Candy Cane Kiss Cookies Recipe

Ingredients

Cookie Dough

• ½ cup unsalted butter softened
• 1¼ cup white sugar divided
• 1 large egg
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• ½ tsp peppermint extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• ¼ tsp baking soda
• ¼ tsp salt
• 2 tsp milk
• ½ cup crushed candy canes

Topping

• 28 Hershey’s Candy Cane Kisses

Instructions

1. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside to ensure your cookies don’t stick during baking.
2. Using a handheld mixer on medium-low speed, cream together the softened butter and 1 cup of white sugar until the mixture becomes fluffy, about 1-2 minutes.
3. Mix in the egg, vanilla extract, and peppermint extract, continuing to beat for another 1 minute until fully combined.
4. In a separate bowl, stir together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, and salt until evenly mixed.
5. Add the flour mixture, milk, and crushed candy canes to the wet ingredients and beat just until incorporated, approximately 30 seconds, to avoid overmixing.
6. Scoop dough by tablespoonfuls and roll each into smooth balls using your hands.
7. Roll each cookie dough ball in the remaining ¼ cup of sugar to evenly coat the outside.
8. Place the coated cookie balls about 2 inches apart on the prepared cookie sheets and refrigerate flat for 2 hours to chill and firm up before baking.
9. While the dough chills, preheat your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
10. Bake the chilled cookies for 10 minutes or until the center is set and the edges are lightly golden.
11. Let the cookies cool for 5 minutes, then gently press an unwrapped Hershey’s Candy Cane Kiss into the center of each warm cookie to melt slightly.

Notes

• For crispier cookies, bake an additional 1-2 minutes but watch carefully to avoid burning.
• Store leftovers at room temperature in an airtight container to maintain freshness for up to 7 days.
• Crushing candy canes finely helps distribute the peppermint flavor evenly throughout the dough.
• If peppermint extract is unavailable, substitute with a small amount of vanilla extract and crushed peppermint candies for flavor.