These Chocolate Peppermint Kiss Cookies are a festive holiday favorite: a fudgy chocolate cookie with a touch of peppermint, finished with a peppermint Hershey’s Kiss pressed into the center. They balance rich cocoa and refreshing mint, making them ideal for cookie exchanges, holiday trays, or a cozy winter night at home.
Easy Peppermint Kiss Cookies
These cookies taste like fudgy brownies shaped into a cookie with a bright peppermint accent. The dough is rich and chocolatey with a subtle mint undertone. Once baked, a striped peppermint kiss pressed into the warm cookies creates a festive finishing touch.
They’re forgiving and straightforward to make, so they’re great for beginner bakers — no chilling required and no advanced techniques needed.
Recipe Ingredients
- Nut Butter – Use creamy, no-stir cashew or almond butter for the best texture. These produce a light crinkle and tender crumb. Avoid peanut butter, which can overpower the peppermint.
- Peppermint Extract – Use peppermint extract (not mint extract) for a clear, wintery flavor.
- Cocoa Powder – Use your preferred cocoa. You can substitute cacao or a darker Dutch-processed cocoa for a deeper chocolate flavor.
- Flour – All-purpose flour works well; other flours have not been tested for this recipe.
- Peppermint Hershey’s Kisses – These seasonal candies provide the signature peppermint center and are usually available in grocery stores during the holidays.
See the recipe card below for the full ingredient list with measurements.
Substitutions and Variations
- Add a teaspoon of espresso powder to deepen the chocolate flavor.
- Stir in chopped walnuts or pecans for crunch.
- Roll the cookie dough in holiday sprinkles or crushed candy canes instead of sugar for a festive look.
- Swap the peppermint kisses for another Hershey’s Kiss flavor—Sugar Cookie, Hot Cocoa, or Hershey’s Hugs work well.
How to Make Hershey Kiss Chocolate Peppermint Cookies
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. In a large bowl, use a hand mixer to cream room-temperature butter and the cashew or almond butter until smooth.
2. Add brown sugar, white sugar, peppermint extract, and vanilla. Beat until fluffy. Mix in the egg and milk until incorporated.
3. Add the dry ingredients—baking soda, salt, cocoa powder, and flour—and mix until combined. The dough will be thick; switch to a spatula and fold until glossy and evenly chocolate-colored.
4. Scoop the dough with a 1-tablespoon cookie scoop, shape into balls, and roll each in white sugar to coat.
5. Arrange the cookies on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake for 9–12 minutes, until the centers are set. Do not overbake.
6. While the cookies bake, unwrap the peppermint kisses. Immediately after removing the cookies from the oven, press a kiss into the center of each warm cookie. Let them rest on the baking sheet for 2–3 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool.
PRO TIPS
- Press the Hershey’s Kiss into the cookie right after it comes out of the oven so it melts slightly and adheres to the cookie.
- Use a 1-tablespoon cookie scoop for consistent size; a smaller scoop (½ tablespoon) works if you prefer bite-sized cookies.
- Unwrap the kisses and place them in a bowl in the freezer until ready to use — this helps them hold their shape when pressed into warm cookies.
- Err on the side of underbaking for a chewy center; cookies continue to set after they’re removed from the oven.
Storage and Freezing
Store cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature or refrigerated if you prefer a chilled chew. Adding a piece of bread to the container helps retain moisture and keeps cookies soft.
You can freeze the dough or the baked cookies:
- To freeze unbaked dough: Scoop and roll in sugar, freeze the balls on a sheet until firm, then transfer to an airtight container. Add 2–3 minutes to baking time when baking from frozen.
- To freeze baked cookies: Cool completely, layer with parchment paper, and store in an airtight container or freezer bag.
Recipe FAQs
No. This dough does not require chilling and the recipe comes together quickly.
Leave butter at room temperature until it yields slightly when pressed. For convenience, keep a few sticks on the counter during baking days.
Save them for snacks, use in other treats like pretzel bites, or tuck them into a mason jar for holiday candy availability.
Recipe Card
Chocolate Peppermint Kiss Cookies
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup softened butter (1 stick)
- 3/4 cup creamy cashew or almond butter
- 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
- 1/4 cup white sugar
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 egg
- 1/2 tbsp milk
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1 pinch salt
- 1/2 cup cocoa powder
- 1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/3 cup white sugar (for rolling)
- 18 Peppermint Hershey’s Kisses
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Cream butter and cashew/almond butter together with a hand mixer.
- Add brown sugar, white sugar, peppermint extract, and vanilla; beat until fluffy. Mix in the egg and milk.
- Stir in baking soda, salt, cocoa powder, and flour. Mix until combined, then fold with a spatula until smooth and glossy.
- Scoop dough into 1-tablespoon portions, shape into balls, and roll in white sugar.
- Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake 9–12 minutes until centers are set. Do not overbake.
- Unwrap kisses while cookies bake. Immediately press a peppermint kiss into the center of each cookie as they come out of the oven. Let rest 2–3 minutes on the sheet, then transfer to a wire rack to cool.
Nutrition
Serving: 1 cookie | Calories: 226 kcal | Carbs: 28 g | Protein: 4 g | Fat: 11 g
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