Dessert

Candy Cane Kiss Cookies Recipe

ByElena Hart December 7, 2025December 7, 2025

Introduction

Candy Cane Kiss Cookies are a delightful holiday treat combining festive peppermint flavor with a tender, buttery cookie base. Topped with colorful sprinkles and a classic candy cane Hershey’s Kiss, these cookies are perfect for sharing or gifting during the festive season.

The image shows a close-up of several round cookies arranged closely together on a white plate with a white marbled texture underneath. Each cookie has a light beige base covered in small, round red, green, and white sprinkles. At the center of each cookie is a striped candy with swirls of white and red, shaped like a small cone sitting upright. The texture of the cookie looks soft and slightly crumbly, while the candies appear smooth and shiny. The overall look is festive and colorful. photo taken with an iphone --ar 4:5 --v 7

Ingredients

2 cups + 1 Tablespoon (260g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
1 and 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt
10 Tablespoons (142g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature

1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
1 large egg, at room temperature

1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract
1/2 cup (about 90g) nonpareil sprinkles

32–36 candy cane flavor Hershey’s Kisses, unwrapped

Instructions

Step 1: Whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt together in a medium bowl until combined. Set aside.
Step 2: In a large bowl using a hand-held or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar together on high speed until creamy and combined, about 3 minutes. Add the egg, vanilla extract, and peppermint extract and beat until combined, about 1 minute. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl and beat again as needed.

Step 3: Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and mix on low speed until fully combined. The dough will be very thick.
Step 4: Roll dough into balls, about 1 scant Tablespoon each (approximately 20g). Warm hands will help the dough stick together. Roll each dough ball generously in the sprinkles. If sprinkles don’t stick, press dough balls into sprinkles on a plate or beat 1 teaspoon of water into the dough and try again.
Step 5: Place sprinkled dough balls on a baking sheet or plate and chill in the refrigerator for 20 minutes, or up to 1 day. Cover if chilling longer than an hour.

Step 6: While dough chills, preheat oven to 350°F (177°C).
Step 7: Place chilled dough balls about 2 inches apart on lined baking sheets. Bake for 12 minutes or until edges appear set. The centers may look slightly under-baked; this is fine. Remove from oven and cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes.
Step 8: Press a candy cane Hershey’s Kiss into the center of each cookie. Using a thin spatula, immediately transfer the cookies to a plate or plates, handling gently as they are soft.

Step 9: Place the plate(s) of cookies in the freezer for 10 minutes to quickly set the candy.
Step 10: Remove from the freezer and serve.

Tips & Variations

If the dough feels too firm and sprinkles won’t stick, add a teaspoon of water to help it become stickier.

Try using different colored sprinkles for festive variations or swap peppermint extract for almond extract for a different flavor twist.

Storage

Store these cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week. They can be gently reheated in the microwave for a few seconds if you prefer the chocolate slightly melty again.

How to Serve

A red plate with white leaf patterns holds about twelve round cookies arranged closely together. Each cookie has two layers: a light beige base coated in small green, red, and white round sprinkles covering the entire top, and a shiny white and red striped peppermint candy placed in the middle. Around the red plate, there is a small white bowl filled with red, green, and white elongated sprinkles, and some broken pieces of a cookie showing a soft inside with white frosting and round sprinkles on top. The whole scene is set on a white marbled surface. photo taken with an iphone --ar 4:5 --v 7

Serve this delicious recipe with your favorite sides.

FAQs

Can I use other types of chocolate instead of Hershey’s Kisses?

Yes, you can substitute with other small chocolates or candies, but the cookie texture and setting time might vary slightly.

Do I need to chill the dough before baking?

Chilling the dough helps the cookies hold their shape better and prevents spreading, plus it makes the sprinkles stick nicely. It’s recommended but you can try baking without it if short on time.