Description

Dawn’s Easy Red Velvet Sandwich Cookies are a delightful twist on classic red velvet cake, transformed into soft, flavorful cookies sandwiched with a creamy, dreamy cream cheese icing. These cookies offer a perfect balance of moist red velvet flavor enhanced by a touch of bourbon, complemented by a rich cream cheese frosting mixed with coconut and pecans for added texture. Ideal for holidays, parties, or a special treat, this recipe is straightforward to prepare and yields 24 delicious sandwich cookies that impress with every bite.

Ingredients

Scale

Red Velvet Cookies:

1 (15.25 ounce) box red velvet cake mix
2 eggs, lightly beaten
½ cup vegetable oil
1 tablespoon bourbon

Cream Cheese Icing:

1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
¼ cup butter, softened
2 teaspoons evaporated milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
½ cup flaked coconut
4 cups confectioners’ sugar
½ cup chopped pecans

Instructions

Preheat the Oven: Set your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit (190 degrees Celsius) to ensure it’s hot and ready once your cookie dough is prepared.
Prepare the Cookie Dough: In a large mixing bowl, combine the red velvet cake mix, lightly beaten eggs, vegetable oil, and bourbon. Mix thoroughly until the dough is well incorporated and uniform in color and texture.
Shape the Cookies: Roll the dough into walnut-sized balls, approximately 1 to 1.5 inches in diameter. Space them about 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheets to allow for slight spreading.
Bake the Cookies: Place the baking sheets in the preheated oven and bake until the tops start to crack, about 8 minutes. This ensures the cookies are soft and moist yet hold their shape.
Cool the Cookies: Let the cookies cool in the pans for 10 minutes to firm up, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely before assembling the sandwiches.
Make the Cream Cheese Icing: In a large bowl, blend softened cream cheese, softened butter, evaporated milk, vanilla, and flaked coconut until smooth and creamy. Gradually add the confectioners’ sugar, one cup at a time, mixing well after each addition. Adjust the consistency by adding more evaporated milk if the mixture becomes too stiff.
Assemble the Sandwich Cookies: Spread a generous amount of cream cheese icing onto the bottom of one cookie. Top with another cookie, pressing firmly so the icing reaches the edges. Roll the sides of the sandwich in chopped pecans for added texture and flavor.
Store Extra Icing: Any leftover icing can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks, perfect for future use or extra topping.

Notes

You may have leftover cream cheese icing after assembling the cookies; it keeps well covered in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.
For variation, omit the bourbon or substitute vanilla and water if preferred; also, coconut and pecans can be left out or replaced with sprinkles or other nuts.
Chilling the dough briefly before rolling can help manage stickiness and spreading during baking.
Cookies are best enjoyed at room temperature after refrigeration to maximize flavor and texture.
The recipe works well with any red velvet cake mix and allows for creative alterations in icing flavor and decoration.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 8 minutes
Category: Dessert
Method: Baking
Cuisine: American

Keywords: Red velvet cookies, sandwich cookies, cream cheese icing, bourbon cookies, holiday cookies, easy dessert, red velvet cake mix