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These Grinch Cookies topped with Hershey’s Kisses bring a festive twist to holiday baking and always make for a fun treat that the whole family enjoys. The green dough and the special candy decorations add cheer and make these cookies stand out on any holiday platter.
I first made these cookies for a holiday party, and everyone kept asking for the recipe. They are just as fun to make as they are to eat.
Ingredients
- Eighteen Hershey’s Kisses unwrapped: the star of the cookie, adding a rich chocolate center
- Eighteen large heart-shaped candy sprinkles: bring a cute, festive touch and pop of color
- Seventeen and a half ounces sugar cookie mix: provides an easy base, choose a brand with good reviews for best flavor
- Quarter cup all-purpose flour: helps the dough hold its shape for wrapping around the candy
- One large egg: binds ingredients and adds richness
- Half a cup unsalted butter at room temperature: for tenderness and flavor, make sure it is softened but not melted
- Three quarter teaspoon green gel food coloring: gives that iconic Grinch green color with vibrant intensity. Gel works better than liquid for this
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Preheat the oven:
- Preheat your oven to three seventy-five degrees Fahrenheit and prepare a mini muffin pan by lightly spraying it with baking spray or lining it with paper liners. Set this aside while you make the dough. This prep ensures your cookies won’t stick and come out cleanly.
- Mix the egg and coloring:
- In a small bowl, whisk the egg together with the green gel food coloring until the color is smooth and fully blended. This step guarantees an even green color throughout the dough.
- Combine dough ingredients:
- Using a handheld mixer on low speed, blend the sugar cookie mix, all-purpose flour, unsalted butter, and the egg-color mixture in a large bowl. Mix for two to three minutes until you get a thick, uniform dough. The low speed prevents overmixing and keeps your cookies tender.
- Form the cookies around the Kisses:
- Scoop one and a half tablespoons of the dough with a cookie scoop sized about one and a half inches. Flatten this dough into a three-inch-diameter disc. Place a Hershey’s Kiss upright in the center, then gently wrap the dough around the candy, shaping it into a ball to fully encase the chocolate. This step is crucial to keep the chocolate from melting out in the oven.
- Arrange and bake the cookies:
- Place the dough balls in the prepared muffin pan with Kisses standing straight up. Bake for ten to twelve minutes until the dough sets but does not brown. Watch carefully as baking times may vary by oven.
- Add the heart candy sprinkles:
- As soon as the cookies come out of the oven, place one heart-shaped candy sprinkle slightly offset to the right of the center on each cookie. This fresh candy decoration adds a sweet, festive detail and sticks well when added hot.
- Cool and serve:
- Let the cookies cool in the pan for at least ten minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. This rest helps them set and prevents crumbly edges.
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My favorite part is how the chocolate stays perfectly centered and melty inside while the green cookie stays soft. Every year, making these reminds me of baking with my kids and how their faces light up when they see the bright green dough and the shiny Hershey’s Kisses.
Storage Tips
You can keep these cookies fresh by storing them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to two days. If you want to keep them longer, freeze them in a single layer in a freezer-safe container. When ready to eat, thaw at room temperature. Avoid refrigeration to prevent the butter in cookies from becoming too firm and losing tenderness.
Ingredient Substitutions
If you cannot find sugar cookie mix, you can substitute with your favorite homemade sugar cookie recipe, just add a few drops of green gel food coloring for that Grinch look. For decorations, heart-shaped candy sprinkles can be swapped with red or white sugar crystals depending on what you have on hand. If unsalted butter is unavailable use salted butter but reduce added salt in the dough if your mix calls for any.
Serving Suggestions
These cookies are wonderful on their own or served with a glass of cold milk or hot cocoa to complete the holiday mood. For a party, arrange them on a festive platter alongside other Christmas-themed treats for a cheerful dessert table.
Pro Tips
- Room temperature butter makes mixing smoother and dough softer
- Use gel food coloring to avoid thinning the dough or changing its texture
- Do not overbake cookies, pull out as soon as edges are set for the perfect soft bite
Recipe FAQs
- → What is the easiest way to keep Hershey's Kisses upright while baking?
Placing the dough balls carefully in a lined or sprayed mini muffin pan helps keep each Hershey’s Kiss standing upright during baking.
- → How do I prevent the cookies from becoming too dry?
Be sure to bake cookies until just set and avoid overbaking to keep them soft and tender.
- → Can I substitute the sugar cookie mix with homemade dough?
Yes, a compatible homemade sugar cookie dough can be used, but adjust baking times as needed to maintain texture.
- → Why is using room temperature butter important?
Room temperature butter blends more easily with dry ingredients, creating a smoother dough for better texture.
- → How do I achieve the bright green color for the cookies?
Whisk green gel food coloring into the egg before mixing it with the dry ingredients to evenly distribute the color.