Description
These festive Candy Cane Kiss Cookies feature a buttery, soft cookie base rolled in colorful sprinkles, topped with a creamy candy cane-flavored Hershey’s Kiss. Perfect for holiday gatherings or as a delightful treat to share.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 cups + 1 tablespoon (260g) all-purpose flour, spooned & leveled
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 10 tablespoons (142g) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract (optional)
- 1/2 cup (about 90g) nonpareil sprinkles or sanding sugar
- 32–36 candy cane flavor Hershey’s Kisses, unwrapped
Instructions
- Prepare the Dry Ingredients:
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
- Cream the Butter and Sugar:
- In a large bowl, using a hand-held or stand mixer with a paddle attachment, beat the softened butter and granulated sugar on high speed for about 2 minutes until creamy.
- Add the egg, vanilla extract, and peppermint extract (if using), and beat for another minute until well combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Form the Dough:
- On low speed, gradually mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until fully combined. The dough will be thick.
- Shape the Cookies:
- Roll the dough into balls, using about 1 tablespoon of dough for each (approximately 20g per dough ball).
- Roll the dough balls generously in sprinkles, pressing them in if necessary to ensure they stick. If the dough feels too firm and the sprinkles don’t stick, add 1 teaspoon of water to the dough and try again.
- Chill the Dough:
- Place the dough balls on a baking sheet or plate and refrigerate for at least 20 minutes, or up to 1 day. If chilling for more than 1 hour, cover the dough balls.
- Preheat the Oven:
- While the dough is chilling, preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C) and line baking sheets with silicone baking mats or parchment paper.
- Bake the Cookies:
- Place the chilled dough balls about 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets.
- Bake for 12 minutes, or until the edges are set. The centers may appear under-baked; do not over-bake.
- Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes.
- Add the Hershey’s Kisses:
- Gently press a candy cane Hershey’s Kiss into the center of each cookie.
- Use a thin spatula to carefully transfer the cookies to a plate or cooling rack.
- Place the cookies in the freezer for about 10 minutes to quickly set the candy.
- Serve and Store:
- Serve the cookies immediately, or store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.
Notes
- Peppermint Extract: You can omit or replace with almond extract for a more traditional sugar cookie flavor.
- Sprinkles: Nonpareils, sparkling sanding sugar, or regular sprinkles work best for coating these cookies.
- Candy Cane Hershey’s Kisses: If you can’t find these, you can substitute with regular Hershey’s Kisses.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 12-15 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 120
- Sugar: 15g
- Sodium: 50mg
- Fat: 5g
- Saturated Fat: 3g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 18g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 1g
- Cholesterol: 15mg