These blossoms are the perfect holiday cookie, especially when they’re topped with a candy cane Hershey’s Kiss!

Peppermint Mocha Blossoms - These blossoms are the perfect holiday cookie, especially when they're topped with a candy cane Hershey's Kiss!

I am so happy to take part in the 2nd Annual Great Food Blogger Cookie Swap. I had such a blast participating in it last year with my Pumpkin Snickerdoodles so I couldn’t wait to participate in this year’s swap as well.

The basic idea of this cookie swap is to send out 1 dozen cookies to 3 food bloggers that you’ve been matched up with, and then you get to receive 3 different types of cookies from 3 different people that have been assigned to you. But the best part about this year’s swap is that both Lindsay and Julie organized all this to partner up with OXO, a huge supporter for Cookies for Kids’ Cancer. So with a cookie swap registration fee of $4.00, every dollar goes directly to this charity. How awesome is that?

So with this year’s swap, I tried to go really festive with HERSHEY’S KISSES Candy Cane Flavored Candies in a pepperminty-mocha cookie base. It was my first time attempting a blossom-type cookie and it was so much more easier to make than I had thought, and I was pleasantly surprised to see that the candy cane kisses melted in your mouth with every bite, complementing the cookie base so perfectly.

It’s a cookie that is sure to get you in the spirit of Christmas!

Peppermint Mocha Blossoms - These blossoms are the perfect holiday cookie, especially when they're topped with a candy cane Hershey's Kiss!

Peppermint Mocha Blossoms

Peppermint Mocha Blossoms

These blossoms are the perfect holiday cookie, especially when they’re topped with a candy cane Hershey’s Kiss!

Ingredients

  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup 2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 ¾ cups sugar, divided
  • 2 tablespoons instant espresso powder
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon peppermint extract
  • 34 HERSHEY’S KISSES Candy Cane Flavored Candies, unwrapped

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat; set aside.
  • In a medium bowl, combine flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt.
  • In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter, 1 1/4 cups sugar and espresso powder on medium-high until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Beat in eggs, one at a time, until well combined. Beat in vanilla and peppermint extract until well combined. Gradually add flour mixture to sugar mixture at low speed, beating just until incorporated.
  • Roll tablespoons of dough into 1-inch balls and coat in remaining 1/2 cup sugar. Place onto baking sheet and bake until outside is crackly, but center is still moist, about 9-10 minutes
  • Remove from oven and let cool 2-3 minutes before topping with a Candy Cane Kiss in the center of each cookie. Let cool completely on a wire rack.

Did you make this recipe?

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