Sweet & Spicy Gingerbread Kisses

Gingerbread Kiss Cookies are a delightful holiday treat, combining the warm, spicy flavors of traditional gingerbread with the sweet, melty indulgence of Hershey’s Kisses. This easy-to-follow recipe promises perfectly soft and chewy cookies that are sure to become a festive favorite in your home. Whether you’re baking for a cookie exchange, a family gathering, or simply to enjoy the cozy aroma of gingerbread, these cookies are designed to impress with their inviting taste and charming appearance.

The enchanting flavor of gingerbread is truly synonymous with the holiday season. Its rich blend of cinnamon, ginger, molasses, and other aromatic spices evokes a sense of nostalgia and comfort. For years, this particular cookie recipe has been a cherished tradition, bringing joy and a delicious scent to our kitchen every holiday season. The robust, sweet, and spicy notes create a harmonious flavor profile that is both comforting and exciting, making these cookies an irresistible part of any festive celebration.

If you’re a true enthusiast of gingerbread, then this straightforward recipe for Gingerbread Kiss Cookies is an absolute must-try. It builds upon the beloved characteristics of classic Ginger Molasses Cookies, but introduces a delightful twist with the addition of creamy Hershey’s Kisses, often in the form of white chocolate Hugs. The simple act of pressing a soft chocolate candy into the center of each warm cookie elevates it from a simple gingerbread treat to a truly special confection.

Beyond baking, the holiday spirit also extends to creating a festive Gingerbread House, a wonderful activity for children and adults alike. It’s a fantastic way to immerse the whole family in the joy and creativity of the season, much like baking these delightful gingerbread kiss cookies.

Why We Love This Gingerbread Kiss Cookies Recipe:

• Unbeatably Soft and Chewy Texture. This recipe is meticulously crafted to produce gingerbread cookies with an ideal balance of softness and chewiness. Each bite offers a delightful melt-in-your-mouth experience, a characteristic that truly sets these cookies apart from dry or overly crisp versions. The texture is consistently perfect, making them a joy to eat.
• Decadent Hershey’s Hugs Kisses Topping. The star of these cookies (aside from the gingerbread itself) is the Hershey’s Hugs Kisses. Placed warm from the oven, they melt into a creamy, luscious cap, creating a beautiful contrast against the rich gingerbread base. The combination of warm spices and sweet, smooth chocolate is simply irresistible, adding an extra layer of decadence to each cookie.
• Ideal for Holiday Cookie Exchanges. With their festive appearance and comforting flavor, Gingerbread Kiss Cookies are perfectly suited for holiday cookie exchange parties. They’re not only delicious but also visually appealing, making them a popular choice among friends and family. Their unique combination of flavors and textures ensures they stand out on any holiday dessert platter.
• Simple Ingredients, Impressive Results. Despite their gourmet taste, these cookies are made with common pantry staples and require no complicated techniques. This makes them accessible for bakers of all skill levels, from beginners to seasoned pros, ensuring a successful and satisfying baking experience every time.
• Aromatic Holiday Bliss. The moment these cookies start baking, your kitchen will be filled with the intoxicating aroma of ginger, cinnamon, and molasses. This scent alone is enough to get anyone into the holiday spirit, making the baking process as enjoyable as the eating.
• Kid-Friendly and Fun to Make. Kids adore helping in the kitchen, and this recipe offers several opportunities for them to get involved, from rolling the dough in sugar to pressing the Hershey’s Kisses onto the warm cookies. It’s a wonderful way to create lasting holiday memories together.

Essential Ingredients for Gingerbread Kiss Cookies

Crafting the perfect gingerbread cookie relies on a harmonious blend of simple yet powerful ingredients. Each component plays a crucial role in achieving the signature flavor and tender texture that makes these cookies so beloved. From the rich sweetness of molasses to the warm kick of ginger, every item contributes to the overall deliciousness.

• Unsalted Butter, softened at room temperature: Essential for a tender crumb and rich flavor. Softened butter creams beautifully with sugars, incorporating air for a light texture.
• Granulated Sugar: Provides sweetness and helps create a slightly crisp exterior when rolled.
• Brown Sugar: Adds depth of flavor with its caramel notes and contributes to the chewy texture due to its molasses content.
• Egg: Acts as a binder, adding structure and richness to the dough.
• Vanilla Extract: Enhances all the other flavors, adding a touch of sweet warmth.
• All-Purpose Flour: The primary structural component of the cookie.
• Ground Ginger: The star spice, providing the characteristic warmth and slightly peppery notes of gingerbread.
• Cinnamon: Complements the ginger with its sweet and woody aroma, enhancing the overall spice profile.
• Allspice: A warm, aromatic spice with notes of cloves, cinnamon, and nutmeg, adding complexity.
• Molasses: Crucial for the dark color, distinct robust flavor, and signature chewiness of gingerbread. It also helps keep the cookies moist.
• Baking Soda: A leavening agent that helps the cookies rise slightly and contributes to their soft, fluffy texture.
• Salt: Balances the sweetness and enhances the flavors of all the other ingredients.
• Striped Hershey’s Kisses (Hugs), unwrapped: The sweet, creamy topping that makes these “kiss” cookies unique. The stripes add a lovely visual appeal.

You’ll find the complete ingredient list with precise measurements and detailed instructions conveniently located in the recipe card at the very bottom of this post.

Step-by-Step Guide: How to Make Gingerbread Kiss Cookies

Making these festive Gingerbread Kiss Cookies is a straightforward and enjoyable process. Follow these simple steps to create a batch of perfectly spiced, soft, and chocolate-topped delights that will fill your home with holiday cheer.

Step 1: Prepare the Wet Ingredients. Begin by preheating your oven to 350°F (175°C) and lining your baking sheets with parchment paper. In a large mixing bowl, or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the softened unsalted butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until the mixture is light, fluffy, and well combined. This process incorporates air, which contributes to the cookies’ soft texture.

Step 2: Incorporate Liquid Flavorings. To the creamed butter and sugar mixture, pour in the rich molasses. Follow with the egg and vanilla extract. Continue to beat these ingredients together until they are fully incorporated and the mixture is smooth and evenly colored. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed to ensure everything is well mixed.

Step 3: Combine Dry Ingredients. In a separate, large bowl, whisk together all the dry ingredients. This includes the all-purpose flour, ground ginger, cinnamon, allspice, baking soda, and salt. Whisking them thoroughly ensures that the spices and leavening agents are evenly distributed throughout the dough, preventing pockets of unmixed ingredients.

Step 4: Mix Wet and Dry Components. Gradually add the whisked dry ingredients to the creamed wet mixture. Do this slowly, beating on low speed, until the flour mixture is just incorporated. Be careful not to overmix the dough, as this can lead to tougher cookies. Stop mixing as soon as no dry streaks of flour remain.

Step 5: Form and Sugar the Cookies. Using a cookie scoop (approximately 1-inch in diameter), portion out the dough and roll it into smooth, uniform balls. Next, roll each cookie dough ball generously in a bowl of granulated sugar. This sugar coating will give the cookies a beautiful sparkle and a delightful crispy texture on the outside. Place the sugared dough balls onto your prepared cookie sheets, ensuring they are several inches apart to allow for spreading during baking.

Step 6: Bake the Cookies. Transfer the cookie sheets to your preheated oven and bake for 10 to 12 minutes. The cookies are ready when their edges are lightly set and golden brown, but the centers still appear slightly soft. While the cookies are baking, unwrap all the Hershey’s Kisses (Hugs) so they are ready to be placed on the hot cookies immediately after baking. This preparation is key for optimal melting.

Step 7: Add the Hershey’s Kisses. As soon as you remove the baked cookies from the oven, immediately and carefully place one unwrapped Striped Hershey’s Kiss (Hug) into the center of each warm cookie. The residual heat from the cookies will gently soften the chocolate, creating a beautifully melted “kiss” effect. Work quickly while the cookies are still hot.

Step 8: Cool and Enjoy. Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes to allow them to set slightly and prevent the chocolate from smearing. Then, carefully transfer them from the pan to a wire rack to cool completely. Once fully cooled, the chocolate will firm up again, and your Gingerbread Kiss Cookies will be ready to serve and savor! Store them in an airtight container to maintain freshness.

Expert Tips for Perfect Gingerbread Kiss Cookies:

• Room Temperature Ingredients are Key. For optimal mixing and a smooth dough, always ensure your butter and egg are at room temperature. Softened butter creams easily with sugar, creating a light and airy base, while a room temperature egg emulsifies better with the other wet ingredients, leading to a more uniform batter and a superior cookie texture. Planning ahead makes a big difference!
• Choose Your Sugar Wisely for Rolling. You have a couple of options for rolling your cookie dough. Granulated sugar provides a classic sparkling finish and a slight crunch. For an even more elegant and coarser sparkle, consider using sanding sugar. Both work wonderfully and add a delightful textural contrast to the soft cookie.
• Versatility with Hershey’s Kisses. While Striped Hershey’s Hugs (white chocolate) offer a beautiful color contrast and creamy taste, this recipe is incredibly versatile. Feel free to experiment with any variety of Hershey’s Kisses! Traditional milk chocolate, dark chocolate, or even specialty holiday flavors can add a unique twist and allow you to customize these cookies to your preference.
• The Power of a Cookie Scoop. A cookie scoop is an invaluable tool for this recipe. It ensures that each cookie dough ball is uniform in size, which is critical for even baking. Cookies that are all the same size will bake at the same rate, preventing some from being overdone while others are underbaked. Plus, it makes the process much quicker and cleaner!
• Don’t Skip the Baking Soda. Baking soda is not just a leavening agent here; it’s essential for achieving the signature soft and slightly fluffy texture of these gingerbread cookies. It reacts with the acidic molasses to create carbon dioxide, which helps the cookies spread and become tender. Omitting this ingredient will result in dense, hard, or overly crispy cookies, so be sure to include it!
• Avoid Overmixing the Dough. Once you add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mix only until just combined. Overmixing develops the gluten in the flour, which can lead to tough, dense cookies. Stop mixing as soon as no streaks of dry flour are visible.
• Proper Cooling is Essential. After removing the cookies from the oven and pressing in the Kisses, allow them to cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack. This allows the cookies to set up and prevents them from breaking or crumbling. Cooling completely on a wire rack allows air circulation, ensuring the chocolate Kisses firm up nicely.
• Storage for Freshness. To keep your Gingerbread Kiss Cookies soft and delicious, store them in an airtight container at room temperature. They will maintain their freshness and wonderful texture for up to 5-7 days. For longer storage of the dough, see our FAQ section.

Frequently Asked Questions About Gingerbread Kiss Cookies

We encourage you to try this incredibly easy and rewarding recipe that everyone will undoubtedly enjoy. The combination of festive flavors and a delightful chocolate surprise makes these cookies a memorable part of any holiday season. Please come back and leave a comment and a star recipe rating once you’ve baked your own batch – we’d love to hear your thoughts!

More Easy Cookie Recipes to Explore:

• Christmas Cake Mix Cookies
• Cinnamon Roll Cookies
• Easy Christmas Pinwheel Cookies Recipe
• Best Cut Out Sugar Cookies
• Reese’s Pieces Cookies

Discover More Hershey’s Kiss Cookie Creations:

• Candy Cane Kiss Cookies
• Peanut Butter Kiss Cookies
• Chocolate Kiss Cookies Recipe