Candy Cane Kiss Cookies are soft sugar cookies infused with a touch of peppermint and topped with candy cane Hershey Kisses. The festive color and flavor combination is perfect for the holiday season.
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Candy Cane Kiss Cookies are a festive twist on the popular peanut butter kiss cookies. Red sanding sugar adds a punch of fun color. This peppermint version has a touch of whimsy and is a pretty addition to any cookie platter.
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Why you will love these
- Soft and chewy sugar cookies are winners every time.
- Full of festive flavor and color.
- The dough comes together easily and requires only 30 minutes of chill time for optimal texture.
- Ideal for gifting to friends, neighbors, and family.
Ingredients
This cookie dough comes together easily with ingredients likely already in your
pantry and fridge.
- Eggs - We're using one whole egg and one egg yolk. The extra yolk contributes to the chewy texture.
- Candy cane Hershey Kisses are white chocolate confections filled with bits of peppermint candy. These seasonal Kisses are widely available during the holidays.
- Red sanding sugar - the dough balls are rolled in the sugar for a crunchy and colorful exterior. White granulated sugar or red, white, and green nonpareils can also be used.
Step-by-step instructions
See the recipe card for complete instructions and ingredient amounts.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, blend the butter and granulated sugar until light and creamy.
- Add the whole egg, egg yolk, and extracts and blend until well incorporated.
- Slowly add the flour, baking powder, and salt and blend until just incorporated.
- Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Using a 1-tablespoon cookie scoop, portion the dough and shape it into balls. Roll in red sanding sugar and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Bake at 375℉ for 8-10 minutes until just set. As soon as the cookies come out of the oven, gently press a Hershey Kiss into the center of each cookie.
- Cool the cookies for 5-10 minutes on the baking sheet before gently transferring them to a cooling rack. Allow 2-3 hours for the Kisses to completely set up before storing the cookies. This time will vary depending on the temperature of your kitchen.
Recipe Tips
- Freeze the Hershey Kisses while making the cookies. Frozen kisses will hold their shape better and not melt as much when pressed into the hot cookies.
- Chilling the dough enhances the flavors and also reduces spreading when the cookies are baked.
- Chill time - The recipe calls for 30 minutes of chill time, but the dough can also be chilled overnight.
- Mix dough one day and bake cookies the next day. I like to set aside one day to make several batches of cookie dough and set aside the next day for baking.
- Customize for different seasons - Swap out the peppermint extract and try other flavors. Use any variety of Hershey Kisses.
This recipe is easy to make and rolling the dough in the sugar is a fun task for little helpers (or elves)!
These cookies keep well in an airtight container for 4-5 days, but trust me - they won't last long. I hope you add these cookies to your holiday cookie platters.
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📖 Recipe Card
Candy Cane Kiss Cookies
Save this recipe!
We'll email this post to you, so you can come back to it later!
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Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1¼ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon Kosher salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter (softened at room temperature)
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 large egg yolk
- ¼ teaspoon peppermint extract
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 22-24 candy cane Hershey Kisses
- ⅓ cup red sanding sugar (plus more as needed, note 1)
Instructions
- Unwrap the candy cane kisses, transfer them to a small bowl, and place the bowl in the freezer while preparing the cookies. (Note 2)
- In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. Whisk to combine. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream together the butter and granulated sugar until well combined. Mix in egg, egg yolk, peppermint extract, and vanilla extract until well combined. Slowly add the flour mixture and mix until just combined. Chill the dough for at least 30 minutes. (Note 3)
- Preheat the oven to 375℉.
- Using a tablespoon-size cookie scoop, form the dough into balls and roll in red sanding sugar. Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake 8-10 minutes until just set. Remove from the oven and press a peppermint kiss into the center of each cookie.
- Cool the cookies on the baking sheet for 5-10 minutes. Then, very gently transfer the cookies to a cooling rack until the candy kiss sets up. (Note 5)
- Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
Notes
- White granulated sugar can also be used. Or try a combo of red and green sugars or red, white, and green nonpareils.
- Frozen kisses will hold their shape better and not melt as much when pressed into the hot cookies.
- Chilling the dough enhances the flavors and also reduces spreading when the cookies are baked.
- The recipe calls for 30 minutes of chill time, but the dough can also be chilled overnight. [BONUS TIP] I like to set aside one day to make several batches of cookie dough and set aside the next day for baking.
- It may take 2 hours for the candy kisses to firm up completely. The amount of time will depend upon the temperature in your kitchen.
- Customize for different seasons - Swap out the peppermint extract and try other flavors. Use any variety of Hershey Kisses.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is an estimate and will vary depending on the exact amounts and specific ingredients used.
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