Chocolate Peppermint Blossoms

Chocolate Peppermint Blossoms are a soft, chewy chocolate cookies topped with white peppermint candy kisses.

We have been trying our best this holiday season to slow down and just enjoy it all. Quieter moments over attending all the holiday events that come our way. It’s so easy to say “yes” to everything this time of year because it’s Christmas, but the most special moments of the season are usually found in between the events. Reading books in front of the fire, driving slowly through the neighborhood to take in all the lights, listening to the older girls chatter as they unwrap candy to use in Christmas cookies.

It’s nice to feel like we are savoring the season – both figuratively and literally! These blossom-style cookies are most often made with a peanut butter base and a chocolate Hershey’s Kiss on top, but this twist combines chocolate and peppermint. It’s worth seeking out the Hershey’s Kisses with Candy Cane Flavored White Chocolate to top the cookies. I’ve been seeing them everywhere this year, and they’re totally delicious on their own.

Ingredients for Chocolate Peppermint Blossom

• Hershey’s Kisses with Candy Cane Flavored White Chocolate – These are white chocolate and peppermint candies used on top of the cookies. They have tiny crystals inside like little bits of candy cane. They’re delicious and really make these cookies special, but any type of Hershey’s Kisses will work.
• Hershey’s Special Dark Cocoa- I’ve been loving this new unsweetened cocoa powder (also featured in these cookies). The dark cocoa powder gives the cookies a richer flavor and also gives them a much darker, more eye-catching color.
• All-Purpose Flour, Baking Soda, Butter, Eggs, etc. – The other things you need are just basic ingredients for cookies, most of which you probably have in your pantry / fridge.

How to Freeze Christmas Cookies

My favorite genre of Christmas cookies are the ones that can be made ahead and frozen. Frozen cookie dough is perfect for last minute gatherings, host / hostess gifts, or the occasional holiday cookie craving. If made ahead and frozen, you can have a big batch of these ready to go (eat) in under 15 minutes.

To freeze Chocolate Peppermint Blossom Cookies: Make the cookie dough and roll it into balls. Place the cookie dough balls on a sheet pan lined with parchment or wax paper. Freeze until firm, 3 to 4 hours. Transfer the cookie dough to a plastic zip-top freezer bag. Unwrap the Hershey’s Kisses and freeze them in a separate plastic zip-top bag. Both can be stored in the freezer for up to 6 months.

To bake frozen cookies: Preheat the oven. Place the frozen cookie dough balls on a sheet pan lined with parchment or sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. Bake according to directions, but add 1 to 2 minutes to the bake time.

Tools for making Chocolate Peppermint Blossoms

KitchenAid Stand Mixer – Tried and true. I got my KitchenAid in 2005, and it’s still going strong.
Half Sheet Pan – A good, sturdy half sheet pan insures evenly baked cookies.
Parchment Paper Sheets – I only recent discovered these, and I’m totally hooked. These sheets are perfectly sized to fit on a half sheet pan (as opposed to rolls of parchment paper that never quite fit). They even have a very faint grid across the surface that helps with keeping an even amount of space between cookies as they bake.
Silpat Non-Stick Baking Mat – If not using parchment to bake cookies, Silpat mats last forever and no cookie will every stick if baked on one of these.

Chocolate Peppermint Blossoms

 

Print

Prep time

15 mins

Cook time

8 mins

Total time

23 mins

 

Chocolate Peppermint Blossoms are a soft, chewy chocolate cookie topped with white peppermint candy kisses.

Author: Jess Smith via Inquiring Chef

Yield: 48

Ingredients

• 48 Hershey’s Kisses (preferably Candy Cane Flavored, but any type will work)
• 2¼ cups All-Purpose Flour
• ⅓ cup Unsweetened Cocoa Powder (see note)
• 1 tsp Baking Soda
• ½ tsp Salt
• ½ cup (1 stick) Unsalted Butter, softened
• ¾ cup Granulated Sugar
• ¾ cup Light Brown Sugar
• 1 tsp Pure Vanilla Extract
• 2 Eggs
• 1 Tbsp Milk (any type)

Instructions

1. Remove Hershey’s kisses from wrappers. Do this a few days ahead and store them at room temperature or unwrap them weeks ahead and freeze them for up to 6 months. (This is a great job for kids!)
2. Heat oven to 350 degrees F.
3. Spray a sheet pan with nonstick cooking spray (or use parchment paper or a Silpat Baking Mat).
4. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
5. Using a standing mixer or hand mixer, beat butter until smooth. Add both sugars and beat on high until light and fluffy.
6. Add vanilla extract, eggs, and milk and mix on high until smooth.
7. Add dry ingredients and mix on low until combined.
8. Roll dough into 1 inch balls (be sure to keep these small so that you have a good ratio of cookie to Hershey’s Kiss in the finished cookie).
9. Place cookies on prepared sheet pan, leaving a couple inches between each.
10. Bake until cookies are just barely set (they will still look very soft), 9 to 10 minutes.
11. As soon as cookies come out of the oven, gently press a Hershey’s kiss into the top of each cookie.
12. Let cool on sheet pan for a couple minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Notes

I have been loving Hershey’s Special Dark Cocoa. It has a darker color and richer flavor than regular unsweetened cocoa powder. Any unsweetened cocoa powder will work, but this one has a leg up than others in my opinion.
These freeze well! Unwrap the Hershey’s kisses and form the cookie dough balls. Freeze them in separate plastic zip-top bags. Bake straight from the freezer, according to directions above, but bake for 1 to 2 minutes longer.

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