Use your favorite Peppermint Kisses to top these Chocolate Peppermint Cookies! This is a holiday spin on blossom cookies that is so simple and completely delicious.
I love the flavor combination of rich chocolate and peppermint. Hershey’s Candy Cane Kisses are a white chocolate kiss with red and white swirls, peppermint flavor, and a bit of candy crunch. They are the perfect topper for soft chocolate Christmas Cookies.
Look for these kisses starting after Halloween when the stores start putting out holiday candy. They are a seasonal item, and you can’t get them all year. I stock up on them in November so that I can make these chocolate peppermint kiss cookies and have them around later in the year when I’m craving that sweet, creamy, peppermint flavor.
If you’re looking for delicious and simple Christmas cookie recipes, make sure you check out my Melting Snowman Cookies, and festive Eggnog Cookies too. Peanut Butter Blossoms are the classic version of this kiss cookie.
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Why You’ll Love this Cookie Recipe
- Make with Kids: Little ones love helping to make these kiss cookies. Let them unwrap the candies, roll the dough in the sugar, and carefully place the kisses on top when the cookies come out of the oven.
- Simple, Easy Recipe: All of the ingredients in these easy chocolate peppermint cookies are common pantry staples. Pick up a bag of peppermint kisses and you will be ready to bake.
- Double Chocolate Peppermint Cookies: I use both unsweetened cocoa powder and melted chocolate chips to make these cookies extra rich.
- Holiday Flavors: Candy canes and chocolate are traditional Christmas flavors that will put a smile on your family’s faces. Plan to make these every year because you’ll be remembered for these!
Key Ingredients
Complete list of ingredients with quantities and instructions is located in the recipe card below
- Unsalted Butter: I prefer unsalted butter for baking because I can control the amount of salt in the recipe that way. Allow your butter to soften at room temperature before starting.
- Sugar: A combination of both brown sugar and granulated white sugar gives these chocolate peppermint cookies a softer texture. We’ll also roll the cookies in more granulated sugar before baking them.
- Egg: One large egg goes into the cookie dough. Let the egg sit at room temperature along with the butter. Room temperature eggs will incorporate better into your cookie dough.
- Vanilla Extract: Always use pure vanilla extract rather than imitation extract.
- Semi-Sweet Chocolate: Melted chocolate makes these cookies extra rich. Use semi-sweet chips, sweetened baking chocolate, or your favorite sweet dark chocolate bar (about 50% cacao). Melt the chocolate before adding.
- Flour, Cocoa Powder, Baking Powder, and Salt: These are the dry ingredients for the cookie dough. I like to mix them together in a separate bowl using a whisk, but you can just add them into the mixer too.
- Hershey’s Candy Cane Kisses: These special holiday kisses make these cookies so delicious! Of course, unwrap them before using them.
How to make Chocolate Peppermint Cookies
- Prepare: Preheat the oven to 350°F/180°C, and line 2 half-sheet size cookie sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats and set aside.
- Cream: In the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, cream the butter with the sugars until light and creamy (this takes about 1 minute).
- Mix Wet Ingredients: Add the egg and vanilla extract and beat again until the egg is well incorporated. Then add the melted chocolate and beat again. Scrape off the sides of the bowl with a spatula and continue beating until well combined.
- Add Dry Ingredients: Add the flour, baking powder, cocoa powder, and salt, then beat on low until just combined.
- Scoop and Roll: Using a small cookie scoop (1 tablespoon size), scoop out dough and roll between your palms to create smooth, even balls. Roll each ball in granulated sugar and then place on the baking sheets 2 inches apart.
- Bake: Bake the cookies for 9 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 3-5 minutes on the pan.
- Add Kisses: Press a peppermint chocolate kiss into the center of each cookie. The cookie will crack a little, and that’s ok! Allow cookies to cool completely, then remove from the pan.
Kiss Cookies Tips
- Add Kisses at the right time: If you add the kisses to the top of the cookies when the cookies are too hot, they will melt. If you wait too long to add them, they won’t stick. Set a timer, and add the kisses after the cookies have cooled for about 4 minutes for best results.
- Remove Cookies after 9 minutes: It’s hard to see when chocolate cookies are done because they are already dark and you won’t see them browning. The cookies are ready when the timer is up, or when they are no longer shiny.
- Use a Cookie Scoop: For the correct cookie to kiss ratio, you want the cookies to be a certain size. Using a small cookie scoop will help you get this part right.
- No Mixer? No problem! You can use a handheld mixer to make these cookies rather than a stand mixer. You may need to mix in the flour by hand since this dough is pretty thick.
- Make Ahead: You can make the dough for peppermint chocolate cookies and store it in the freezer for up to three months. When you’re ready to bake with it, thaw it overnight in the fridge. Then follow the recipe instructions to finish the cookies.
How to Store
Store baked cookies in an airtight container for up to 5 days at room temperature.
You can freeze chocolate peppermint kiss cookies for up to 3 months. Allow them to thaw at room temperature before serving.
More Christmas Treats to Make This Year!
- Christmas Haystack Cookies
- Gingerbread Cookie Bars
- Christmas Tree Brownie Bites
- Buckeye Brownie Cookies
- Ricotta Cookies
- Pizzelle Cookies
FAQs
Generally, dry cookies have been baked for too long. Make a note and reduce the cooking time the next time you make these. You also want to make sure that you’re measuring your flour correctly. Spoon the flour into the measuring cup and level it off, rather than scooping it into the container.
Thicker peppermint white chocolate bark candy can be used to get this same flavor, but won’t look quite as nice. Hershey’s Bells are a fun option too, or Dove “Gifts” that are dark chocolate and peppermint bark. Feel free to swap out these kisses for any flavor of chocolate or white chocolate candy that you prefer.
I think so! Although I haven’t tried it myself, I think that you could press crushed candy canes into the kisses after they’ve softened a bit on the cookies. This would give your chocolate peppermint cookies an extra festive bit of crunch.
I like to do this in the microwave. Place the chips in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on high for 30 seconds. Remove from the microwave and stir. Repeat the process until the chips are melted and the chocolate is smooth.
Each 10-ounce bag of Hershey’s kisses has 70-75 kisses in it, so you can make two batches of this recipe using one bag!
Don’t forget to Pin this recipe! You’ll want to have it next year when everyone asks you to make these cookies again.
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