Chocolate Peppermint Blossoms Recipe
These Chocolate Peppermint Blossoms are festive, chewy chocolate cookies topped with a melt-in-your-mouth frozen Candy Cane Hershey Kiss. Perfect for holiday cookie boxes, these cookies combine rich cocoa flavor with a refreshing peppermint twist, making them a delightful treat for Christmas and winter celebrations.
- Author: liam
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 8 minutes
- Total Time: 53 minutes
- Yield: 34 cookies 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Dry Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups (188 g) all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
- 1/2 cup (40 g) Dutch process cocoa powder
- 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
Topping
- 34 Candy Cane Hershey Kisses, frozen
- 1/4 cup (50 g) granulated sugar for rolling the dough
- Freeze the Hershey Kisses: Unwrap 34 Candy Cane Hershey Kisses and place them in the freezer for 30 minutes. This will help the kisses hold their shape when placed on the hot cookies.
- Prepare for baking: Preheat your oven to 350°F (177°C). Line three baking sheets with parchment paper and set them aside to keep your cookies from sticking.
- Combine dry ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, Dutch process cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until fully mixed. Set this aside.
- Cream butter and sugars: In a large mixing bowl, use an electric mixer to cream the softened unsalted butter, light brown sugar, and 1/4 cup granulated sugar for 1-2 minutes until the mixture is light and fluffy.
- Add yolks and vanilla: Mix in the egg yolks and vanilla extract. Continue beating the mixture for 1-2 minutes until pale in color and fluffy, which helps create a tender cookie texture.
- Incorporate dry ingredients: Gradually add the dry ingredient mixture to the wet ingredients, mixing just until combined to avoid overworking the dough.
- Scoop and roll dough balls: Using a 1 tablespoon scoop, portion the dough into 34 equal parts and roll each into a smooth ball. Then roll each dough ball in the 1/4 cup granulated sugar to coat evenly.
- Arrange on baking sheets: Place the dough balls on the prepared baking sheets spaced about 2 inches apart. Distribute approximately 12 cookies on the first two sheets and 10 on the third to accommodate spacing.
- Bake the cookies: Bake in the preheated oven for 7-8 minutes. For chewier cookies, bake for 7 minutes; 8 minutes will give a slightly firmer texture.
- Add the peppermint kiss: Immediately after removing the cookies from the oven, press a frozen Candy Cane Hershey Kiss gently but firmly into the center of each cookie while still warm.
- Cool and set: Allow the cookies to cool completely on the baking sheets. This is important to let the kisses set properly and keep their shape.
- Serve and store: Once cooled, serve your festive chocolate peppermint blossoms! Store any leftovers in an airtight container for up to three days.
Notes
- Measure flour properly by spooning it into your measuring cup and leveling with a knife, or preferably weigh it (125 grams per cup) for best results to avoid dense cookies.
- Use Dutch process cocoa powder as regular cocoa powder’s acidity reacts differently with the baking soda and powder, which can affect texture and flavor.
- You can freeze the baked cookies (without the Hershey Kiss) for up to two weeks; press the kisses in after baking.
- Ensure the egg yolks are at room temperature for better mixing and fluffier cookie dough.
- Allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet to ensure the candy kisses set firmly without losing shape.
Keywords: 12 Days of Christmas Cookies, chewy cookies, chocolate, chocolate chip cookies, chocolate cookies, chocolate peppermint, peppermint