These peppermint kiss cookies are our Christmas version of the classic blossom cookies.
Made with a yummy sugar cookie dough and candy cane kisses, these cookies are a Christmas cookie favorite.
The first "blossom cookies" were created in the 50's. Originally, they were soft chewy peanut butter and chocolate topped treats that would make your mouth water with anticipation as you waited for them to cool after baking.
Now people have adapted this recipe by adding other doughs such as sugar cookie dough or pumpkin pie spice mix into their own personalized versions!
Since we've been making tons of our own Christmas Cookie recipes lately, we decided it was time give these delicious little bite shaped delights our own twist.
These peppermint kiss cookies uses one of our favorite sugar cookie recipes, rolled in red sugar crystals and topped with a candy cane kiss.
This cookie tastes just like the holidays, the soft chewy sugar cookie with a creamy white chocolate, peppermint candy pop in the center.
Plus they look great served at a party or given as a gift.
Ingredients
The ingredient's in these cookies are all ingredients in our favorite sugar cookie recipe plus the Kisses.
You can alternatively use your own sugar cookie recipe and then follow the rest of the tutorial to create the Christmas kiss cookies.
All purpose flour: The flour is the base of the sugar cookie
Baking soda: Will allow the cookie to rise
Salt: Enhances the flavors in the cookies
Unsalted butter at room temperature: It's important for the butter to be at room temperature. This will allow the butter and sugar to emulsify together. Creating a fluffy delicious cookie.
Granulated sugar: To add sweetness
Egg: To bind the cookie together
Vanilla extract: The vanilla extract adds a delicious flavor to the cookies
Milk: Just a bit to wet the cookie dough
Colored sugar crystals: We used the red sugar crystals that you can find in the sprinkle aisle. You can use any color you like!
Hershey's Kisses Candy Cane candies: These are peppermint flavored, white chocolate candies that give this cookie a burst of holiday flavor.
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
PLEASE NOTE: If you've never made blossom cookies before, let me start by saying, please read the instructions before you make your cookies!
It can help prevent a lot of problems. I know this from experience.
The first time I ever made cookies with Hershey's kisses in them, I didn't realize that you don't actually bake the cookies with the kisses in them.
I ended up with cookies that had gooey melted chocolate on them. I mean, still delicious in their own way, but not what I was going for.
Yep, that's right. They go into the cookie after it's baked.
To start, preheat your over to 350. You'll want it to be completely warmed before you pop your cookies into the oven.
This will help prevent you from over baking your cookies.
Now you can start prepping your batter.
First whisk the flour, baking soda, and salt together in a large bowl and set aside.
In a separate bowl, beat the room temperature butter on medium speed for 5 minutes. Standing mixers are great for this step, but hand beaters work well too.
After 5 minutes, scrape the sides of the butter down and in the granulated sugar, and beat for another 5 to 7 minutes until the butter mixture is fluffly.
Add in your egg and vanilla extract, and finish beating until everything is evenly combined.
Add in the flour mixture and beat just until mixed.
Slowly add in the milk to the dough as mixer runs on medium, adding just enough to soften the dough.
Using a small cookie scoop, dish out 1 tablespoon sized portions of the cookie dough. Shape the cookie dough into ball shapes.
Roll each of the cookie dough balls into the colored sugar. We used red crsytal sugar, but your could use dyed sugar or a mixture of granulated sugar and colored sugar.
Place the finished cookie dough balls onto a baking sheet, 1 inch apart.
- Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until the cookies are puffed and the edges are set.
- Cool the cookies on the cookie sheet for 2 to 3 minutes before pressing one kiss into the center of each cookie.
Bake the cookies for 8 to 10 minutes. The cookies should be puffed out and the edges should be set.
Hint: With sugar cookies, it's tempting to bake them longer, as they often still look raw after the given time. But it's important not to overbake your cookies. They're usually finished before the look like it. Once they finish cooling, you'll they'll be soft and chewy and not overbaked.
Let the cookies cool on the cookie sheet 5-8 minutes before pressing a candy cane kiss into the center of each cookie.
Once all the cookies are loaded with kisses, transfer onto a cooling rack and allow the cookies to cool completely.
Remember that the candy kisses will start heating up and melting when stuck into the hot cookies.
Don't disturb the cookies and they should re-solidify in the classic kiss shape.
If you're concerned they won't hold their shape, you can pop the cookies into the freezer for 10-15 minutes to make sure the kisses don't melt too fast.
Variations
Here are a few ways you can vary these cookies:
- Use different colored sugar, like green or even silver
- Use a different type of Hershey's kiss
- Add a couple drops of peppermint extract
- Try rolling the dough in colored sprinkles instead of colored sugar
It's always fun to experiment with Christmas cookies. You can make these cookies your own in what ever way you want. Have fun with the colors and candies involved!
Equipment
Using a stand mixer makes this recipe so much easier! However if you don't have one, a hand held mixture can be your best friend. There is a lot of butter creaming in this recipe.
Making these cookies by hand is possible, but be sure to enlist some help as your hands will get tired of mixing.
Storage
You can store your cooled cookies in an airtight container for about a week.
You can also freeze the cookies, but make sure they are completely cooled. Sometimes the candy kisses can act funny with sudden temperature changes.
Top tips
For best results with these cookies, be sure to use room temperature butter, don't over bake the cookies, and allow them too cool 5-10 minutes before popping in your peppermint kisses.
Recipe
Peppermint Kiss Cookies
These peppermint kiss cookies are delicious sugar cookie blossom cookies made with candy cane kisses, creating a gorgeously fun Christmas cookie perfect for parties or gift giving.
Ingredients
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 to 2 tablespoons milk
- ⅓ cup colored crystal sugar
- 48 Hershey’s Kisses Candy Cane candies, unwrapped
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350f degrees. Prepare a large cookie sheet with parchment paper or cooking spray
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- Using an electric mixer, beat the room temperature butter at medium speed for 5 minutes. Scrape down the sides.
- Add the granulated sugar to the butter mixture and continue beating for 5 to 8 minutes or until light and fluffy.
- Add the egg and vanilla extract to the butter and sugar mixture, beating until well combined. Add in the flour mixture slowly and beat until just mixed.
- Slowly add milk to the dough as the mixer runs, adding just enough to soften the cookie dough.
- Using a small spoon, scoop 1 tablespoon's worth of cookie dough and shape into balls. Roll each ball in the colored sugar crystals or sprinkles. Place on the cookie sheet about 1 inch apart.
- Bake cookies for 8 to 10 minutes.
- Cool the cookies on the cookie sheet for 5 minutes before pressing a candy cane kiss into the center of each cookie.
- Transfer the cookies to a wire rack and allow the cookies to cool completely. The candies will look like they are melting but do not disturb them and they will resolidify in the correct shape.
Notes
Be sure to use room temperature butter for this recipe. It may be tempting to overbake the cookies, but don't. They're usually done before they look like it.
Food safety
One of the best parts about Christmas baking is taking a taste test for cookie dough before it's baked.
But this recipe has a raw egg in it. If you eat raw eggs, which some people like to do because they think that way there are less chances of salmonella enteritidis being in their treats; this could make things much worse and lead them down an unpleasant path with symptoms such as diarrhea, stomach cramps or vomiting - not what any one wants at all!
Other safety tips while baking Christmas cookies include
- Wash hands well before and after handling any food and utensils
- Wash all equipment, utensils and counters before and after making your cookies
- Store cookies in a clean, air tight container after they've cooled
- When cooling food items, cover loosely with a clean cloth
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