Christmas time is here! It's December 4, which also happens to be National Cookie Day. But everyone knows that the entire month is all about baking Christmas cookies. So, while trying to get into the spirit of the holiday, my first cookies of the month are these Chocolate Peppermint Thumbprint cookies. These cookies are delicious and simple to make. I promise that if I can make these, any beginner baker can too.
I made these cookies using Hershey's unsweetened baking cocoa and Hershey's Kisses - candy cane flavor. The recipe below makes about 40 cookies and only takes 25 minutes of prep and cooking time. But it is important to chill your dough before baking to get the best results. I recommend chilling your dough in the refrigerator overnight or minimum of three hours.
Why chill your cookie dough?
- When you put the dough in the fridge, the fats cool. This allows the batter to expand slower and develop a richer, chewy texture.
- The cookies will be gooey on the inside and crispy on the outside.
- Chilled dough enhances the flavor of your cookies.
- Skipping this step will leave you with sticky batter which is much harder to work with.
Tips on making chocolate peppermint cookies
- Always preheat the oven.
- Cover the baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Freeze your Hershey Kisses about two hours before baking. This will keep the kisses from melting when you place them on top of the cookies.
- Butter and eggs should be at room temperature.
- If you have time to do a test batch, it will really help you determine the desired baking time for the best cookies.
Leave me a comment and let me know how you like these cookies and follow along with my food journey over on instagram @thathangrygurl.
Looking for more holiday ideas? Check out my other Christmas treats:
Chocolate Peppermint Thumbprint Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted buter
- ½ cup sugar
- ¼ cup light brown sugar
- 1½ cups flour
- ¼ cup unsweetened baking cocoa I used Hershey's brand
- 1 bag Hershey Kisses (candy cane flavor)
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- 2 egg yolks
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cover baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Cream butter and both sugars with mixer until light and fluffy. Turn mixer on low and add egg yolks (one at a time). Only mix until the egg is just mixed with the dough.
- Mix in vanilla extract.
- In a separate bow, whisk together flour, baking cocoa, salt, baking powder and baking soda.
- Add the dry mixture to wet mixture slowly and in parts. Blend on low after each addition until just combined.
- Cover and refrigerate the dough for at least 3 hours up to overnight.
- Roll dough into 1 inch balls. Place on cookie sheet with 1-2 inches between cookies.
- Bake for 7-8 minutes. Cool for about 3 minutes . Press 1 kiss into the top of each cookie. Carefully move cookie to cooling racks (be careful not to touch the kiss)