Red Velvet Christmas Thumbprint Cookies Recipe

The best red velvet cookies with chocolate in the middle.

5 from 1 vote

Red Velvet Christmas Thumbprint Cookies Recipe

This Red Velvet Christmas Thumbprint Cookies Recipe is soft, delightful red velvet cookies with red sprinkles and a dark chocolate kiss in the middle. And they're gluten free too!

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Diet Gluten Free

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 12

Total Time 32

Servings cookies

Calories 91kcal

Author Lise Sullivan Ode

Ingredients

1 ½ cups gluten free all purpose flour (or regular flour if you don't want them gf) I used King Arthur
1 tablespoon cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
10 tablespoons unsalted butter softened
⅔ cup light brown sugar packed
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ teaspoon red food coloring gel or 1 tablespoon red food coloring
1 cup red sugar sprinkles or 2 bottles (2.25oz each)
48 dark chocolate kisses

Instructions

Line 4 half sheet pans with parchment paper. Set aside.
Whisk the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl. Beat the butter and brown sugar in a large bowl with a mixer on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the egg, vanilla and food coloring and beat until smooth and the color is fully incorporated. Reduce the mixer speed to low, add the flour mixture and beat until just combined. Cover and refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour.
Preheat oven to 350°F. Take dough out of the fridge and let it warm up for about 10 minutes. This might sound weird but trust me. Roll ½ tablespoonfuls of dough into balls, dip in red sanding sugar and arrange 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets. Bake cookies for 8 minutes. Remove from oven and place a chocolate kiss in the middle of each cookie. Let cool completely.
Store cookies in airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or for a week in the refrigerator.

Notes

If you make them with all purpose flour (not gluten free), they will spread out a little more when baked. Also, if you live in a higher altitude the cookies will puff up more. I originally made them in Georgia (1217 ft). Now I'm in Florida (28 ft) and they don't puff up as much.

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