These Chocolate Hershey Kiss Cookies are soft, chewy, and a perfect addition to holiday cookie plates. They’re rolled in sugar, topped with a milk chocolate kiss and super easy to make. Kiss Cookies are perfect for the holidays, Christmas time, or for a cookie exchange.

Inspired by classic Peanut Butter Blossoms, this nut-free version has a soft and fudgy chocolate cookie that’s rolled in sparkly sugar and topped with a Hershey’s Kiss. There are endless variations and are always a hit with friends and family. And if you’re looking for more kiss cookies, be sure to try our Hot Cocoa Kiss Cookies too.

Rows of Chocolate Kiss Cookies topped with striped Hershey's Kisses on a baking rack.

Double Chocolate Hershey Kiss Cookies

These chocolate Hershey’s Kiss cookies are perfect for cookie plates, holiday parties, or an easy treat to keep around the house. Serve with a mug of hot chocolate and you will be in cozy heaven!

For a little something different, feel free to coat your cookie dough balls in powdered sugar or even festive colorful nonpareils. You can also try one of the many variations for Hershey’s kiss cookies that we have listed below.

how to make double chocolate kiss cookies with a chocolate kiss in the center.

Key Ingredients

  • Butter – your butter should be softened to room temperature. If you forget to pull it out ahead of time, you can microwave for about 10 seconds, then check, and heat for another 5-10 seconds just until warm but not melted.
  • Brown Sugar – I prefer light brown sugar for these cookies, but you could substitute dark brown sugar if you like a stronger molasses flavor.
  • Eggs – you will need both a whole egg and an egg yolk for this recipe. You can either save the extra egg white or discard it.
  • Cocoa Powder – for the best flavor use a high quality cocoa powder. Don’t try and substitute hot chocolate mix for the dough as it has additional sugars and ingredients.
  • Baking Soda – this helps to keep the cookies slightly soft and puffed. 
  • Hershey’s Kisses – you’ll need 1 unwrapped Hershey’s Kiss for each cookie. Use regular milk chocolate kisses, or play around with other flavors. You could substitute a square from a Hershey’s bar, a few chocolate chips, or any other similar sized piece of chocolate candy.
  • Sugar – you’ll need about ? cup granulated sugar to roll the cookie dough balls in just before baking. It gives them a nice sparkle once they are baked. For a different festive touch, try rolling in powdered sugar or nonpareil sprinkles instead.
Side by side photos of chocolate cookie dough balls on a plate, being dipped into sugar, and lined up on a baking sheet.

How to Make Chocolate Kisses Cookies

  1. Cream the butter and sugars. In the bowl of a stand mixer, add the room temperature butter, sugar, and brown sugar.  Using the paddle attachment, cream until light and fluffy, or about 3 minutes.
  2. Mix the rest of the ingredients. Slowly add in the egg and vanilla then mix on low to combine, scraping down the bowl as necessary. In a separate bowl, whisk together the cocoa powder, flour, baking soda, and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture and mix on low, just until combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed to be sure there are no lumps of butter in your dough.
  3. Scoop dough into 24 balls. Once mixed, scoop and roll the cookie dough into roughly 24 1¼” balls and roll in the granulated sugar.  Place about 2″ apart on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a Silpat and flatten slightly with the palm of your hand.
  4. Bake. Bake in a preheated oven for 7-8 minutes, or until the bottoms and edges are very lightly browned and the tops begin to crack. 
  5. Add Hershey’s Kisses. Remove cookies from the oven and place a Hershey’s Kiss on top of each cookie while they are still very hot.
  6. Cool. Let the cookies cool for 2 minutes on the baking sheet before transferring to a cooling rack to cool completely.  Enjoy!
A platter full of Chocolate Kisses Cookies topped with striped Hershey's Kisses.

Recipe Variations

  • Chocolate Chip: Incorporate mini chocolate chips into the cookie dough for an extra chocolatey twist.
  • Almond: Add almond extract to the cookie dough and top each cookie with an almond before pressing the Hershey Kiss in the center.
  • Mint Chocolate: Use mint extract in the cookie dough and top each cookie with a mint chocolate-flavored Hershey Kiss.
  • Salted Caramel: Drizzle caramel sauce over the Hershey Kisses after pressing them into the cookies, then sprinkle with sea salt for a sweet and salty treat.
  • Toffee Crunch: Stir chopped toffee pieces into the cookie dough and press a Hershey Kiss on top.
  • Coconut: Mix shredded coconut into the cookie dough.

Frequently Asked Questions

Should you chill cookie dough before baking?

While it’s not completely necessary for this cookie recipe, chilling your dough before baking is actually a great way to get a head start on making them. Just mix the dough, scoop onto baking sheets, and cover with plastic wrap. Store overnight in the fridge, then pull out while you preheat the oven the next day.

How can you tell when Chocolate Kiss Cookies are done baking?

It can be difficult to tell if chocolate cookies are finished baking since you can’t see much browning and the last thing you want to do is over-bake your cookies. The best way to know is once the tops begin to crack and the edges are just set. You should be able to notice a little light browning on the edges, too. The total bake time should be between 7-10 minutes at 350 degrees F.

Can you freeze Chocolate Kiss Cookies?

Yes! You can freeze the scooped dough balls for up to 2 months. Or, freeze the baked cookies for up to 1 month. In both cases, you’ll want to store them in airtight containers or freezer bags. 

Storing and Freezing

  • Refrigerator: store Chocolate Kiss Cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
  • Freezer: baked cookies can be stored in an airtight container and frozen for up to 1 month. Unbaked cookie dough balls can be stored and frozen for up to 2 months. To bake frozen dough balls, pull from the freezer onto baking sheets with parchment paper and bake as directed, adding a couple extra minutes to the total bake time.
how to make chocolate kiss cookies
5 from 1 vote

Chocolate Hershey Kiss Cookies Recipe

Author The Carefree Kitchen
These chocolate kiss cookies are soft, chewy, and a perfect addition to holiday cookie plates. They’re rolled in sugar, topped with a milk chocolate kiss and super easy to make.
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 10 minutes
Total: 20 minutes
Yields24 cookies

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup butter, room temperature
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1/2 cup light brown sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 large egg yolk
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2/3 cup cocoa powder
  • 1¼ cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 24 Hershey's Kisses, unwrapped
  • 1/3 cup sugar

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
  • In the bowl of a standing mixer, add the room temperature butter, sugar, and brown sugar. Using the paddle attachment, cream until light and fluffy, or about 3 minutes. Slowly add in the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla then mix on low to combine, scraping down the bowl as necessary.
  • In a separate bowl, whisk together the salt, cocoa powder, flour, and baking soda. Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture and mix on low, just until combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed to be sure there are no lumps of butter in your dough.
  • Once mixed, scoop and roll the cookie dough into roughly 24 1¼" balls and roll in the hot chocolate mix powder. Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, about 2" apart, then flatten slightly with the palm of your hand.
  • Bake in a preheated oven for 7-8 minutes, or until the bottoms and edges are very lightly browned and the tops begin to crack.
  • Remove from the oven and lightly press an unwrapped Hersey's Kiss onto each of the cookies. Let the cookies cool for 2 minutes on the baking sheet before transferring them to a cooling rack to cool completely. Enjoy!

Notes

Storing instructions: store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days, or in the freezer for up to 1 month.
Make-ahead tips: cookie dough balls can be stored and frozen for up to 2 months. To bake frozen dough balls, pull from the freezer onto baking sheets with parchment paper and bake as directed, adding a couple extra minutes to the total bake time.

Nutrition

Calories: 152kcal | Carbohydrates: 25g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 27mg | Sodium: 182mg | Potassium: 55mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 18g | Vitamin A: 140IU | Calcium: 20mg | Iron: 1mg
Disclaimer: Nutritional values were calculated using a third-party tool and are provided as an estimation only.
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Sharing this recipe with a link is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying/pasting and/or screenshots of full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited. Content and photographs are copyright protected.

Did you make this?

Don’t forget to leave a rating below and make sure to follow on Pinterest, Instagram and Tiktok for more!

These soft and fudgy Chocolate Kiss Cookies are covered in sparkly sugar and topped with a milk chocolate kiss. They’re perfect for cookie plates, holiday parties, and snacking at home.

Categories:

, , , , , , ,

Welcome! I'm so glad you're here!! My name is Jill Baird at The Carefree Kitchen. I love food, nearly all food, and love to celebrate every day with food and the people I love! I love being creative in the kitchen and discovering new ways to switch up old favorites and coming up with new favorites. My hope is that you will find recipes you love on my site and maybe even find some inspiration to create something new! Have fun in the kitchen!

5 from 1 vote (1 rating without comment)

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




More You'll Love