Experience pure holiday bliss with these incredibly soft peppermint cookies, each hiding a delightful Candy Cane Kiss surprise at its core. These are more than just cookies; they’re a festive sensation!
If your heart beats for the refreshing taste of peppermint, you absolutely must try these Peppermint Kiss Cookies. They offer another fantastic way to enjoy that beloved holiday flavor.
Discover the Irresistible Charm of Candy Cane Kiss Stuffed Pudding Cookies
There’s a special magic that descends upon us during the holiday season, and for many, that magic is encapsulated in the vibrant flavor of peppermint. If you haven’t yet had the pleasure of tasting Hershey’s Candy Cane Kisses, prepare to be enchanted. These delightful little chocolates are a game-changer, offering a burst of cool peppermint flavor combined with smooth white chocolate. They’re not just delicious; they’re incredibly addictive. It’s a true test of willpower to keep your hand out of the bag once you’ve started snacking!
But beyond their standalone deliciousness, these Kisses are also the secret ingredient to creating some of the most memorable holiday cookies. Imagine a cookie that embodies everything you love about the festive season: soft, chewy, bursting with peppermint, and hiding a molten peppermint chocolate core. That’s precisely what you get with these Candy Cane Kiss Stuffed Pudding Cookies. We’ve taken the beloved candy cane kiss and elevated it to new cookie heights, crafting a dessert that is guaranteed to impress even the most discerning palates.
The Secret to Ultimate Softness: Pudding Cookies
What makes these cookies so exceptionally soft, tender, and moist, ensuring they stay that way for days? The secret lies in one unexpected ingredient: instant pudding mix. Incorporating a package of instant white chocolate pudding mix into the dough is a brilliant baking hack that delivers unparalleled results. The pudding mix works wonders by enhancing the moisture content of the cookies, giving them a luxuriously soft and chewy texture that traditional cookies often lack. This isn’t just about softness; it’s about a richness and depth of flavor that complements the peppermint beautifully, making each bite truly melt-in-your-mouth.
For those who, like us, are dedicated fans of soft cookies, this recipe is a dream come true. The pudding mix acts as a tenderizer, preventing the cookies from becoming dry or crumbly. Instead, they emerge from the oven with a perfectly soft interior and slightly crisp edges, maintaining their delightful texture long after they’ve cooled. This characteristic makes them ideal for holiday gifting or preparing ahead for festive gatherings, as their quality won’t diminish quickly. Once you experience the superior softness and enduring freshness of a pudding cookie, you’ll wonder how you ever baked without this clever addition.
Crafting Your Peppermint Kiss Stuffed Pudding Cookies: A Simple Guide
Creating these delightful stuffed cookies is a straightforward process, promising impressive results with minimal fuss. The key to success lies in properly encasing each Candy Cane Kiss within the soft, pliable cookie dough, ensuring that every bite delivers that glorious molten peppermint surprise. Here’s a detailed approach to help you master the art of stuffing and baking these festive treats:
Tips for Perfectly Stuffed Cookies:
- Start with Flat Dough: Begin by taking a tablespoon-sized ball of cookie dough and gently flattening it into a disk in the palm of your hand. This creates a stable base for the Kiss.
- Center the Kiss: Place an unwrapped Candy Cane Kiss directly in the center of the flattened dough disk.
- Cap with More Dough: Take another slightly smaller ball of dough and flatten it, placing it directly on top of the Kiss.
- Seal Completely: Carefully bring the edges of the bottom dough disk up and around the Kiss, merging it with the top dough disk. Gently roll the entire creation into a smooth, seamless ball. The goal is to completely seal the Kiss within the dough, preventing it from melting out during baking. This technique ensures that your surprise center stays perfectly intact.
Baking and Drizzling for Peppermint Perfection:
- Mindful Baking: Bake the cookies until their edges are lightly golden brown, but the centers still look soft. Overbaking can lead to a dry cookie, so keep a close eye on them. The pudding mix helps maintain moisture, but careful baking is still essential for optimal texture.
- Cooling is Key: Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. This helps them set and prevents them from breaking.
- The Finishing Touch: Once the cookies are entirely cool, melt the remaining Candy Cane Kisses. A microwave-safe bowl and 15-second intervals, stirring between each, will achieve a perfectly smooth and drizzly consistency. Drizzle this melted peppermint chocolate generously over each cooled cookie. The visual appeal is enhanced, and it adds another layer of delightful peppermint flavor. Allow the chocolate drizzle to harden completely before serving, which will make them easier to handle and present.
Even for those who might typically shy away from peppermint, the balanced sweetness and refreshing zing in these cookies, combined with their incredible softness, have a way of winning everyone over. Indeed, even my own kids, who are usually not big fans of peppermint, absolutely adored these cookies!
Expert Tips for Your Best Batch of Pudding Cookies
Achieving bakery-quality stuffed pudding cookies is simple with a few expert tips. Beyond the basic steps, these insights will help you elevate your baking game and ensure every cookie is a masterpiece:
- Room Temperature Ingredients: Ensure your butter and eggs are at room temperature. This allows them to cream together more smoothly, creating an emulsified mixture that traps air, resulting in a lighter and fluffier cookie dough.
- Don’t Overmix: After adding the dry ingredients to the wet, mix only until just combined. Overmixing develops the gluten in the flour, which can lead to tough cookies. A few streaks of flour are fine; they’ll disappear during baking.
- Chill the Dough (Optional, but Recommended): While this recipe doesn’t explicitly require chilling, if your dough feels too sticky to work with, or if you want thicker, chewier cookies, a 30-minute chill in the refrigerator can work wonders. Chilled dough spreads less, leading to a better texture.
- Parchment Paper or Silicone Mats: Always line your baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. This prevents sticking, ensures even baking, and makes cleanup a breeze.
- Even Cookie Size: Use a cookie scoop to ensure all your dough balls are uniform in size. This guarantees even baking across the batch and a consistent appearance.
- Freshness of Pudding Mix: Ensure your instant pudding mix is fresh. While it doesn’t need to be newly bought, an old, stale mix might not yield the same moist and soft results. Use only the dry mix; do not prepare the pudding.
- Creative Drizzles: While melted Candy Cane Kisses are perfect, you can also drizzle with melted dark chocolate or white chocolate for a different visual and flavor contrast. A sprinkle of crushed candy canes on top of the wet drizzle adds extra crunch and festive flair.
Serving and Storing Your Holiday Treats
These Candy Cane Kiss Stuffed Pudding Cookies are perfect for any holiday occasion, from festive parties to cozy nights in. Serve them warm for an incredibly gooey, molten center, or at room temperature for a firmer yet still deliciously soft bite. They pair wonderfully with a glass of cold milk, a warm mug of hot cocoa, or a festive coffee beverage. For storage, keep cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3-4 days. To enjoy them longer, they can be frozen for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature or gently warm in the microwave for a fresh-baked experience.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q: Can I use a different type of Hershey’s Kiss?
A: Absolutely! While Candy Cane Kisses are ideal for a festive peppermint flavor, you can certainly experiment with other varieties like milk chocolate, special dark, or even caramel kisses for different flavor profiles. Adjust the drizzle accordingly!
Q: My cookies spread too much. What went wrong?
A: Several factors can cause cookies to spread: butter that’s too soft (or melted), not enough flour, or an oven that’s not hot enough. Ensure your butter is at room temperature but not greasy, measure flour accurately, and preheat your oven fully. Chilling the dough for 30 minutes can also help.
Q: Can I make the dough ahead of time?
A: Yes! You can prepare the cookie dough and store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2-3 days. When ready to bake, let it sit at room temperature for about 15-20 minutes to soften slightly before scooping and stuffing.
Q: What if I don’t have peppermint extract?
A: Peppermint extract provides a concentrated flavor. If you don’t have it, you can omit it, but your cookies won’t have the same strong peppermint base. You could try adding a small amount of finely crushed candy canes to the dough, but be mindful of the added sugar and texture.
Q: How many Candy Cane Kisses do I need for the recipe?
A: The recipe calls for 44 Candy Cane Hershey’s Kisses. This includes 24 for stuffing (one per cookie) and the remaining 20 for melting and drizzling over the cooled cookies.
More Delicious Christmas Cookies to Try
If you’re in the mood for more festive baking, here are some other cherished Christmas cookie recipes that are sure to spread cheer:
- Peppermint Holiday Soft Sugar Cookie Recipe
- Classic Peanut Butter Blossoms
- Fun Christmas M&M Cookies
- The Best Sugar Cookie Recipe with Sugar Cookie Icing
- Festive Eggnog Cookies
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Candy Cane Kiss Stuffed Pudding Cookies
Pin Recipe
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup butter at room temperature
- 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 package (3.4 oz) instant white chocolate pudding (mix only)
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 44 Candy Cane Hershey’s Kisses Chocolates unwrapped, divided
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF.
- In a large bowl, cream together the butter and both sugars until light and fluffy. Add in the eggs and mix until completely combined. Add in the peppermint extract.
- In another bowl, combine the flour, pudding mix, baking soda, and salt. Add the dry ingredients into the butter mixture and mix until combined.
- Form the dough into tablespoon sized balls. Take one ball and place a kiss in the center. Top with another ball, and form the dough into a large ball, encasing the kiss in the middle of the dough. Place on a baking sheet, at least 3 inches apart.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until lightly browned. Let cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.
- Once cool, melt the remaining 20 kisses in a microwave safe bowl in 15 second increments until they are completely melted and smooth. Drizzle the melted chocolate over the cooled cookies. Allow the chocolate to set up before serving.
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information
Calories: 220 kcal (11%),
Carbohydrates: 34g (11%),
Protein: 2g (4%),
Fat: 8g (12%),
Saturated Fat: 5g (31%),
Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g,
Trans Fat: 0g,
Cholesterol: 32mg (11%),
Sodium: 277mg (12%),
Fiber: 0g,
Sugar: 18g (20%)