This recipe was originally published in December 2022. It has since been meticulously updated and expanded with new images, detailed tips, and exciting flavor variations to make your baking experience even better.

There’s something uniquely enchanting about a simple cookie, especially during the festive season. These merry little chocolate blossom cookies are an homage to the timeless classic peanut butter blossoms, but with a decadent cocoa twist. Our original vision started with a singular peppermint chocolate blossom cookie, but we quickly realized the potential for so much more. This revamped recipe now empowers you to create a quartet of delightful flavor combinations, ensuring there’s a perfect cookie for every palate and every celebration.

These blossom cookies are more than just a treat; they’re an experience. Imagine serving them at a Christmas get-together, a lively holiday party, or as your star contribution to a cookie exchange. Their charming appearance, combined with their incredible taste, makes them an instant hit. What makes them even better is that they rely on common pantry staples, meaning you probably have most of the ingredients on hand already. The resulting cookies are pure bliss: wonderfully fudgy in the center, offering a melt-in-your-mouth experience, perfectly contrasted by a delicate crispness on the outside. Each bite, especially with the soft, melty chocolate kiss, is pure perfection!

If you’re on the hunt for more sensational holiday cookies to share or exchange, these cocoa blossom cookies would be a fantastic companion to our no-spread sugar cut-out cookies, rich chocolate-dipped butter cookies, and comforting browned butter snickerdoodles. Together, they create an unforgettable holiday cookie platter!

Why You’ll Fall in Love with These Cocoa Blossom Cookies!

These chocolate blossom cookies aren’t just another recipe; they’re a ticket to easy, delicious, and versatile holiday baking. Here’s why they’re destined to become a staple in your kitchen:

• They utilize simple, accessible pantry ingredients that you likely already have stocked in your kitchen. No need for special shopping trips or obscure items – just classic baking essentials transformed into something magical. This makes them incredibly convenient for last-minute baking cravings or unexpected guests.
• You can magically conjure 4 distinct variations from a single, versatile cookie dough! This means less prep work for more variety. Imagine being able to offer chocolate peppermint, mocha, red velvet, and gingerbread chocolate kiss cookies all from one batch, catering to every preference without doubling your effort. It’s a baker’s dream for holiday cookie platters!
• The cookie dough itself is incredibly easy and straightforward to prepare, even for beginner bakers. While it does require a crucial 1-hour chilling period, this step is largely hands-off and essential for the cookies’ perfect texture and shape, preventing them from spreading too much in the oven.
• You have creative freedom to roll them in white granulated sugar, festive sprinkles, or elegant powdered sugar, depending on the desired aesthetic. This allows for personalization, making them perfect for any holiday theme or special occasion. A roll in sugar adds sparkle and a lovely textural contrast to the soft cookie.
• The convenience of this recipe extends to make-ahead options! You can easily freeze the raw cookie dough balls, ensuring you have these delightful chocolate thumbprint cookies ready to bake at a moment’s notice. This is a game-changer for busy holiday seasons, allowing you to enjoy freshly baked cookies whenever the craving strikes, or simply saving time when preparing for a party.

Essential Ingredients for Perfect Cocoa Blossom Cookies

Crafting these delicious cocoa blossom cookies starts with a selection of quality ingredients. While simple, each component plays a vital role in achieving that perfect fudgy texture and rich chocolate flavor. Here’s a closer look at what you’ll need and why:

• All-Purpose Flour: This forms the foundational structure of our cookies. We’ve exclusively tested this recipe with all-purpose flour to ensure consistent results. Its balanced protein content provides the perfect chewiness without making the cookies tough.
• Unsalted Butter: For superior flavor and texture, we highly recommend using European-style unsalted butter. It boasts a higher fat content than most American butters, contributing to a richer, creamier, and more tender cookie. Always use unsalted butter to control the overall saltiness of your bake. Ensure it’s at room temperature for optimal creaming with sugar.
• Unsweetened Cocoa Powder: This is where our cookies get their deep, intense chocolate flavor. It’s crucial to use unsweetened cocoa powder, often labeled “natural cocoa powder,” rather than Dutch-processed cocoa powder. Natural cocoa reacts differently with baking soda, ensuring the proper rise and texture for these blossom cookies.
• Whole Milk: Just a splash of whole milk is added to bring the dough together, ensuring it reaches the ideal consistency without becoming too dry or crumbly. Its fat content also contributes to the cookies’ richness.
• Granulated Sugar & Light Brown Sugar: A combination of these two sugars creates the perfect balance of sweetness, texture, and moisture. Granulated sugar contributes to the crisp exterior, while light brown sugar adds a delightful chewiness and subtle caramel notes, keeping the cookies soft and fudgy on the inside.
• Baking Soda: This leavening agent works with the natural cocoa powder to help the cookies rise and achieve their signature soft, slightly airy texture.
• Kosher Salt: A pinch of kosher salt is vital for balancing the sweetness and enhancing all the chocolate flavors. It truly makes a noticeable difference in the overall taste profile.
• Large Egg: The egg binds all the ingredients together, adds moisture, and contributes to the richness and structure of the cookies. Make sure it’s at room temperature for better emulsion with the butter and sugar.
• Vanilla Extract: A touch of vanilla extract complements and deepens the chocolate flavor, adding a warm, aromatic note that is essential in almost any chocolate dessert.

Exciting Flavor Variations for Your Cocoa Blossom Cookies

The beauty of this recipe lies in its adaptability! Starting with one versatile chocolate dough, you can effortlessly transform your cocoa blossom cookies into four distinct and equally delicious flavors. This makes them perfect for tailoring to different tastes or creating a diverse holiday cookie platter. Here’s how to create each unique variation:

• Gingerbread Blossom Cookies: Infuse your chocolate dough with the warm, comforting flavors of the holidays. Simply add a hint of rich molasses, aromatic ground ginger, fragrant ground cinnamon, and a tiny pinch of ground cloves to the cookie dough. The result is a deep, spiced chocolate cookie that perfectly captures the essence of gingerbread, making it an ideal choice for Christmas celebrations. Pair these with striped Hershey’s Hugs for a visually appealing and complementary flavor experience.
• Peppermint Chocolate Blossom Cookies: For a refreshing and invigorating holiday treat, add a delightful peppermint candy cane kick. A small amount of peppermint extract stirred into the dough will transform these into cool, minty chocolate wonders. These are especially popular during the Christmas season. Consider topping them with Hershey’s Candy Cane Kisses to enhance the peppermint theme and add a festive pop of color.
• Red Velvet Blossom Cookies: Achieve the iconic vibrant hue and subtle tang of red velvet. Incorporate a few drops of red food gel (gel food coloring provides a more intense color without altering consistency) into the cookie dough. The cocoa provides the classic red velvet chocolate base, while the red coloring adds that characteristic visual appeal. These are beautiful for Valentine’s Day or any elegant occasion. Sugar Cookie Kisses make a lovely, less overwhelming chocolate topping here.
• Mocha Chocolate Blossom Cookies: Elevate your chocolate cookies with a sophisticated coffee depth. By adding some instant espresso powder to the dough, you’ll create a wonderfully rich and aromatic chocolate mocha cookie. The espresso doesn’t make the cookies taste overtly like coffee; rather, it intensifies and brightens the chocolate flavor, creating a more complex and satisfying profile. Hershey’s Hugs also work beautifully with these, providing a swirl of white chocolate to balance the rich mocha.
• Choosing Your Kisses & Hugs: Don’t underestimate the power of your chocolate topping! The type of Hershey’s Kiss or Hug you choose can significantly enhance both the flavor and visual appeal of your blossom cookies.
  • For Gingerbread and Mocha varieties, we love using the striped Hershey’s Hugs for their creamy white chocolate swirls, which offer a delightful contrast.
  • Red Velvet cookies shine with Hershey’s Sugar Cookie Kisses, which add another layer of festive sweetness and color.
  • And of course, for the classic Chocolate Peppermint variation, Hershey’s Candy Cane Kisses are the absolute perfect choice, bringing extra minty flavor and vibrant red flecks.
  • Don’t be afraid to experiment with other seasonal or flavored Kisses to create your own unique combinations!

Step-by-Step Guide to Baking Perfect Cocoa Blossom Cookies

Baking these delightful cocoa blossom cookies is a straightforward process, but following these steps carefully will ensure a perfect batch every time. Remember, the chilling time is essential for the best texture and shape!

Step 1: Prepare Your Dry Ingredients. In a large mixing bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, unsweetened cocoa powder, baking soda, and kosher salt. Use a whisk to thoroughly blend these ingredients together. This ensures that the leavening agent and salt are evenly distributed throughout the flour mixture, which is crucial for uniform cookies. Set this bowl aside for now.

Step 2: Cream Butter and Sugars. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or using a large bowl and a handheld electric mixer), combine the softened unsalted butter, light brown sugar, and granulated sugar. Beat these on medium-high speed for approximately 2-3 minutes. You’re looking for a mixture that is light in color, fluffy in texture, and well aerated. This creaming process incorporates air into the butter, which contributes to the cookies’ light texture. Once fluffy, stop the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula to ensure everything is evenly combined. Then, add the large egg and vanilla extract. Continue to beat on medium-high speed for another minute until the egg is fully incorporated and the mixture is smooth.

Step 3: Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients, Add Variations. With the mixer on low speed, gradually add the dry ingredients mixture to the wet ingredients. Mix until just combined. Be careful not to overmix, as this can lead to tough cookies. Once the dry ingredients are mostly incorporated, add the whole milk and continue to beat on low speed until the dough is uniform and no streaks of flour remain. As soon as the dough comes together, stop the mixer. If you plan to make any of the delightful variations (gingerbread, peppermint, red velvet, or mocha), this is the ideal moment to incorporate those additional ingredients into your freshly made dough. Gently mix them in until just combined.

Step 4: Prepare Your Hershey’s Kisses. This is a crucial step to prevent your chocolate kisses from melting prematurely on your warm cookies! Unwrap all 35 of your chosen Hershey’s Kisses or Hugs and place them in a freezer-safe ziploc bag or an airtight container. Pop them into the freezer. They should chill for at least an hour, coinciding with the dough chilling time.

Step 5: Scoop, Roll, and Chill the Dough. Using a cookie scoop (about 1 tablespoon in size) or a spoon, scoop out portions of the chocolate cookie dough. Roll each portion between your palms to form a smooth, uniform ball. Then, roll each dough ball in the extra granulated sugar (or sprinkles, or a combination with powdered sugar for the crinkle effect as described in the tips). Place the sugared dough balls onto a parchment-lined baking sheet or plate, ensuring they aren’t touching. Repeat this process until all the cookie dough is used – you should yield approximately 35 cookies. Once all balls are formed, place the entire tray of cookie dough into the fridge to chill for a minimum of 1 hour. This chilling step is non-negotiable for perfectly shaped cookies that don’t spread too thin.

Step 6: Bake and Finish. After the dough has chilled for an hour, preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two baking sheets with fresh parchment paper. Arrange the chilled cookie dough balls on the prepared baking sheets, leaving a few inches of space between each cookie to allow for slight spreading. They should fit comfortably on two sheets. Bake one sheet at a time on the middle rack of your oven for 11-13 minutes. While the first batch is baking, retrieve the frozen Hershey’s Kisses from the freezer. Once the cookies are out of the oven, they should look set around the edges with a few cracks, but still soft in the center. Immediately but gently press one frozen Hershey’s Kiss into the center of each warm cookie. The residual heat from the cookie will slightly soften the chocolate kiss, helping it adhere perfectly without fully melting. Allow the newly adorned chocolate cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 10-15 minutes. This cooling time on the hot sheet allows them to set further and prevents them from breaking when transferred. Finally, transfer them to a wire cooling rack to cool completely. Repeat the baking and pressing process with the second sheet of cookie dough.

Yes, absolutely! The chilling step for this cocoa blossom cookie dough is non-negotiable. This dough is naturally quite soft and sticky. If baked without proper chilling, the butter in the dough will melt too quickly in the oven, causing your cookies to spread excessively and become thin and flat. Chilling allows the butter to re-solidify and the flour to fully hydrate, resulting in thicker, chewier cookies that hold their shape beautifully.

While not strictly mandatory for the cookie to bake properly, rolling the cookie dough balls in granulated sugar (or another coating like sprinkles) adds a delightful sparkle, a subtle crunch, and a beautiful finished appearance. It also contributes to that classic “blossom” aesthetic. You can certainly just roll them into plain dough balls and chill, but for that extra visual appeal and textural contrast, we highly recommend the sugar coating!

This is a fantastic and very common question! The trick to perfectly placed, non-melted kisses is to freeze them. While your cookie dough is chilling in the fridge for its required hour, unwrap all your Hershey’s Kisses (or Hugs) and place them in a freezer-safe bag or container in the freezer. When the baked cookies come out of the oven, immediately press a frozen kiss into the center of each. The extreme coldness of the kiss will prevent it from completely melting on contact with the warm cookie, allowing it to soften just enough to adhere while retaining its signature shape. Do keep in mind that some varieties, like Hershey’s Hugs, tend to soften a bit faster than solid chocolate kisses, so work quickly!

Cocoa Blossom Cookies

Ella Gilbert

Nutrition Information