Red Velvet Cookies

Day 4 of the 12 Days of Christmas Gluttony!!

So I've made green cookies, so I have to make red ones too!  Here it goes!  I've always wondered why people were so fascinated with red velvet - it looks beautiful but what is it supposed to taste like?  Well, I had no idea that it was supposed to be chocolatey until now.  These cookies have the best chocolate flavour of all the red velvet baked goods I've ever made and they will look really lovely on your dessert table or cookie tins!  (Right beside the green ones!)  Enjoy!

Tools needed:

• Measuring cups and spoons
• Cookie sheets
• Silpat baking sheets or parchment paper
• Wire cooling racks
• Electric mixer or bowl with hand mixer
• Large bowl
• Sifter or fine mesh sieve
• Spatula

Ingredients:

• 2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
• 3 tablespoons of unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons corn starch
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 13 tablespoons of butter, at room temperature
• 1 1/4 cups cane sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 large egg yolk
• 1 1/2 teaspoons white vinegar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon of red food colouring
• 1 1/3 cup white chocolate chips

Directions:

1.  Set oven to 350 degrees F.  Line baking sheets with silpat mats or parchment paper and set aside.

2.  Sift together flour, cocoa powder, corn starch, baking soda and salt into a large bowl.  Set aside.

3.  In an electric mixer, mix together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.  Slow the mixer and add egg and egg yolk until combined.  Then add the white vinegar, vanilla extract and food coloring until everything is well combined.  

4.  Slowly add dry mixture to the wet mixture, stirring with a spatula until there is no white flour mixture that can be seen.  Add 1 cup of chocolate chips and mix until combined (you can mix in the entire amount but I like to leave some aside to place onto the top of the cookies).

5.  Scoop heaping tablespoons and roll into a ball.  Drop onto cookie sheet - do not flatten!  If you want to, you can add a few white chocolate chips on top of the balls of dough.  Again, do not flatten!

6.  Bake in the oven to 8-12 minutes or until the edges slightly change colour.  Remove from the oven and allow the cookies to cool for 3-4 minutes before moving them onto a wire cooling rack to cool completely.

7.  Eat and enjoy!

(Recipe adapted from Cooking Classy)