Ingredients:
- 315g all-purpose flour
- 25g unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
- 8g cornstarch
- 5g baking soda
- 2g fine sea salt
- 170g unsalted butter, softened
- 150g granulated cane sugar
- 100g light brown sugar, packed
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 5ml white vinegar
- 10ml pure vanilla extract
- 2 tsp red food coloring gel
- 170g white chocolate chips
- 115g light cream cheese, chilled
- 120g powdered sugar, sifted
- 2ml vanilla extract
Instructions:
- Prep the oven. Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F) and line two large baking sheets with parchment paper. Note: Preheating is non negotiable for the right rise.
- Sift the dry. Whisk together 315g flour, 25g cocoa, 8g cornstarch, 5g baking soda, and 2g sea salt in a medium bowl until the color is a uniform light brown.
- Cream the fats. Beat 170g softened butter with 150g granulated sugar and 100g brown sugar until the mixture looks pale and fluffy. This usually takes about 3 minutes.
- Emulsify the liquids. Add the egg, 5ml vinegar, 10ml vanilla, and 2 tsp red gel color, beating until the dough turns a brilliant, deep ruby.
- Fold the base. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet, mixing on low speed until just combined with no white streaks remaining.
- Add the texture. Gently fold in 170g white chocolate chips using a spatula until they are evenly distributed through the red dough.
- Chill the dough. Cover and refrigerate for 60 minutes. Note: This prevents the cookies from spreading into flat pancakes.
- Scoop and arrange. Form 40g balls of dough and place them 5 cm apart on the sheets. Bake for 10 minutes until the edges are set but the centers still look slightly soft.
- Prepare the frosting. While cookies cool, beat 115g chilled cream cheese with 120g powdered sugar and 2ml vanilla until the texture is silky and holds a soft peak.
- Final assembly. Once the cookies are completely cool, pipe a small swirl of frosting onto each center until the white pops beautifully against the red.