Valentine’s Day Red Velvet Maca Cookies

There are many ways to say, “I love you”, but our favorite is with a batch of fresh, homemade Valentine's Day Red Velvet Maca Cookies. A delicious and festive dessert is sure to enchant any loved one with a sweet tooth and potentially earn you some (literal) brownie points for the thought and effort that went into baking them.

These super sweet and tender cookies have a slightly fudgy center, so ooey-gooey with a hint of that nutty maca flavor that keeps you coming back for seconds. So let’s get to it so you can show those you love how much they mean to you.

Ingredients:

• ½ cup unsalted butter (1 stick), at room temperature
• ¾ cup granulated sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 to 1 ½ tablespoon red food coloring, preferably gel
• 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• 3 tablespoons cocoa powder
• 2 teaspoons of Red Maca Powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
• 2 tablespoons buttermilk or whole milk
• 3/4 cup white chocolate, coarsely chopped into chunks

Directions:

1. Move racks to the center of the oven, and heat the oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the egg and mix until fully incorporated, about 1 minute more. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
3. Add 1 tablespoon red food coloring (and up to 1 1/2 tablespoons for really red cookies) and vanilla extract and mix on medium speed to combine. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
4. In a small bowl, whisk the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, maca powder, and salt to combine. Add to the mixer and mix on low speed until fully incorporated 1 to 2 minutes. Add the buttermilk (or milk) and mix on low speed to combine, then scrape down the sides of the bowl.
5. Add about 3/4 of the white chocolate and mix on low speed to combine. Scoop 2 tablespoon-sized balls of dough onto the prepared baking sheets, leaving at least 1 1/2 inches between each piece. Use your palm to flatten the balls slightly.

Press the remaining white chocolate chunks into the surface of each piece of dough. Bake for 12 minutes, until the cookies, appear set on the outside and puffed in the center, rotating the baking sheets halfway through. Cool completely on the baking sheet

- The Maca Team