These cookies are special. I mean, all cookies are special, but these are special (like Rory Gilmore). We originally posted these 4 years ago and it was kind of funny to read through what was going on in my life at the time–it was our first Christmas in our new house…I was turning 30. It’s now our 5th Christmas in this house and I am no longer about turn 30, but I still remember making these cookies for the first time, going back and forth between baking and texting my friend Laura about why I was skipping our church Christmas party (who needs Christmas potlucks when you have chocolate and peppermint cookies? That’s why.)
These have become a staple in our family, a favorite treat we deliver to teachers, friends, and neighbors, something my kids request for class treats. This is one of those recipes that has kind of become part of our family story, which makes me love them even more.
We’re participating in a cookie swap with some of our favorite blogger friends, so I thought I’d give one of my favorite recipes a makeover (as fun as it was to read through my memories, it was not fun to see my old pictures. I know, I know, we should appreciate the growth process, see all the things I’ve learned along the way. One of the things I’ve learned is that some pictures are best remained unseen, like the old pictures of this recipe and my 6th grade yearbook photo.)
I started with Sara’s Cadbury Egg Cookie Dough, which is really just a great recipe for chocolate cookies.
Ingredient Notes
- Butter and Shortening: This recipe calls for a mix of butter and shortening. I sometimes like that combo because you get flavor and tenderness from the butter, and some structure and softness from the shortening. If you’d rather not use shortening, or don’t have it on hand, you can definitely make this recipe will all butter. They might spread just a bit more.
- Chocolate Chips – This recipe calls for dark chocolate chips, but you can use whatever you have on hand!
- Hershey’s Candy Cane Kisses – These are kind of the star of the show here! But if you’d like to experiment, go ahead and try these cookies with other flavors of kisses, just leave out the peppermint extract or replace it with another extract or flavoring oil of your choice.
Instructions
- Start by place some brown and white sugars in the bowl of a stand mixer or a large bowl. Add some softened butter and butter-flavored shortening and cream together for a few minutes until light and fluffy. Add some vanilla, peppermint extract, and eggs and mix until thoroughly combined.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the baking powder, baking soda, salt, flour, and cocoa powder. Add to the butter/sugar mixture and mix until combined. Mix in the chocolate chips.
- To prevent cookies from flattening out, refrigerate dough for 30-60 minutes. Drop the dough by the tablespoonful onto an ungreased baking sheet (or parchment paper-lined baking sheets). Bake until just set, but centers are still soft, about 8 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool for 1-2 minutes. Use a metal spatula to transfer cookies to cooling rack. Top each cookie with an unwrapped Candy Cane Kiss.
- Allow to cool completely, long enough for the Kiss to harden. If necessary, after the cookies have cooled, they can be placed in the refrigerator or freezer to re-solidify the Kiss. Allow them to stand for 5 minutes and then transfer to a wire cooling rack. These puppies need a few hours for the kiss to become solid again, but if you need to hurry things along, wait until the cookies themselves have cooled and then transfer them to your refrigerator or freezer and they’ll be set up in no time.
These are perfect for holiday gift-giving because they’re easy, festive, a little different, and hold up well to packaging:
(Click here for these ADORABLE and customizable gift tags.)
Need a unique gift? Make your friends do the baking! Details here.
Related Recipes
Can’t get enough of that chocolate peppermint combo? Check out these other chocolate peppermint combos from Our Best Bites!
- Chocolate Peppermint Chex Mix
- Giant Chocolate Peppermint Bark Cookie
- Peppermint Candy Cane Chocolate Chip Cookies
Frequently Asked Questions
- Can I make these ahead of time? Make these cookies a day ahead of time if needed. Store on the counter in an airtight container until ready to serve. While I have not personally tried freezing these, most cookies freeze pretty well as long as they are sealed well.
Did You Make This?
I’d love to hear from you! Snap a picture and tag me on Instagram, then come back and give this recipe a rating!
Candy Cane Kiss Cookies
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup butter-flavored shortening
- 1/2 cup real butter
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1 cup white sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
- 1 teaspoon peppermint extract
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 1/2 cup flour lightly spooned into measuring cups and leveled with a knife
- 1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 12 ounce bag dark chocolate chips
- 48 Hershey’s Candy Cane Kisses unwrapped (one 10 ounce bag)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350.
- Cream together softened butter, shortening, brown sugar, and white sugar for 1-2 minutes on medium-high speed or until light and fluffy. Add the eggs and vanilla and mix until combined. In a separate bowl, combine the baking powder, baking soda, salt, flour, and cocoa powder. Add to the butter/sugar mixture and mix until combined. Mix in the chocolate chips.
- To prevent cookies from flattening out, refrigerate dough for 30-60 minutes. Drop the dough by the tablespoonful onto an ungreased baking sheet. Bake until just set, but centers are still soft, about 8 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool for 1-2 minutes. Use a metal spatula to transfer cookies to cooling rack. Top each cookie with an unwrapped Candy Cane Kiss. Allow to cool completely, long enough for the Kiss to harden. If necessary, after the cookies have cooled, they can be placed in the refrigerator or freezer to re-solidify the Kiss.
Questions & Reviews
Would the cookies taste the same with all butter, no shortening?
Yep, you can definitely use all butter. We just find that half shortening helps keep them a little softer and they puff up a bit more. Butter sometimes will yield a slightly flatter cookie, but still delicious!
made these today, but added 5 crushed candy canes (bob’s, of course!) to the batter. I loved the little crunch they add to the cookies, and the candy cane theme was taken even further. So yum! These will become a christmas tradition for sure!
Love these! Quick tip- if you roll the balls of chocolate dough in powder sugar before baking they look even prettier with the kiss!!
Made a batch of these for a holiday cookie exchange, and they were a huge hit! Thanks for making me look like an awesome baker!!
These look great, and I am excited to try them, but I live in a higher elevation area. How would you adjust this recipe (along with the ginger spice cookie recipe) for higher altitudes?
Thanks, and Merry Christmas!
These were amazing. I love them. My brother ate the first dozen right after they came out of the oven and had even more after dinner. Thank you so much for posting this recipe. It is definitely one of my favorites.
its superb i like it
oh really i also like it
I bought your new cookbook and I love it! I do have a quick question regarding the winter recipes, including this one. My husband hates anything peppermint (I KNOW!) so I was wondering if you have any suggestions for a substitute for those great recipes. I am not very creative with my cooking but I can follow a recipe really well! So, any help for me?! 🙂
Making my second batch of these today. The BEST Christmas cookie EVER. Everyone who has had one has asked for the recipe.
I made these to take to our ward Christmas party last night and they were one of the first cookies gone from the dessert table!! My husband said they were quite possibly the BEST cookie he’s ever had!! And this is coming from a guy who usually only requests plain chocolate chip cookies!
I made these for a family party today and they were AMAZING! They were the hit of the dessert table! So soft and chewy, I can’t wait to make them again, thanks!
I LOVE these cookies…but to make it easier I have started using the Andee’s peppermint chips and mixing them in with the mini chips
Just popped my last batch of dough in the oven tonight (from hubby’s request:-). We absolutely love them as much as last year. However, I evidently shopped too late for the peppermint kisses as I couldn’t find them anywhere. I substituted the Dove Peppermint Bark squares, putting 1/2 of a square on each cookie. The squares cut cleaner with the chocolate side face up.
they look yummy! i wish to make them.
I finally made these! They are AWESOME! Thanks for yet another great Christmas baking tradition! Love you guys!! 🙂
Yum Yum Yum!!! I just got back from the store after seeing these and guess what I found? That’s right Christmas colored Cadbury balls (same as eggs but not egg shaped) I’m thinking I might have to add these and the kisses to make super christmas cookies!!! Thanks for the great recipe!
I just want you to know that I made these today after finding this recipe and oh, my goodness, did they taste incredible! =] I made them to ship them out to my boyfriend, who lives 3000 miles away, so I’ll update you with info about how they shipped and how much he liked them. Thank you for putting this recipe together! I will most certainly be stopping by your blog in the future, it’s so cute! 😀
these look yummy!!! are there any substitutes for 1/2 c. butter-flavored shortening?
Just made these. They are tasty but maybe its my oven i swore it took like 15 minutes for them to cook through here in California.
Made these for a party this weekend and they were a huge hit! Thanks!
So I had to substitute the dark chocolate chips for semi sweet since my husband will take white chocolate *gasp of horror* any day over dark chocolate. But these cookies are fabulous. I probably put my kisses in too soon because I ended up more with puddles of candy cane kisses than candy cane kisses on top. 😛
what if you melted andes all over.
Thanks so much for posting this recipe. I made them this evening for a cookie exchange party. I just had to taste one. They are AWESOME!!!!!
Oh. My. Word. These bad boys are DELICIOUS!! I must have made mine super-size, I only got 3 dozen. 🙁
Ooohhhh Kate. These look so delicious…and the peppermint bark rice krispy treats…what to make first?! I usually just comment about how good everything tastes, but I wanted to add that your photography at OBB is always gorgeous and the site is so pleasing to look at it makes me want to spend all night looking up recipes! 🙂 Speaking of recipes, going to make some of your guys’ yummy guiltless alfredo sauce right now. 🙂 Thanks again!! 🙂