Valentine's Day Yummies -- Red Velvet Cookie Sandwiches

It's obvious why Red Velvet seems to be the culinary spokes-pastry of Valentine's Day--both chocolate AND bright red, with a sweet, rich flavor and so many variations, it's the perfect symbol of the Day of Love & Chocolate.

My play opens this week. You know, that play that opens with ten pages of me talking to myself (I'm Alice in Alice in Wonderland!). If you've been reading my blog for any amount of time you've probably seen the following pattern: Stress = Much Baking. Not only does it get my mind off the stressy situation at hand, it gives me a delicious little stress reducing snack: bonus! At the end of yesterday I'd made no fewer than five different types of Red Velvet something-or-other, and I had flour caked in so deeply to my pants that I fear they'll never recover. But I felt much better and ready to take on that dialogue with a pep in my step.

I realized I couldn't possibly blog about EVERYTHING I made, so I had to choose. Cupcakes? Nah, everyone and their mother is doing Red Velvet cupcakes... 2-Ingredient-Pinterest-Fudge? Eh, not my favorite, and while it wasn't a total fail, it didn't come out too pretty. Brownies? Maybe... Red Velvet Cookie Sandwiches? SCORE.

These are probably one of the tastiest things I've ever made. And while it's a bit taboo of a recipe (IT USES CAKE MIX, SHH DON'T TELL!) it is all so worth it. The cookie is soft and chewy with a rich chocolate flavor, and the cream cheese filling is light and fluffy and sweet.

If I don't get around to posting another red recipe, I hope everyone has a lovely Valentine's Day with the one they love! It's strange this year to be looking forward to the day itself--or rather the day before, since I will be in dress rehearsal for Alice in Wonderland  on the actual day--and having someone to share it with, rather than the half price candy day I usually get excited about.

Oh, who am I kidding? I'm looking forward to Half Price Candy Day too!

 Red Velvet Cookie Sandwiches
(Cookie recipe from here, frosting recipe from my brain)

Cookies:

• 1 box Red Velvet cake mix
• 1 egg
• ¼ cup water
• ¼ cup vegetable oil
• powder sugar

Cream Filling:

• 1 8oz block of cream cheese, softened
• 3 tbs butter, softened
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1.5-2 cups powdered sugar

-Heat oven to 350 degrees F. In a stand mixer or using your own elbow grease with a wooden spoon, mix together cake mix, oil, water and egg. Dough will be sticky. Roll dough into 1 inch balls and drop into a small bowl of powdered sugar.

-Roll dough balls in powder sugar and place on a parchment-paper (or silpat) lined baking sheet. Bake 8-10 minutes, until cookies begin to spread and show "crinkle" texture. Cool on cookie rack.

-While cookies are cooling, prepare the frosting. Mix the first three ingredients in a stand or hand mixer and slowly add powdered sugar, until desired consistency is reached.

-When cookies are completely cool, spoon frosting onto one side and sandwich with another cookie. Let set and then enjoy! Store in an airtight container.