Welcome to day #2 for the 12 Days of Easy Christmas Cookies! I decided to share some my family’s favorite traditional cookie recipes like Thimble Cookies (aka Bird’s Nests) and Shortbread, and also try out some new recipes like Eggnog Snickerdoodles and Red Velvet Sugar Cookies. If you’re not already signed up to receive email updates, might I suggest you do? You don’t want to miss out! You can also follow along on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram!
This is a recipe from the Hershey’s website that’s been slightly modified and changed the name to Hugs & Kisses Cookies to reflect the fact I used both types of chocolates. Plus I just love asking someone if they would like some Hugs & Kisses Cookies. The questions is, would you eat the chocolate first or last?? My son claims the ONLY way to eat these Hugs & Kisses cookies is when they are about 20 minutes out of the oven, here why: You need to place the hugs and kisses on the cookies as soon as they come out of the oven. The heat from the cookies melts the Hugs & Kisses chocolates so they stick to the cookie. THIS is also the BEST time to eat the cookies as they are cool enough not to burn your mouth but also that chocolate is all melty and ooey and gooey. DELICIOUS! Get the glasses of milk ready!
The original recipe recommends Hugs chocolates (the ones with the stripes) but I like the visual appearance of both the Hugs and Kisses Hershey chocolates on the cookies. I’ve also used the kisses that have caramel in the centre. Heavenly!
Can you think of a more adorable Christmas gift to share with someone then a container of Hugs & Kisses Cookies??
Hugs & Kisses Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter , softened
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 cups plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour , divided
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 2 tbsp cocoa powder
- 48 Hershey’s Hugs & Kisses Brand Candies , unwrapped
Instructions
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Heat oven to 350°F.
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Beat butter and sugar until well blended. Add the egg and vanilla. In a separate bowl, mix together 2 cups flour, baking powder and salt. Gradually add into butter mixture. This mixture will still be sticky.
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Divide dough mixture in half in two separate bowls. Add 2 tablespoons flour to one bowl and the 2 tbsp cocoa powder to the other bowl. I use a ½ tbsp. measuring spoon to measure out a portion from each bowl. Roll the dough together to create a marbled ball. Place balls on a parchment lined cookie sheet.
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Bake 11 - 13 minutes or until cookies are set. Allow cookies to cool for no longer then 1 minute then working quickly, press a chocolate into center of each cookie. Allow the cookies to cool for another 20 minutes on the cookie sheet before transfering to a wire cooling rack. Make sure the chocolate has hardened again before storing in an airtight container.
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Should make about 48 cookies.
**I recommend you unwrap the chocolates before you start this recipe. You need them as soon as the cookies come out of the oven and unless you’re really quick, I never seem to have enough time if I try to do it while the cookies are in the oven.
How delicious! Wow, these simple recipes are absolute FANTASTIC!!! Awesome job 🙂