Red velvet peppermint Kiss cookies are soft, chewy red velvet cookies rolled in sparkling red sugar and topped with a peppermint Hershey's Kiss. They're ridiculously pretty on Christmas cookie trays, but easy enough that nobody needs to know you didn't spend all afternoon making them.
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🥰 Are these red velvet peppermint kiss cookies for you?
These red velvet peppermint Kiss cookies belong in your Christmas baking plans if you:
- Want a pretty Christmas cookie without needing an art degree and three piping bags.
- Love red velvet and peppermint together because apparently Christmas has excellent taste.
- Need an easy cookie for exchanges, cookie trays, or gifting that looks much, much fussier than it actually is.
- Like to bake ahead and freeze cookies so December You can feel smug and unusually well prepared.
- Believe a Hershey's Kiss stuck on top of a cookie counts as decorating. It does. I checked.
And... if you love peppermint and white chocolate like I do you have to try this festive white chocolate peppermint bark cheesecake.
📖 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 parchment or a silicone sheet.
- 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
- Melted white chocolate drizzled over the top is a nice finish to these cookies.
- Be careful not to crowd the cookies on the baking sheet.
- 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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😱 What can go wrong (and how to fix it)
❤️ The cookies spread. Chill the dough for at least 30 minutes and never put it on a warm cookie sheet. Use parchment or a silicone baking mat instead of greasing the pan.
❤️ The Kisses melt into peppermint puddles. Press them gently into the cookies as soon as they come out of the oven, then pop the cookies into the freezer for a few minutes. The chocolate will soften enough to stick without losing its cute little Kiss shape.
❤️ Your hands look like a Christmas crime scene. Red food coloring has commitment issues in exactly zero areas. Wear food-safe gloves unless festive red fingers are part of your holiday aesthetic.
❤️ The cookies turn out hard. Don't overbake them. Take them out when the edges are set but the centers are still soft. They'll finish firming up as they cool.
❤️ Some are done while others are still negotiating with the oven. Keep the dough balls the same size. A cookie scoop makes this easy and helps everything bake evenly.
👩🍳 FAQs
Absolutely! Store the sugar cookie dough in the fridge 1-2 days before baking. You can also freeze after baking.
Yes, these peppermint kiss cookies ship really well. Just follow the instructions in my article How to Ship Cookies.
📚 More holiday cookie recipes
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.
What's your favorite holiday cookie? Leave a comment and let me know.
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!