Description
Candy Cane Kiss Cookies are delightful peppermint-flavored cookies featuring a crunchy candy cane bite and a signature Hershey’s Candy Cane Kiss pressed into the center. These festive cookies combine a soft buttery texture with a sparkling sugar coating, perfect for holiday celebrations or a sweet treat any time.
Ingredients
Scale
Cookie Dough
- ½ cup unsalted butter softened
- 1¼ cup white sugar divided
- 1 large egg
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ tsp peppermint extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ¼ tsp baking soda
- ¼ tsp salt
- 2 tsp milk
- ½ cup crushed candy canes
Topping
- 28 Hershey’s Candy Cane Kisses
Instructions
- Prepare Baking Sheets: Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside to prevent sticking during baking.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: Using a handheld mixer on medium-low speed, beat the softened butter and 1 cup of white sugar together until the mixture is light and fluffy, about 1 to 2 minutes.
- Add Wet Ingredients: Add the egg, vanilla extract, and peppermint extract to the creamed mixture and continue mixing for another 1 minute until fully incorporated.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, baking soda, and salt. Stir well until evenly mixed.
- Combine Wet and Dry: Add the dry ingredient mixture, milk, and crushed candy canes to the wet ingredients. Beat just until combined, approximately 30 seconds, being careful not to overmix.
- Form Cookies: Scoop the dough into 1 tablespoon-sized portions and roll each into a smooth ball with your hands.
- Coat Dough Balls: Roll each dough ball in the remaining ¼ cup of white sugar until they are fully coated on the outside.
- Chill Dough: Place the coated dough balls on the prepared cookie sheets about 2 inches apart. Refrigerate the cookie sheets flat for 2 hours to chill the dough before baking.
- Preheat Oven: While the dough chills, preheat your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Bake Cookies: Remove dough from the refrigerator and bake for 10 minutes or until the centers are set but cookies remain soft.
- Add Kisses: Allow cookies to cool for 5 minutes after baking, then gently press an unwrapped Hershey’s Candy Cane Kiss in the center of each cookie to create the classic festive look.
Notes
- For best flavor, use fresh crushed candy canes to enhance the peppermint taste and crisp texture.
- Chilling the dough is essential to prevent cookies from spreading too much during baking, resulting in perfectly shaped treats.
- You can substitute peppermint extract with pure vanilla extract if peppermint is not desired, though flavor will differ.
- Store leftover cookies at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 5 to 7 days to maintain freshness.
- For an extra festive touch, sprinkle a little extra crushed candy cane on top of the kisses before serving.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 120 kcal
- Sugar: 10 g
- Sodium: 70 mg
- Fat: 6 g
- Saturated Fat: 3.5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 15 g
- Fiber: 0.5 g
- Protein: 1 g
- Cholesterol: 20 mg
