When it comes to the holidays, nothing quite beats the beautiful red velvet color and flavor of these Christmas-inspired treats.
Table of Contents
❤️ Why you'll love this recipe
- These Christmas cookies are absolutely stunning - the bright red and white of Hershey's candy cane kisses make them really stand out on the cookie plate.
- Make the red velvet cookie dough ahead of time and store it in the refrigerator or freezer. Simply assemble and bake when ready.
- Red velvet blossoms are chewy cookies that are ideal for a cookie exchange party, office Christmas party, or to be gifted to friends and family any time of year.
Red velvet blossom cookies are a fun twist on the traditional peanut butter blossoms that have been popular for decades.
📖 Variations
- Melt some white chocolate and drizzle it over the baked and assembled chocolate peppermint crinkle blossom cookies. I like to put the cookies on a wire rack over waxed paper and drizzle the chocolate over the top. No mess to clean up!
- Replace the candy cane Hershey kisses with any flavor of kisses you enjoy the most, especially if adapting this recipe for a different holiday season or party theme. Dark chocolate kisses are fantastic!
- Hershey's Hugs give the striped effect without the peppermint flavor if you prefer something more plain.
- Add peppermint extract into the sugar cookie dough instead of vanilla extract.
- I roll these in granulated sugar, but red sanding sugar is pretty too.
🥄 Equipment
You'll need the following items to make this recipe successfully.
- Silicone mats are indispensable in the kitchen, used to prevent baked goods from sticking as well as creating delicate icing or chocolate decor. They also last for a long time!
- Cookie scoop helps to create uniform sized cookies that will bake evenly.
- Heavy cookie sheet is important to keep cookie bottoms from burning or scorching.
🥫 How to store leftovers
Store these chocolate blossom cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for several days.
You can also freeze these for up to 3 months.
💭 Things to know
Expert Tip: Use a cookie scoop to create uniform-sized cookies so that they will bake evenly.
- Save yourself time with preparation by assembling the cookies into 1-inch balls, rolled in red sugar and then stored in the freezer to be baked later.
- The red coloring in the cookie dough can stain your hands. Wear latex gloves to prevent this.
- Make sure to either line your baking tray with parchment paper or use a silicone mat so the cookie bottoms don't stick. Spraying the tray with oil is not advised since the cookies could absorb the extra grease and spread.
- Don't crowd the cookies on the prepared baking sheet.
- Red gel food coloring gives the cookies a beautiful red color. It tends to be brighter than regular food coloring but either will work.
- Let the cookies cool for 3 -5 minutes when they come out of the oven.
- Push the Kisses gently down on the top of each cookie then put in the freezer. This will help maintain the shape of the kisses while still allowing the chocolate to melt enough to adhere to the cookie.
👩🍳 FAQs
Absolutely! Store the sugar cookie dough in the fridge 1-2 days before baking. You can also freeze after baking.
📚 Related recipes
Making tasty cookies with Hershey's kisses is super easy and fun!
Why not make a batch of classic Peanut Butter Blossom Cookies, Peppermint Blossom Cookies, or Orange Kiss-Me Cookies!
And... if you love peppermint like I do you have to try this festive white chocolate peppermint bark cheesecake.
🍽️ Serve with...
Serve these red velvet kiss cookies on a cookie platter alongside some other favorite Christmas cookies.
Soft Snickerdoodles are chewy and crispy - perfect for decorating for the holidays!
Santa's Whiskers are easy slice and bake cookies that will wait in your freezer until it's time for some cookies!
Chocolate Covered Cherry Cookies are soft chocolate crinkle cookies filled with maraschino cherries and topped with fudge. SO yummy- these go fast!
📞 The last word
One of the things I really like about these is that they are just as fabulous for Valentine's Day as they are for Christmas!
I mean, blue sprinkles and they work for 4th of July, too!
Whether you're doing a cookie swap or a bake sale these cookies are going to be super popular. 🙂
What's your favorite cookie? Leave a comment and let me know.
If you click on the number of servings in the recipe card you can adjust the measurements up or down for the exact number of servings you need.
If you love this recipe please give it 5 stars! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
📖 Recipe
Red Velvet Peppermint Kiss Cookies
Print Pin Recipe Rate RecipeIngredients
- 36 Hersheys Peppermint Kisses
- 1 ½ cups flour
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 2 tablespoons dark cocoa powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup butter, softened
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 tablespoon red food coloring
- 1 teaspoon buttermilk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- Red Sugar Crystals
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375F.
- Whisk together dry ingredients in a bowl.
- Set aside.
- In the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, blend together butter and sugar until mixture is well blended -- about 3 minutes.
- Mix in egg.
- Add in food coloring, buttermilk, and vanilla extract.
- Mix on low until well blended.
- Leave mixer on low speed and slowly add in the flour mixture.
- Mix until combined.
- Chill for 30 minutes or more.
- While the dough is chilling unwrap the kisses and set them nearby.
- Roll 1 rounded tablespoon of the dough into a ball.
- Roll the ball in the red sugar crystals and place on a baking sheet lined with Silpat.
- Bake cookies for about 8 to 10 minutes.
- Remove from the oven.
- Allow the cookies to firm up for a few seconds.
- Lightly press 1 peppermint kiss into the center of each cookie.
- Allow Kisses to set or put in the fridge for the chocolate to firm up before storing or serving.
- Store in an airtight container.
Notes
- Shape the dough into rounds, roll in the sugar, and then freeze for later. When ready to bake just put the frozen balls on a cookie sheet and bake as directed.
- The baked cookies freeze well, too.
- Use any flavor Kisses you like!
- Melted white chocolate drizzled over the top is a nice finish to these cookies.
- A sprinkle of powdered sugar over the top is nice, too.
- Be careful not to crowd the cookies on the baking sheet.
- Line your cookie sheet with parchment paper or silpat to help keep the cookies from sticking.
- Push the Kisses gently down in the center of the cookies when they come out of the oven then put them right into the freezer. This will help maintain the shape of the kisses while still allowing the chocolate to melt enough to adhere to the cookie.
Nutrition Facts
Nutrition information is estimated as a courtesy. If using for medical purposes, please verify information using your own nutritional calculator. Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
This recipe has been tested several times. If you choose to use other ingredients, or change the technique in some way, the results may not be the same.
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First published December 7, 2016. Last updated December 1, 2023 for better instructions, tips, and readability.
✍🏻 A note from Marye...
I know y'all don't always like the stories bloggers tell so when I have one I try to put it at the very bottom so you can read or skip as you like.
When I was a kid magic happened all around me all the time but I've found as I've grown older I've had to be a participant in the magic rather than just an observer of it.
The wide-eyed wonder of the child is replaced with the deep satisfaction of the adult as we create that magic for our kids and grandkids. Most of the time for me going through the motions turns into the real thing.
Usually, I find that spark of elusive magic, that joy of Christmas, when and where I least expect it.
Give yourself the gift of joy this year. Do one thing a day that brings you happiness.
If it's making red velvet cookies then make all kinds of red velvet cookies! I guarantee these will brighten up any cookie tray!
Shawn says
These look perfect for Christmas!
Marye Audet says
Thank you! 🙂
Nicole Taggart says
i;m not in the mood for Christmas, but I am in the mood for theses cookies
Marye Audet says
LOL!