My chocolate kiss cookies are the ultimate snack! Soft, chewy, and filled with rich chocolate flavor, the Hershey Kiss on top is a lovely addition to these homemade treats.
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I don’t know about you, but I grew up on Hershey Kiss cookies. I’ve already shared my recipe for my ultimate favorite peanut butter kiss cookies or my 4 ingredient peanut butter blossoms variation (with a Hershey Kiss on top, of course), these Hershey Kiss cookies without peanut butter, and these peppermint kiss cookies.
For those of you with allergies, and I’ve even whipped up some sugar cookies with Hershey Kisses. As you can see, I’m crazy about this kind of baked snack. Milk chocolate is simply delicious in cookies!
I decided to try yet another take on this classic recipe: this time with extra chocolate. The added cocoa powder in the batter really sets them apart.
And, any time I can squeeze in a bit more chocolate in my desserts…you better believe I take advantage.
Whether you make these chocolate Hershey Kiss cookies for an upcoming birthday party, bake sale, or have them around the house for snack time, you’ll love how they come out.
Don’t be afraid to make a double batch — you’ll probably want extras!
Here’s what I’m going to teach you in this post:
- All of the ingredients you’ll need to prepare this homemade chocolate kiss cookies recipe. You likely already have most of them on hand!
- Instructions on how to bake up perfectly chewy, gooey, and chocolatey Hershey Kiss cookies every time.
- Answers to some questions that may come up as you start to prepare your chocolate kiss cookies.
Cookie lovers, unite! This chocolate kiss cookies recipe is easy to throw together and even easier to enjoy. My advice? Garnish with a pinch of sea salt. Gotta love that salty and sweet combo!
How to Make Chocolate Kiss Cookies
A full printable version of this recipe with ingredient measurements is available at the bottom of this post.
STEP ONE: Before you get started, preheat your oven to 350 degrees F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper so that your cookies don’t get stuck.
STEP TWO: Whisk together your melted butter and granulated sugar in a large bowl until combined. Then, add your egg and vanilla and whisk some more. Mix flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt in another smaller bowl. Add your dry and wet ingredients and mix until there are no more lumps of flour. Be careful not to overmix!
STEP THREE: Using a cookie scoop or spoon, create 1 tablespoon-sized portions of the dough and roll them into balls. Make sure to place them at least 2 inches apart on your baking sheet.
STEP FOUR: Bake your chocolate kiss cookies for 9-10 minutes or until the edges are set. You want the center to be a bit soft. As soon as you take them out of the oven, press a Hershey Kiss on top of each one while your cookies are warm.
STEP FIVE: Let your chocolate kiss cookies cool, and then sprinkle with a bit of flakey sea salt before serving. Enjoy!
What Kind Of Cocoa Powder Can I Use?
I opt for natural cocoa powder in this chocolate Hershey kiss cookies recipe. You can also use Dutch-processed varieties instead if you’d like.
I find that the latter is darker in color and has a lighter flavor than natural. It’s all about preference, so go with whatever you prefer!
How Do You Keep Hershey’s Kisses From Melting?
A key part of my chocolate kiss cookies recipe is waiting until your cookies are finished baking to add the chocolate kiss on top. I also love to stick them in the fridge while I am prepping the dough and baking the cookies.
If you add it before, you’ll end up with an ooey-gooey mess — it’s not the worst thing in the world, but that’s a different cookie for a different day!
Add yours as soon as you pull your baked goods out of the oven (they should be warm!), and you shouldn’t have an issue with melting.
Can I Use A Different Type of Hershey Kiss?
I like using the classic milk chocolate Hershey Kisses for this recipe, but you can feel free to get creative!
They come in so many flavors these days — dark chocolate, almond, peppermint, and white chocolate would make for a delicious dessert!
What Does Baking Soda Do in Cookies?
Most cookie recipes involve a bit of baking soda. It lends a lot to the texture and ensures chewy results every time.
Baking soda works as a leavener, and without it, you’ll end up with hard and flat cookies. Don’t skip it!
Other Cookie Recipes You’ll Love:
- Strawberry Cheesecake Cookies
- Turtle Cookies
- Chocolate Chip Cookies Without Baking Soda
- Vanilla Crinkle Cookies
- Chocolate Thumbprint Cookies
- 35 Easy Christmas Cookie Recipes with Few Ingredients
Chocolate Kiss Cookies
Ingredients
- 10 tablespoons unsalted butter melted and slightly cooled
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 12 hershey kisses
- Flakey sea salt for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350F and line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the melted butter and granulated sugar until well combined. Next, add the egg and vanilla. Whisk to combine.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix just until no large lumps of flour remain– you don’t want to overmix!
- Scoop out 1 tablespoon sized portions and roll them into smooth balls. Place them at least 2” apart on the prepared baking sheet.
- Bake for 9-10 minutes, or just until the edges of the cookies are set– the center will still be a bit soft.
- (Optional) For perfectly round cookies, swirl the cookies inside of a round cookie cutter or circular glass when they come out of the oven.
- Immediately when the cookies come out of the oven, gently press a Hershey kiss onto the top of each one.
- Allow the cookies to cool completely on the baking sheet (this will help them set fully) and then sprinkles with flakey sea salt before enjoying.
