Red Velvet Sandwich Cookies

Before I made these I had never made Red Velvet anything...not a cake, not cupcakes, not whoopie pies.  When I came across these cookies, I knew I had finally found just the right recipe to initiate me into the red velvet world. I love cookies, and the photo on Babble definitely looked like cookies and not whoopie pies:)

In reality these turned out to be a cross between a cookie and a whoopie pie:). Though they are not as fluffy and cakey as a whoopie pie, they do have the filling, and they are soft, though have a crispy edge. Maybe they should be called wookies! Yep, I like that.
When I bit into one, I loved it! The cocoa taste definitely came through and with the soft bite and cream cheese filling...WOW! And of course I love the deep red color:)

Some "wookies" in all their glory:) A fun and tasty Valentine goody!
Now that I have ventured into red velvet territory, I think I will become a regular visitor:)

Homemade Red Velvet Sandwich Cookies adapted from Paula Dean
(found on Babble.com/the family kitchen)
 
1/4 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
2 tablespoons buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon natural red food coloring such as Seelect or India Tree (I used regular food coloring.)
1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
4 tablespoons cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. In a large mixing bowl, cream together butter and sugar. Add in eggs one at a time, beating after each addition. Beat in buttermilk, vanilla and red food coloring. In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Stir the dry ingredients into the wet.
Scoop dough onto a lined cookie sheet using a generous medium scoop (2-3 tablespoons). Bake at 375 degrees F for 10-12 minutes until centers appear set. Allow to cool sightly. Then pull the liner onto the wire cooling rack to cool completely.

Cream Cheese Filling
8 ounces cream cheese
4 tablespoons butter, softened
2 teaspoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
4 cups powdered sugar
Cream together cream cheese and butter in a medium bowl. Beat in milk and vanilla. Sift powdered sugar over the wet ingredients and beat in until smooth. Spread in between two cooled red velvet cookies.
Makes 10-15 sandwiches.