Hershey Kiss Cookies Recipe

Bake delicious Hershey Kiss Cookies Recipe for a delightful treat with creamy peanut butter and sweet chocolate.

Ingredients

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 cup unsalted butter
• 1 cup creamy peanut butter
• ⅔ cup dark brown sugar
• ⅔ cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon milk
• 2 pounds Hershey’s Kisses

Instructions

Step 1: Prepare Your Baking Sheets

Line two baking sheets with parchment paper so your cookies have a safe non-stick landing. This small prep step saves time later and keeps everything tidy — place the sheets on the bright countertop so they’re ready beside your mixing station.

Step 2: Mix the Dry Ingredients

In a medium bowl whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt until everything looks evenly distributed and slightly aerated. Give the mixture a few sharp stirs so there are no pockets of leavener; then set the bowl aside on the counter, ready to be folded into the wet ingredients when called for.

Step 3: Cream the Butters

Fit your stand mixer with the paddle attachment and add the unsalted butter and creamy peanut butter. Beat them together until smooth and homogenous — about two minutes — so the fats are silky and combined. You want a soft, spreadable paste without lumps before the sugars join the party.

Step 4: Sugar and Spice It Up

Add both the dark brown sugar and granulated sugar to the creamed butters. Beat on medium until the mixture lightens in color and becomes visibly fluffier, with tiny air pockets forming. This step builds structure: the sugars dissolve into the fats and give the dough a satiny, aerated texture.

Step 5: The Egg and Vanilla Touch

Add the eggs and pure vanilla extract to the mixing bowl and blend until everything is a glossy, cohesive mixture. The batter should become smooth and slightly more fluid as the eggs emulsify the fats and sugars into a uniform batter.

Step 6: Uniting the Dry and Wet

Turn the mixer to low and gradually add the dry flour mixture, letting it fold in until a soft, slightly stiff peanut butter dough forms. If the dough feels too firm, stir in a tablespoon of milk to ease it — the goal is a supple, slightly tacky dough that will hold a rounded shape once chilled.

Step 7: Chill Out

Cover the mixing bowl and let the dough rest in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes. The brief chill firms the fats, making the dough easier to handle and preventing excessive spreading during baking. A chilled dough yields taller, chewier cookies.

Step 8: Shape and Set

Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Roll the chilled dough into uniform ¾-inch balls, placing them 1½ inches apart on the prepared parchment-lined baking sheets so each cookie has room to puff and crack evenly as it bakes.

Step 9: The Baking Process

Slide the tray into the 375°F oven and bake the cookies for 8 minutes. At this point they will be golden but still soft at the centers — slightly domed with tiny cracks forming on the surface.

Step 10: The Grand Smush

Remove the tray briefly and gently press a Hershey’s Kiss into the center of each warm cookie, allowing the chocolate to nestle in and bond with the soft dough. Return the tray to the oven for a final 2-minute bake so the chocolate sets slightly while retaining its glossy teardrop shape.

Step 11: Cooling and Finishing Off

Let the cookies rest on the pan for about 2 minutes so they firm up just enough, then transfer them to a cooling rack to finish cooling completely. This final rest preserves their tender interior and crisp edges before you serve or package them.

Notes

• Ensure all ingredients are at room temperature for the best mixing results.
• Adjust the size of Hershey’s Kisses if you prefer smaller or larger chocolate centers.
• For a softer cookie, be cautious not to over-bake.