Gluten Free Red Velvet Lava Cookies

These gluten free red velvet lava cookies are one of the best things I’ve ever baked. A soft, deep red cookie with a molten cream cheese center that oozes out when you break it open.

If you’ve ever had a lava cake, imagine that same gooey, melty surprise but in cookie form. And yes, they are completely gluten free.

The cookie dough is made with almond flour and tapioca starch instead of regular flour. You honestly can’t tell the difference. They taste rich, fudgy, and indulgent.

The trick is a little ball of sweetened cream cheese that you freeze ahead of time and wrap inside the dough. When the cookies bake, the outside sets but that center stays warm and melty.

They look impressive too. The tops crinkle as they cool, and the white cream cheese against the red cookie is a really nice contrast. Great for holidays, Valentine’s Day, or just whenever you feel like making something special.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Molten Cream Cheese Center – Breaking open a warm cookie to reveal an oozing cream cheese filling is a showstopper moment every single time.

Red Velvet Without the Flour – You get that classic red velvet and cream cheese combo in cookie form without needing any wheat flour at all.

Almond Flour Keeps Them Fudgy – Almond flour gives these cookies a rich and fudgy texture that regular flour honestly cannot match.

Ingredients

For the Cream Cheese Filling

• 4 oz Cream Cheese, softened
• 3 tbsp Powdered Sugar
• 1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract

For the Cookies

• 1 1/4 cups Almond Flour
• 3 tbsp Cocoa Powder
• 1/4 cup Tapioca Starch
• 1/2 tsp Baking Soda
• 1/4 tsp Salt
• 1/2 cup Unsalted Butter, softened
• 3/4 cup Granulated Sugar
• 1 Large Egg
• 1 tbsp Red Food Coloring
• 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
• 1 tsp White Vinegar
• 1/2 cup White Chocolate Chips

How to Make

Step 1

Make the cream cheese filling first. In a small bowl, beat the cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract together until smooth. Scoop the mixture into 12 equal portions (about 1 teaspoon each) on a parchment-lined plate. Freeze for at least 1 hour until completely solid.

Step 2

In a medium bowl, whisk together the almond flour, cocoa powder, tapioca starch, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

Step 3

In a large bowl, beat the softened butter and granulated sugar together until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the egg, red food coloring, vanilla extract, and white vinegar and beat until the color is vibrant and even. Gradually add the dry ingredients and stir until a smooth dough forms. Fold in the white chocolate chips.

Step 4

Scoop about 2 tablespoons of dough, flatten it in your palm, and place a frozen cream cheese ball in the center. Wrap the dough completely around the filling, sealing it shut and rolling into a smooth ball. Repeat with the remaining dough and filling. Place the stuffed balls on a parchment-lined baking sheet and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Step 5

Preheat your oven to 350F (175C) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Arrange the cookies 3 inches apart.

Step 6

Bake for 11 to 13 minutes until the edges are set but the centers still look puffy and slightly underdone. Do not overbake because the cream cheese center needs to stay melted and gooey.

Step 7

Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for 8 minutes. They will settle and the tops will crinkle beautifully. When you break one open, the molten cream cheese center should ooze out in a gorgeous contrast against the deep red cookie.

My Tips

Freeze the Cream Cheese Filling Until Completely Solid

Don’t rush the freezing step. If the cream cheese balls are still soft in the middle, they’ll melt into the dough while baking instead of staying as a gooey pocket in the center.

One hour is the minimum, but if you have time, leave them in the freezer for 2 hours. They should feel like little rocks when you press them. The harder they are going in, the better your lava center will turn out.

If you’re scooping them and they’re too sticky to shape, lightly wet your fingers. It makes portioning way easier.

Seal the Dough Around the Filling Completely

When you wrap the dough around the frozen cream cheese ball, make sure there are zero gaps or thin spots. If there’s even a small opening, the filling will leak out during baking and you’ll lose that molten center.

Flatten the dough into a disc that’s big enough to cover the entire ball with some overlap. Press the edges together firmly, then roll it between your palms until the surface is smooth all the way around.

If the dough feels too soft and sticky to work with, pop it in the fridge for 15 minutes before you start wrapping.

Don’t Skip the Refrigerating Step

After you’ve wrapped all the cookies, they need to chill for 30 minutes before baking. This firms up the butter in the dough so the cookies hold their shape in the oven instead of spreading out flat.

It also gives the frozen cream cheese center a head start. If you skip this step, the outside will spread too fast and the filling won’t stay contained in the middle where you want it.

More Tasty Recipes

• Gluten Free Chocolate Peanut Butter Lava Cookies
• Gluten Free Molten Lava Cakes
• Gluten Free Red Velvet Cupcakes
• Gluten Free Red Velvet Cheesecake
• Gluten Free Chocolate Crinkle Cookies

FAQ

Can I skip the white chocolate chips or swap them for something else?

You can leave them out if you prefer, and the cookies will still work just fine. The white chocolate chips add little pockets of sweetness that pair really well with the cream cheese center, but they’re not essential to the structure of the dough.

If you want a swap, dark chocolate chips or even dairy free white chocolate chips work great. Just make sure whatever you use is gluten free if that’s a concern.