These Hershey Kiss Sugar Cookies are a quick and easy irresistible sweet treat with a drop of chocolatey goodness embedded inside. A guaranteed crowd-pleaser for holiday parties and other festive occasions, they’re sure to delight the whole family!
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The History of Hershey’s Kisses
Hershey’s chocolate was first sold in 1900, under Milton Hershey’s chocolate company. Hershey’s Kisses were first introduced in 1907, and acquired their trademark “plume” wrapper in 1921. Production on the candy was stopped due to a ration on foil during WW2, but resumed in 1949. Starting in the 1960s, Hershey’s Kisses began being sold in many different flavors and wrapping colors.
Why This Hershey Kiss Cookie Recipe is a Keeper
These melt in your mouth cookies with Hershey Kisses in the center are an easy favorite for any occasion. Here are just a few reasons why:
- Easy Ingredients: All of the ingredients used in this recipe are so easy to find in the store if you don’t have them already!
- Family Friendly: Kids love cookies, and they’re sure to love these holiday sugar cookies as well.
- Makes a Great Gift: These cookies are an easy and yummy gift to give to your loved ones this holiday season.
If you’re looking for more cookie recipes, try these Strawberry Jam Cookies, Peanut Butter Cookie Bars, and Thumbprint Hershey Kiss Cookies.
Why is It Called a Hershey’s Kiss?
Although it isn’t quite known where the famous chocolate candy got its name, some people think it’s because similar candies at the time they were created were generally called “kisses,” while others believe the name comes from the noise the factory machines made when the candies were manufactured.
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Ingredient Notes for Hershey Kiss Cookies
The ingredients for these Hershey sugar cookie blossoms are super simple, and you probably have many of them on hand already! Here are some important ones:
- Shortening: Adding shortening when making cookies ensures that the cookies will be softer, more tender, and also ‘taller’ instead of flat.
- Vanilla Pudding: Pudding helps to add flavor to the recipe as well as softness to the cookies.
- Baking Powder: Baking powder helps the cookie dough to expand when baking creating light and airy cookies.
- Hershey’s Kisses: A Hershey’s Kiss in the center of each cookie makes for a sweet and delightful treat!
See the recipe card below for a complete list of the ingredients with measurements.
Variations and Substitutions
These Hershey Kiss sugar cookies are easy to make and sure to impress! Looking to mix them up? Here are some great options:
- Candy: Don’t want to use chocolate Kisses for this recipe? Try nuts or peanut butter cups instead for classic peanut butter blossom cookies.
- Sprinkles: Add sprinkles on top of your Hershey’s Kiss sugar cookies for a pop of color!
- Chocolate Drizzle: Drizzle these cookies in chocolate for a delicious extra touch.
How to Make Hershey Kiss Sugar Cookies Step-by-Step
You won’t want to miss these sugar cookies with Hershey Kiss candies in the center! Just follow this easy recipe to make your new favorite holiday baking treat.
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These are the basic steps for making Hershey Kiss sugar cookies. Refer to the full, printable recipe card below for detailed instructions.
Step 1: Prep
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and prepare a silicone baking mat or baking sheet with parchment paper. Whisk together the butter, shortening, and granulated sugar together in a large bowl using the paddle attachment on your stand mixer Add in eggs, vanilla, and pudding. Stir well. In another bowl, stir the flour, baking powder, and salt together.
Step 2: Make the Dough
Add the butter and all-purpose flour mixture together in little increments, use a spatula to scrape down the sides.
Step 3: Cookie Dough Balls
Scoop using a cookie scoop and roll the dough balls. Push a Hershey Kiss into the center of the cookie ball and pinch around the chocolate to form a cone shape.
Step 4: Chill until Ready to Bake
Place the cookie dough in the fridge for an hour. Place the chilled cookies on the baking sheet two inches apart.
Step 5: Bake
Bake for 12 minutes on a cookie sheet. Remove cookies from the oven and let cool on the tray until they are warm.
Step 6: Decorate
Place the powdered sugar in a bowl and roll the cookies in the sugar. Immediately transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.
Recipe FAQs for Holiday Party Candy Dessert
Expert Tips for Making Hershey Kiss Cookies
- Chill: Make sure you chill your dough before baking so that the cookies keep their unique cone shape.
- Don’t overbake: Hershey Kiss sugar cookies should be light and airy. Make sure you don’t overbake them, or else they will come out flat and brittle.
- Candy Topping: To make this dessert a little more festive, replace the chocolate Hershey Kiss with a candy cane one! Or add some colorful sanding sugar.
- Shortening: Adding shortening when making cookies ensures that the chewy cookies will be softer, more tender, and also ‘taller’ instead of flat.
- Vanilla: Vanilla extract helps to enhance the flavors in baked goods like cookies. Without it, they could taste dull!
- Vanilla Pudding: Pudding helps to add flavor to the recipe as well as softness to the cookies.
What to Serve with Hershey Kiss Sugar Cookies
Hershey Kiss Sugar Cookies
Ingredients
- ¾ Cups Butter–softened
- ¼ Cup Shortening
- 1 ½ Cups Sugar
- 2 Eggs
- 1 ½ tsp Vanilla
- 2 ½ Cups Flour
- 1 Box Instant Vanilla Pudding
- 1 tsp Baking Powder
- ½ tsp Salt
- 70-80 Hershey Kisses
- 2 Cups Powdered Sugar
Instructions
- Cream together butter, shortening, and sugar with an electric mixer.
- Add in eggs, vanilla, and instant pudding mix.
- Continue mixing until thoroughly incorporated.
- In a separate bowl stir together flour, baking powder and salt.
- Add the four mixture to the butter mixture a little at a time mixing between additions until all the flour is incorporated.
- Scoop out dough by the tablespoonful.
- Make a ball with the dough and then press a Hershey Kiss into the center.
- Pinch the dough up and around the kiss to create a cone shaped ball of dough.
- Repeat until all dough is used.
- Place the cookies in the refrigerator for at least an hour.
- When ready to bake preheat the oven to 350 and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Place the chilled cookies on a baking sheet about 2 inches apart.
- Bake for 12-15 minutes or until set and lightly golden brown around the edges.
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool on the baking sheet for about 5 minutes or until cool enough to handle but still warm.
- Place the powdered sugar in a bowl.
- Place the warm cookies in the bowl of powdered sugar and gently roll to coat.
- Place on a cooling rack to cool completely.
- Once the cookies are cooled completely roll them in the powdered sugar again to coat in another layer.
Expert Tips
-
- Chill: Make sure you chill your dough before baking so that the cookies keep their unique cone shape.
- Don’t overbake: Hershey Kiss sugar cookies should be light and airy. Make sure you don’t overbake them, or else they will come out flat and brittle.
- Candy Topping: To make this dessert a little more festive, replace the chocolate Hershey Kiss with a candy cane one! Or add some colorful sanding sugar.
- Shortening: Adding shortening when making cookies ensures that the chewy cookies will be softer, more tender, and also ‘taller’ instead of flat.
- Vanilla: Vanilla extract helps to enhance the flavors in baked goods like cookies. Without it, they could taste dull!
- Vanilla Pudding: Pudding helps to add flavor to the recipe as well as softness to the cookies.