Red Velvet Cookies

Red Velvet Cake is huge in our family. And I mean HUGE. But, for whatever reason we only have it once a year- on Dad's birthday because it's his favorite- or if someone specifically requests it, which never happens. Not sure why.
Anyway...we love when we have the chance to eat it because it's SO delicious (again, why do we not make this more often?). So during my adventures at the library looking for something interesting to read, I stumbled upon this mystery series. The titles of the books are all "insert some kind of food here MURDER." My eye lands on the bright orange one that's entitled "The Carrot Cake Murder." OOOOOOO! Death by carrot cake, SCARRRRRY! So I grab that one and a couple others and check out. Upon closer inspection of bright orange book I see that it has recipes in it. Yay! A dorky mystery novel AND recipes?! It must be fate! Now I'll go ahead and tell you that I own and entire series of books where a Siamese cat and his 50 some year old owner solve crimes. And I love that series. And I'm sad that the author no longer writes those books. *tear*. Moving on!
So it's no surprise that I might like this book. And I did. Not only because it has recipes, but because I'm a dork and it was an easy read. Good beach book. So. Not only was there a recipe for carrot cake (which I'll make one day here and post if it's good) but there was a recipe for Red Velvet Cookies! Aaaaaand NOW you see where I was going with this whole rant. So I made these cookies earlier (mostly to take to my Pampered Chef meeting tonight) and they turned out pretty well so I'm sharing the recipe with you! Aren't you excited?! I know you are. Calm down. They also call for cream cheese frosting (!!!!), which seems kinda weird to have frosting on a cookie, but I think they'd be missing something if they didn't have it. They weren't as chewy as I was hoping they'd be (maybe I cooked them a minute too long) so mine ended up kind of fluffy inside. But still good. Husband said they were an 8 out of 10 (awwww) but he'd eat anything sweet I gave him, so his opinion doesn't count.
So, to make a long story short (too late, they scream!) here's the recipe for Red Velvet Cookies & Cream Cheese Frosting:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees, rack in middle position

• 2- 1 oz squares unsweetened baking chocolate
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter at room temp
• 2/3 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
• 1/3 cup white sugar
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 large egg
• 1 tbsp red food coloring
• 3/4 cup sour cream
• 2 cups flour, firmly packed
• 1 cup chocolate chips

Line cookie sheets with parchment paper or foil (recipe says to spray with Pam, but I don't think it's terribly necessary).
Unwrap squares of chocolate and place in microwave safe dish. Microwave for 90 seconds, then stir until smooth and set aside to cool.
Combine butter, brown sugar and sugar together in a bowl (or bowl of countertop mixer). Mix until smooth.
Add baking soda and salt and mix until combined.
Add the egg and mix until smooth. Add food coloring and mix.
Add melted chocolate and mix until thoroughly combined.
Add 1 cup (the first cup) of flour and mix until combined.
Add the sour cream. Mix.
Add the rest of the flour (that's the second cup) and mix until incorporated.
Mix in chocolate chips.
Use a teaspoon to spoon the dough onto the parchment paper lined cookie sheets (12 cookies to a standard sheet). If the dough is sticky, chill for 1/2 hour. Bake for 9-11 minutes or until the cookies rise and become firm. Mine took the full 11 min.
To cool, slide paper off cookie sheet onto wire rack and let cool. Then frost!
Cream Cheese Frosting

• 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) softened butter
• 4 oz softened cream cheese
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 2 cups powdered sugar

Mix butter, cream cheese and vanilla until smooth. Add in powdered sugar in 1/2 cup increments until frosting is of proper spreading consistency.
Enjoy! And I'd love to know how yours turned out! Did you like them? I've got more recipes from that book to post...Next up, Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake. Yum!