Description
Delightfully festive and chewy Chocolate Peppermint Blossoms combine rich cocoa-flavored soft cookies with a refreshing peppermint Candy Cane Hershey Kiss center. These holiday treats are perfect for gifting or sharing at celebrations.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups (188 g) all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
- 1/2 cup (40 g) cocoa powder, Dutch process
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
Wet Ingredients
- 3/4 cup (168 g) unsalted butter, softened
- 3/4 cup (165 g) light brown sugar, packed
- 1/4 cup (50 g) granulated sugar
- 2 egg yolks, at room temperature
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Toppings
- 34 Candy Cane Hershey Kisses, frozen
- 1/4 cup (50 g) granulated sugar for rolling dough
Instructions
- Freeze Kisses: Unwrap 34 Candy Cane Hershey Kisses and place them in the freezer for 30 minutes to firm up their shape for pressing into cookies later.
- Preheat Oven: Heat oven to 350°F (175°C) and line three baking sheets with parchment paper to prepare for baking the cookies.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until evenly combined to ensure a balanced chocolate base.
- Cream Butter and Sugars: In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to cream the softened butter with brown sugar and granulated sugar for 1-2 minutes until the mixture is light and fluffy.
- Add Egg Yolks and Vanilla: Mix in the egg yolks and vanilla extract until the batter turns pale and fluffy, about 1-2 minutes, which adds richness and flavor.
- Combine Dry and Wet: Gradually add the dry ingredient mixture into the wet ingredients and mix until fully combined to form a soft cookie dough.
- Portion Dough: Using a 1 tablespoon scoop, portion the dough into 34 equal balls and roll each ball between your hands into a smooth sphere.
- Roll in Sugar: Roll each dough ball in granulated sugar to create a sparkly and crisp outer coating, then place them on prepared baking sheets spaced about 2 inches apart to allow for spreading.
- Bake Cookies: Bake the cookies for 7-8 minutes at 350°F; 7 minutes will yield chewier cookies while 8 minutes produces slightly firmer but still soft cookies.
- Add Kisses: Immediately after removing the cookies from the oven, press a frozen Candy Cane Kiss into the center of each cookie while still warm, allowing them to gently soften but retain shape.
- Cool and Set: Let the cookies cool completely on the baking sheets until the Hershey Kisses have hardened and set, preventing deformation and keeping presentation intact.
- Serve: Once cooled, transfer the cookies to a serving plate and enjoy this festive treat perfect for holiday gatherings.
- Store Leftovers: Store any remaining cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to three days to maintain freshness and texture.
Notes
- Measure your flour properly: Always spoon flour into your measuring cup and level it off with a knife or weigh it to avoid packing too much flour, which can result in dry cookies. One cup of flour weighs approximately 125 grams.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 110 kcal
- Sugar: 10 g
- Sodium: 70 mg
- Fat: 6 g
- Saturated Fat: 3.5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 14 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 1.5 g
- Cholesterol: 30 mg
