Description
These Gingerbread Kiss Cookies are soft, chewy, and full of warm holiday spices like ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice. Each cookie is topped with a classic Hershey’s Hugs kiss nestled in the center, making them a festive and delicious treat perfect for seasonal celebrations or gifting. Coated in sanding sugar, these cookies have a delicate crunch on the outside with a tender, flavorful crumb inside.
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 2¼ teaspoons ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¾ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon ground allspice
Wet Ingredients
- ¾ cup salted sweet cream butter, softened
- ¾ cup light brown sugar, packed
- ½ cup + 2 tablespoons molasses
- 1 large egg
- 1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
Topping
- 30 Hershey’s Hugs kisses, unwrapped
- Sanding sugar, for coating cookie dough balls
Instructions
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium-sized mixing bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, ground ginger, ground cinnamon, baking soda, ground nutmeg, and ground allspice until evenly combined. Set this mixture aside for later.
- Cream Butter: Using a stand mixer or a handheld mixer in a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter on medium-high speed for 30 seconds to 1 minute until creamy and smooth.
- Add Sugar: Add the light brown sugar to the creamed butter and continue mixing on medium-high speed for 1 minute until the mixture becomes light and fluffy.
- Incorporate Molasses, Egg, and Vanilla: Add the molasses, egg, and vanilla extract to the butter and sugar mixture. Mix just until all the ingredients are fully incorporated and a uniform batter forms.
- Combine Dry and Wet Mixtures: Gradually add the dry flour mixture to the wet ingredients and mix on low speed just until combined. Be careful not to overmix to maintain a tender cookie texture.
- Chill the Dough: Cover the dough with plastic wrap or a reusable cover and refrigerate it for 30 minutes to allow it to firm up and the flavors to meld.
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Baking Sheet: Near the end of the chilling time, preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set it aside.
- Scoop and Roll Dough: Using a 1½ tablespoon cookie scoop, portion out the dough and roll each portion into a smooth ball.
- Coat in Sanding Sugar: Roll each dough ball in sanding sugar until fully coated, then place them on the prepared baking sheet, spacing them about 2 inches apart.
- Bake the Cookies: Bake in the preheated oven for 8 to 10 minutes until the edges are set but the centers still appear slightly soft.
- Add Hershey’s Hugs: Remove the cookies from the oven and let them rest on the baking sheet for about 2 minutes. Immediately press an unwrapped Hershey’s Hugs kiss into the center of each cookie.
- Cool Completely: Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for another 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. This ensures the kisses set properly without melting off.
Notes
- Chilling the dough is essential for easier handling and helps prevent excessive spreading during baking.
- Use sanding sugar instead of regular granulated sugar for a more delicate sparkle and texture on the cookie surface.
- Make sure the butter is softened but not melted to achieve the best creaming results.
- Don’t overbake; the cookies will firm up as they cool and should remain soft and chewy inside.
- Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days or freeze for longer storage.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
