I pretty much buy Candy Cane Kisses in bulk when they show up at Target. White chocolate and peppermint? I’m so there. Luckily, so is my bestie, Maggy.
She came over last week for a bit of baking and a girls’ night in finished with gin and tonics in the hot tub. (Be very jealous.) We had the best time baking up a storm. Nearly a metric ton of shortbread in different flavors, we made.
I had the economy size of the kisses bag sitting in my freezer. I knew I wanted to do something similar to these Rolo cookies with them, but couldn’t decide what.
This is where good friends who are also good bakers come in *very* handy. Maggy helped me figure out the method, and the dark chocolate cookie dough came from my friend Annie’s blog, With Sprinkles On Top. I used that same dough last year to make cookies with Andes peppermint baking chips, so I knew it lent itself very well to the peppermint application.
These may take a little extra planning, because they require you to freeze the Kisses and freeze the dough for a while, but they are OH so worth the extra effort.
Maggy and I spending a day baking together is something we both dreamed about when she lived in England and I here. We were cooking buddies over the phone for the longest time, and we’d cook together whenever either of us was visiting the other, but just to say, a the drop of a hat, “Hey, come over here and let’s bake!” – well people, that’s a luxury we didn’t have for the first 2 years of our friendship.
When I look back on Christmas 2010, that day of baking together is going to be one of my favorite moments. Having a friend who understands your darkest moments, who bolsters you up when you’re down, and who will come stay at your house and make you drinks and dinner when your husband is out of town? It’s pretty much the best thing ever.
Come join the fun at the My Baking Addiction and GoodLife Eats Holiday Recipe Swap sponsored by OXO.
Dark Chocolate Candy Cane Cookie Bites
Makes approximately 32-36 cookies
Equipment – mixer, 2 mini-muffin pans; 24 count
1 cup butter, softened
1-1/2 cups white sugar
2 eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
2/3 cup Hershey’s Special Dark or Scharffen Berger unsweetened cocoa powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
32-36 Hershey’s Candy Cane Kisses, frozen
Freeze Candy Cane Kisses at least a few hours if not overnight.
In a large bowl, beat butter, sugar, eggs, and vanilla until light and fluffy. Combine the flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt; stir into the batter until the mixture is well-blended.
Chill dough for 30 minutes in refrigerator. When dough has about 5 minutes left, remove Kisses from freezer and unwrap 36.
Scoop chilled dough with a cookie scoop and release into your hand. Press one Hershey’s Kiss into the dough, and roll around in your hand until you have a ball, and the Kiss is completely ensconced. Continue until all Kisses are used.
Freeze the dough for at least 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 350F.
Line 32-36 mini-muffin cups with mini muffin paper liners, or spray pan with cooking spray with flour. Place one frozen cookie dough ball in each paper liner. Bake 10-12 minutes, or until cookie bites have a ‘brownie’ like exterior.
When cooled, dust with powdered sugar. Pile high on a glass cake server for optimum effect.
{ 25 comments… read them below or add one }
I love these candies too! In fact I’ve had them in a dish on my desk since November 1! Great recipe!
Yes! What a fun day we had, Amber. Nothin’ like girl time complete with baking, G&T’s and your hot tub. I never thought we would get all that baking done, but we did! And I’m *still* enjoying shortbread from that day :D Hugs! xoxo
These look absolutely yummy. Timely too may I add as I’m looking for a choc cookie recipe. :)
Mmm, these look incredible! I agree; there isn’t much better than a day of baking with your girlfriends…sounds like you two had a lot of fun! (And yes, I am very jealous of your hut tub). ;-)
These look precious (as well as super delicious).
I can’t lie: I’m drooling right now. Here’s to good food and great friends!
as you well know, i am not in love with the chocolate/mint combo (mini pb cups or rolos would be a-mazing) but these are adorable. i am, however, in love with gin and tonics and hot tubs and great friends though :) i’m glad to share my sister with you, and glad you have each other.
xo
shaz
THese look so great!! And I’m also jealous…can I be friends with ya’ll??
(please say yes please say yes)
What a delightful day! Wish I could have been in that kitchen…MUCH FUN to be had I’m quite certain! The result is just lovely and looks scrumptious! Nice work ladies!
Oh my, delicious. I love this, Amber. Absolutely perfect.
Oh, I love all things chocolate and peppermint! Love these!
WOW~! These look absolutely amazing… I would love one right now! :)
such a cute idea Amber and quite festive!!! and i especially love that you and Maggy got to spend a day together baking – that is a wonderful gift!!!
What a great evening y’all had! Hot tubs, gin, dinner, and baking — sounds perfect! And this recipe… oh my word! It looks just perfect!
What a gorgeous photo and those look so delicious as well!
I’m sure you’ve seen me gushing about these Kisses on Twitter. This is another great way to use them up!
first of all…these bites? ahhhmazing!! candy cane kisses + me = utter love. second…this post almost made me cry b/c of how much i miss my bff. we grew up in the same town but she now lives in VT and i long for the days of hanging out whenever we felt like it (ie every day). maybe someday we’ll live close enough again to drop by on a whim or bake our days away. great post, Amber!! :)
Oh, so much fun!! I’ve never even seen these kisses… I am deprived, apparently.
You described a pretty perfect day there, right down to the g&t’s at the end! I got together with two girlfriends in September to do some freezer cooking and we had a blast. (We drank after and during, hee hee!)
What I would have given to be a fly on the wall in your kitchen that day! What fun ;-) xoxo
These cookies are absolutely yummy. I like the combination of the dark chocolate and candies. This is the most perfect cookie I ever seen. Better try this one.
How did I miss these? They look amazing, Amber. Yum.
So creative! Love it. Thanks for the inspiration. <3
oh i love these candies! and what a great idea to put them inside a brownie ?! i think i need these in my life :)
I am making these right now. So excited to eat them! Thanks for a great recipe!
I adore these! I wish I could crochet, but for some reason I’ve only learned to knit. My husband’s grandmother has been trying to teach me, but I’m all thumbs! I wonder if I could get her to make one of these for the kids.
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