Red Velvet Cheesecake Thumbprint Cookies

Ingredients

• 1 C Unsalted Sweet cream butter softened
• 1/2 C light brown sugar
• 1 egg yolk
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 2 C flour
• 4 tsp red-red food coloring
• 2 tsp cocoa powder
• 1/2 C holiday sanding sugar
• Cream Cheese filling
• 4 ounces cream cheese softened
• 1 egg yolk
• 1/4 C sugar
• 1/8 tsp kosher salt
• 1/4 tsp pure vanilla extract

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 300 and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper
2. Using a standing mixer, beat together the butter, brown sugar, egg yolk, and vanilla until light and fluffy.
3. Gradually mix in the flour, food coloring, and cocoa powder until soft dough forms.
4. Using a small ice cream scoop, scoop some dough into your hands and roll into a ball
5. Pour the sanding sugar into a bowl
6. Roll the dough ball into the sanding sugar and set aside onto the cookie sheet
7. Repeat steps for about 11 more cookies
8. Bake for 10 minutes.
9. While the cookies are baking, using an electric mixer beat together the cream cheese, egg yolk, sugar, salt, and vanilla until smooth.
10. After the first 10 minutes of baking, use the back of a round teaspoon to create an indentation in the cookies.
11. Spoon a teaspoon of the cheesecake filling into each indentation.
12. Bake for an additional 12 minutes, until filling is set.
13. Let cool completely before enjoying!