Hershey's Just Brought Back the Only Kisses I Bake With for the Holidays

When the holidays roll around, I am among the first to jump on the peppermint train. Give me all the peppermint bark, peppermint mochas, and peppermint ice cream. So, when candy cane-flavored Hershey's Kisses hit the store aisles, I am all in.

Unlike traditional Hershey’s Kisses, these candies do not contain chocolate. Instead, they are red-and-white-striped, mint-flavored candies that also contain little bits of peppermint.

My favorite way to bake with these holiday-themed Kisses is to make candy cane chocolate crinkle cookies, which combines my love for peppermint and chocolate. This particular recipe was inspired by two of my favorite holiday cookies: peanut butter blossoms and chocolate crinkles.

Pressed on top of each baked cookie still warm from the oven, the peppermint candies are the perfect complement to the rich and chocolatey cake-like crinkle cookies.

How to Make Candy Cane Chocolate Crinkle Cookies

A crinkle cookie gets its signature crinkled appearance when the exterior of the cookie sets before the interior fully cooks, causing cracks to form. Rolling the dough in powdered sugar before baking highlights the crinkles.

For this recipe, you can use a straight-foward chocolate crinkle cookie recipe (like this one), and add the Hershey's Kiss for a festive touch. A bag of the candies will be more than enough, if you halve the recipe to yield 20 to 24 cookies.

As with most baking recipes, you’ll want to use an unsweetened cocoa powder. My favorite store-bought brand is Ghirardelli Unsweetened Cocoa Powder (and professional bakers agree). This particular cocoa is Dutch-processed, which means it is less acidic than natural cocoa powder and results in a milder yet more-chocolatey flavor.

Once the cookie dough is made, you'll form it into 1-inch balls, which are then rolled in powdered sugar. The dough is baked on a parchment-lined baking sheet, and that's when the magic happens. After baking, you'll press a peppermint-flavored Hershey's Kiss into the center of each still-warm cookie. Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for two minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.

Storing and Freezing These Cookies

Store leftover cookies at room temperature in an airtight container. You also can freeze the cookies, either baked or unbaked. To freeze unbaked cookies, form the dough into balls—don’t roll in granulated or powdered sugars—and set on a rimmed baking sheet. Freeze until solid, then transfer to a freezer-safe storage bag or container.

To bake the frozen cookies, first allow the balls to thaw for a few minutes at room temperature while the oven preheats. Then roll each dough ball in granulated sugar and powdered sugar, and bake as directed. Expect to add a minute or two of baking time.

To freeze baked cookies, after allowing the cookies to cool completely, transfer to a freezer-safe container. Freeze for up to three months. Allow to thaw at room temperature before enjoying. 

More Ways to Enjoy Peppermint and Chocolate

• Mint Brownies
• Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream
• Chocolate Peppermint Shortbread