Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).

In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar together until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.

Beat in the egg, vanilla extract, and red food colouring until well blended.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Gradually mix this into the wet ingredients until just combined.

Using a cookie scoop, drop spoonfuls of dough onto baking sheets lined with parchment paper, spacing them about 2 inches apart.

Slide your tray into the oven and bake for about 10-12 minutes or until the edges are set but the centres are still soft.

Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to wire racks to cool completely.

If using, whip together the cream cheese, vanilla, icing sugar, and a splash of milk until light and fluffy.

Spread or pipe frosting onto each cooled cookie.