingly delicious your cookies were. I think they are my favourite thing you have baked (that I have tasted). ABSOLUTELY DELICIOUS!”

Yes, they take a bit of time, and a few bowls, but the clean up will be quick and easy, when you know that these babies are waiting for you on the other side.

Ingredients

115 grams unsalted butter, room temperature
130 grams caster sugar
75 grams soft brown sugar
1 large egg, room temperature
1 tablespoon milk
8 drops red food colouring
1 teaspoon + 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
180 grams + 1 tablespoon plain flour
40 grams unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
150 grams white chocolate, roughly chopped
120 grams cream cheese
210 grams icing sugar
4 drops green food colouring

1. Beat cream cheese until fluffy in a free-standing mixer, then add the icing sugar, 1 teaspoon of vanilla and 1 tablespoon of plain flour. Mix until fully incorporated. Add green food colouring and mix until colour is evenly mixed through.
2. Using a tablespoon, scoop out the cream cheese mixture and roll it into balls (make 12 – 15). Place on baking paper on a baking tray. Repeat with the remaining mixture, then place in the freezer for at 30 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 180°C. Line a baking tray with baking paper.
4. In the bowl of a free-standing mixer, beat the butter and remaining sugars until light and creamy. Add the egg, milk, food colouring and vanilla. Mix well.
5. In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt together. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture, beating until everything is fully incorporated. Stir through the white chocolate chunks.
6. Remove the cream cheese balls from the freezer. Using a large cookie scoop, scoop the cookie dough out of the bowl, empty into your hand. Flatten the cookie dough, place a cream cheese ball into the middle, and wrap the cookie dough around the cream cheese.
7. Place on the baking tray. Repeat with 3 more cookies, leaving plenty of space (at least 10 cm) for the cookies to spread. Place left over cream cheese balls in the freezer.
8. Place in the oven and bake for 8 – 10 minutes, until no longer shiny on top. Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the baking tray for 3 – 4 minutes. Then move the cookies onto a wire rack to cool completely.
9. Repeat steps 6 – 8 until all cookie dough has been used.