Chocolate Peppermint Blossoms are perfect for the holiday season. The seasonal cookies combine chocolate and peppermint to make a tasty holiday cookie.
Chocolate Peppermint Blossoms
Blossoms are typical holiday cookies with peanut butter and classic chocolate Hershey Kisses. However, these chocolate peppermint blossoms turn the traditional recipe into a holiday cookie with the seasonal Hershey's Kisses. The kisses have a holiday look with their red stripes and bright white chocolate. They look even more seasonal, somehow paired with a chocolate sugar cookie.
For the base of the cookies, I used a chocolate sugar cookie recipe from Sarah Keiffer's 100 Cookies cookbook. Her basic cookies are the perfect vehicle for something like this. They have a simple flavor and pair well with mix-ins. To add a little sweetness and texture, I rolled some of the cookies in powdered sugar and some in granulated sugar.
Once I had the flavors and texture down, it was all about the bake time. The time in the oven will make or break the cookies. They have to be soft but baked. Then you have to let them cool so they don't melt the chocolate kisses, but not cool enough that they harden. It's a tricky game to master.
Looking for more holiday cookie ideas? Try my hot chocolate cookies or Hanukkah blue and whites.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Holiday Favorite - The seasonal candy makes this cookie perfect for Christmas.
- Fun to Make - This cookie requires a little more attention than other cookies but is super fun to make.
- Presentation - When the cookies are set out on a tray, they almost look too good to eat.
Ingredients Needed For Chocolate Peppermint Blossoms
- Cocoa Powder - Gives the cookies their chocolate flavor.
- Hershey Kisses - I recommend using the holiday kisses, but any kisses will work.
- Powdered Sugar - Fluff or sift the powdered sugar to get out the lumps.
- Butter - Allow the butter to soften to room temperature.
Directions For How To Make Chocolate Peppermint Blossoms
- Prepare.
Preheat the oven to 350 and prepare a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Set to the side.
- Mix dry ingredients.
Combine the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Whisk to combine and set aside.
- Cream the butter.
Cream the butter until smooth, about 1 minute. Add in the sugar and beat until light and fluffy. Add in the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla. Mix to combine and scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Combine.
Slowly add the flour mixture to the butter mixture on low speed. Mix together until fully combined and scrape down the sides when needed.
- Form the cookie dough.
Roll the cookie into small round balls, about 1 teaspoon each. Roll the balls in the powdered sugar or the granulated sugar. You want them to be fully covered in the sugar.
- Bake the cookies.
Bake the cookies for about 8 minutes. While the cookies are baking, unwrap the kisses.
- Press in the kisses.
Let the cookies cool for about 5 minutes before placing them in the Hershey Kisses. When you place the kisses in the cookies, the cookies should bubble out a little bit to form the blossom. Quickly place the cookies in the freezer for a few minutes so the kisses can settle without melting.
Serving Suggestions
These chocolate peppermint blossoms are great for the holidays. They can also be made year-round with regular chocolate kisses.
Make Ahead and Storage
- Make Ahead: The cookie can be made ahead of time and kept in an airtight container for 2-3 days before serving.
- To Store: The cookies will last for a week in an air-tight container.
- To Freeze: Store the cookies in the freezer in an airtight container or plastic bag for 2-3 months.
Tips and Variations
- Hershey Kisses - Feel free to swap out the chocolate candy for the kisses of your choice. The Hershey's Kisses come in many different varieties, so pick your favorite.
- Bake Time - The cookies might look slightly underdone when they come out of the oven. That's fine! When the edges are soft, they are ready for the kisses.
Chocolate Peppermint Blossoms
Equipment
- mixing bowls
- Measuring spoons
- cookie scoop
- cookie sheet
- hand or stand mixer
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ½ cup cocoa powder
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- ¾ tsp salt
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 and ¾ cups granulated sugar, plus ½ cup for rolling
- 1 large egg plus 1 large egg yolk
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- 1 package Holiday HERSHEY™S KISSES Candy Cane Mint Candies
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 and prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
- In a medium-sized bowl, combine the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Whisk to combine and set aside.
- In a medium-sized bowl with a hand mixer or in the bowl of a stand mixer fixed with a paddle attachment, cream the butter until smooth, about 1 minute. Add in the sugar and beat until combined and it looks light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes. Add in the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla. Mix to combine and scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Slowly add the flour mixture to the butter mixture on low speed. Mix together until fully combined and scrape down the sides when needed.
- Roll the cookie into small round balls, about 1 teaspoon each. Roll the balls in the powdered sugar or the granulated sugar. You want them to be fully covered in the sugar. Once covered in the sugar, bake the cookies for about 8 minutes. While the cookies are baking, unwrap the kisses.
- The cookies should flatten out completely, but they might look a little underdone. That is okay. Let them cool for about 5 minutes before placing them in the Hershey Kisses. When you place the kisses in the cookies, the cookies should bubble out a little bit to form the blossom. Quickly place the cookies in the freezer for a few minutes so the kisses can settle without melting.
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