Red and Green Velvet Cookies

Get ready to bring a festive touch to your cookie jar with these delightful Red and Green Velvet Cookies. With their vibrant colors and irresistible flavors, these cookies are perfect for holiday celebrations.

To start, preheat your oven to 375° and prepare two baking sheets by coating them with cooking spray. This will ensure that your cookies don't stick and will result in a perfectly baked batch. Now, it's time to create the vibrant colors that give these cookies their festive charm. In two medium bowls, melt ¼ cup of unsalted butter in each bowl using the microwave. To each bowl, add 2 tablespoons of plain nonfat yogurt, 1 ½ teaspoons of white vinegar and 2 teaspoons of either red or green food coloring. Beat a large egg in a small bowl and divide it between the two bowls, adding approximately 2 tablespoons to each. Finally, add ¼ cup of cocoa and 1 ½ cups of cookie mix to each bowl. Use an electric mixer on medium speed to blend the ingredients until each batter is well combined.

Now, it's time to shape the cookies. Using rounded tablespoons, scoop the cookie dough onto the prepared baking sheets. You should have around 14 cookies of each color. Pop the baking sheets into the preheated oven and bake the cookies for 12 to 15 minutes until they are set and slightly firm. Once baked, let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for about 5 minutes, then transfer them to wire racks to cool completely.

While the cookies cool, it's time to prepare the frosting. In a small saucepan, whisk together 3 tablespoons of all-purpose flour and 1 cup of 2% milk over medium heat. Continue whisking until the mixture thickens to a pudding-like consistency. Remove from heat and cover the mixture, allowing it to cool to room temperature. If desired, you can refrigerate it to speed up the cooling process. In a separate bowl, cream together 1 cup of softened unsalted butter and 1 cup of granulated sugar until fluffy. Add the cooled milk mixture and 2 teaspoons of pure vanilla extract. Continue mixing until the frosting is fluffy and smooth.

Now comes the fun part! Take two cookies of each color and crumble them into small bowls. This will provide a delightful cookie crumb topping. Take the remaining cookies and pipe the prepared frosting onto them. Then, sprinkle each frosted cookie with the cookie crumbs, creating a beautiful and delicious finishing touch.

Prep Time:  20 minutes   |    Cook Time:  15 minutes   |    Total Time:  35 minutes   |    Yields:  28 cookies

Ingredients:

Cookies:

• Carlini  Cooking Spray
• ½ cup  Countryside Creamery  Unsalted Butter, divided
• ¼ cup  Friendly Farms  Plain Nonfat Yogurt, divided
• 1 tablespoon  Tuscan Garden  White Vinegar, divided
• 2 teaspoons red food coloring
• 2 teaspoons green food coloring
• 1  Goldhen  Large Egg
• ½ cup  Baker's Corner  Baking Cocoa, divided*
• 17.5 ounces  Baker's Corner  Sugar Cookie Mix, divided*

Frosting:

• 3 tablespoons  Baker's Corner  All Purpose Flour
• 1 cup  Friendly Farms  2% Milk
• 1 cup (2 sticks)  Countryside Creamery  Unsalted Butter, softened
• 1 cup  Baker's Corner  Granulated Sugar
• 2 teaspoons  Stonemill  Pure Vanilla

*These are Seasonal items that are only in stores for a limited time and may no longer be available.

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375°. Coat 2 baking sheets with cooking spray.
2. Place ¼ cup of butter into 2 medium bowls. Microwave until melted. To each bowl, add 2 tablespoons yogurt, 1 ½ teaspoons vinegar and 2 teaspoons of red or green food coloring. Beat the egg in a small bowl and divide between the two bowls (about 2 tablespoons each). To each bowl, add ¼ cup cocoa and 1 ½ cups cookie mix. Use an electric mixer to blend on medium speed until each batter is well combined.
3. Scoop by rounded tablespoons onto prepared baking sheets (each color should yield about 14 cookies). Bake 12-15 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes on baking sheet, then transfer to wire racks.
4. Prepare frosting: In a small saucepan, whisk together flour and milk over medium heat until mixtures thickens to a pudding consistency. Cover mixture and cool to room temperature (can be refrigerated). Cream together butter and sugar until fluffy. Add milk mixture and vanilla and mix until fluffy and smooth.
5. Crumble 2 of each color cookie into small bowls. Pipe frosting onto remaining cookies and top each with cookie crumbs.

Recipe Courtesy of Chef Kates, ALDI Test Kitchen