Description
These Candy Cane Kiss Cookies are a festive holiday treat featuring soft, buttery sugar cookies infused with peppermint extract, topped with candy cane flavored Hershey’s Kisses and colorful nonpareil sprinkles. Perfect for Christmas celebrations, they combine classic sugar cookie flavors with a refreshing minty twist and a delightful crunch.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 2 cups + 1 Tablespoon (260g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Wet Ingredients
- 10 Tablespoons (142g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract
Toppings
- 1/2 cup (about 90g) nonpareil sprinkles
- 32–36 candy cane flavor Hershey’s Kisses, unwrapped
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (177°C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats to ensure cookies don’t stick.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt until well combined. Set aside.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: In a large bowl, use a hand mixer or stand mixer to beat the softened butter and granulated sugar together on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3–4 minutes.
- Add Egg and Extracts: Beat in the egg until fully incorporated, then add the vanilla extract and peppermint extract, mixing until combined to infuse the cookie dough with festive mint flavor.
- Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients: Gradually add the dry flour mixture to the wet ingredients, mixing on low speed until just combined. Avoid overmixing to keep the cookies tender.
- Shape Cookies: Roll the dough into 1-inch balls, then gently roll each ball in the nonpareil sprinkles to coat. Place the sprinkled dough balls onto the prepared baking sheets spaced about 2 inches apart.
- Bake: Bake in the preheated oven for 9–11 minutes, or until the edges are set and the tops look slightly cracked but cookies remain soft.
- Press Kisses: Immediately after removing from the oven, press one unwrapped candy cane flavor Hershey’s Kiss into the center of each cookie. The heat from the cookie will slightly melt the chocolate, helping it stick as it cools.
- Cool: Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
- Use room temperature butter and egg for best dough consistency and mixing results.
- Spoon and level the flour to avoid dense cookies caused by too much flour.
- The peppermint extract gives a subtle mint flavor; adjust to taste but avoid using too much to prevent bitterness.
- Nonpareil sprinkles add festive color and texture; substitute with sanding sugar or omit if preferred.
- Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days.
Keywords: Candy Cane Kiss Cookies, peppermint cookies, sugar cookies, Christmas cookies, Hershey's Kisses cookies, holiday baking