Chocolate Kiss Cookies.

These tasty little chocolate shortbread cookies have a surprise chocolate kiss in the center. 😘

My Grandma was our family’s Cookie Queen. It didn’t matter when you showed up, there were always cookies at her house. But she really got serious about cookie making for Christmas. Every year, we’d all receive a Christmas tin filled with cookies – often 10 or 12 different kinds. She must have baked for weeks.

These chocolate shortbread kiss cookies are one of the cookies that showed up often in those Christmas tins. The only thing I’ve changed from her recipe is to add a bit of salt and roll them in sparkling sugar. These are especially great cookies to bake with young children. The dough is a simple shortbread requiring only a handful of ingredients, and rolling it around a chocolate kiss is a fun and easy task for small hands.

Rolling the little balls in sparkling sugar is, of course, optional. But, if you’re so inclined, this is what I used: Bakery Bling Diamond Glittery Sugar

Cocoa Kiss Cookies

Author: Rebecca Blackwell
Prep Time: 25 minutes + at least one hour refrigeration
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes (plus at least one hour refrigeration)
Yield: 54 cookies 1x

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Ingredients

1 1/2 cups butter, at room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/4 cup + 2 tbsp cocoa powder
2 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
54 milk or dark chocolate kisses
Glitter Sugar (optional) for decorating

Instructions

Add the butter, sugar, and vanilla to the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat on high until very light and fluffy – about 4 minutes – stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl a couple of times.
In a separate bowl, add the cocoa powder, flour, and salt, and stir with a wire whisk to combine. Add to the butter and sugar and mix on low just long enough to bring the cookie dough together.
Dump the dough out onto a work surface and knead it with your hands once or twice just to pull the dough together. Divide it into 54 equal pieces.
Take one piece of dough and press it into a disk shape in the palm of your hand. Place one chocolate kiss in the center and pinch the dough up and around the kiss to cover it completely. Roll between your palms into a circle and place on a plate or a bowl. Repeat with the remaining dough and chocolate kisses.
Cover the cookies and place in the refrigerator for at least one hour and up to 24 hours.
Heat the oven to 375 degrees and line a couple of baking sheets with parchment paper. Roll the balls in decorative sugar if desired and place on the baking sheet, spacing at least 2 inches apart.
Bake cookies for 10 minutes. Remove to a wire rack and let cool completely. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week. (Can be frozen for up to 6 weeks.)

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Chocolate Kiss Cookies