Red Velvet Cream Cheese Cookies

I think I may have died and gone to cookie heaven. I took a recipe for red velvet cake-mix cookies, and stuffed them with a sweet cream cheese filling, and created melt-in-your-mouth deliciousness. I have seen a couple of stuffed red velvet cookie recipes floating around, but they seem much more cake-like than these. No, these cookies, are soft and chewy and the filling is smooth and creamy. They do take a bit of time to put together, but it is oh so worth it. Your diet will be in danger. You have been warned.

Red Velvet Cream Cheese Cookies
Adapted from: How Sweet it is and Baking Bites

Cookies:
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 box Red Velvet cake mix

Cream Cheese Filling:
6-oz cream cheese
2-oz white chocolate chips
2 tbsp sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract

1. In a bowl, whisk together the eggs, vanilla, and oil. Add in the cake mix, and stir until combined. ( Dough should have a thick, almost paste-like texture.) Turn dough out onto a sheet of wax paper and roll in a log about 2 inches wide. Place into the freezer for 30-45 minutes.
2. Prepare cream cheese filling. Place white chocolate chips in a zip top bag and place the bag in cup of hot water to melt the chocolate. Place cream cheese in a bowl and microwave for 30 seconds. To the cream cheese add sugar and vanilla. Add in the melted white chocolate and mix well. Place mixture in the freezer with the cookie dough.
3. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and preheat oven to 350 degrees. (I would recommend wearing plastic gloves for this next step.) Remove cookie dough and cream cheese mixture from freezer. Cut the cookie dough log in half and return one half to the freezer. (You will have to bake these in 2 batches) Unwrap the dough and cut off about one inch and flatten down into a large circle. Spoon 1/2 TBS of cream cheese mixture into the center of the dough. Carefully wrap the dough around the cream cheese and place seam side down on cookie sheet. Repeat with remaining ingredients. Bake for 15-18 minutes. Let cool on the pan for 5 minutes before moving to a wire rack. While the first batch is cooling repeat what you just did with the second batch in the freezer. Enjoy with a large glass of milk!

Makes 16 cookies. For best quality, store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.