Description
Strawberry Kiss Cookies are soft, funfetti sugar cookies enhanced with creamy cream cheese and topped with delightful Hershey’s Strawberry Ice Cream Cone Kisses. Coated with pink or white sanding sugar or non-pareils for an extra festive touch, these cookies are perfect for parties or a sweet treat any time of year.
Ingredients
Scale
Cookie Dough
- 16 ounce bag Funfetti Sugar Cookie Mix
- 4 ounce cream cheese, softened (half of an 8-ounce package)
- 1 large egg
Topping and Coating
- ½ cup pink or white sanding sugar or non-pareils
- 18 Hershey’s Strawberry Ice Cream Cone Kisses
Instructions
- Prepare Baking Sheet and Oven: Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Make the Dough: In a large mixing bowl, use a hand or stand mixer to beat together the cookie mix, softened cream cheese, and large egg until combined into a soft dough.
- Coat the Dough Balls: Pour the pink or white sanding sugar or non-pareils into a shallow bowl. Using a 1 ½ tablespoon cookie scoop, scoop out balls of dough and drop them into the bowl of sugar or non-pareils. Roll them gently until coated and form into even balls.
- Optional Chill: If the dough is too sticky to scoop and roll, refrigerate or freeze it for 30-60 minutes to make it easier to handle.
- Arrange Cookies on Sheet: Place the coated cookie balls on the prepared baking sheet spaced about 1 ½ inches apart to allow for spreading.
- Bake: Bake the cookies for 12 minutes or until the edges are set and lightly golden.
- Cool and Add Kisses: Allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 3-5 minutes, then press an unwrapped Hershey’s Strawberry Kiss firmly into the center of each cookie.
- Final Cooling: Transfer the cookies to a cooling rack and allow to cool completely or serve warm based on preference.
Notes
- Store cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for 3-4 days or refrigerate for up to a week.
- Freeze cookies for 2-3 months in an airtight container for longer storage.
- Avoid covering or storing cookies while warm, as this can deform the Kisses.
- Chilling the dough helps manage its stickiness and makes it easier to scoop and roll.
- Coating hands and the cookie scoop lightly with sanding sugar can prevent sticking.
- Non-pareils do not prevent stickiness but provide a decorative coating.
- Pressing the Kisses into the cookies right out of the oven causes them to melt and lose shape; cooling the cookies 3-5 minutes before pressing helps maintain Kiss shape.
- Adjust cooling time before adding Kisses for preferred softness or firmness of the topping.
