These Peppermint Cocoa Blossoms are a holiday twist on the classic peanut butter blossom cookies! Richly chocolate and bursting with peppermint flavor, these are as delicious as they are festive and cute!

Happy December, friends! We’re kicking things off with the first festive recipe for this holiday season.

These Peppermint Cocoa Blossoms are such a fun, cute little treat, and if you love the combination of minty chocolate, these are 100% for you.

I personally adore mint chocolate things – the only problem is that I’m the only one in my household who does, so when I make recipes like this, I have to make sure I have plenty of friends and family I can have help me eat them.

Not that I particularly want to part with these cuties. They’re so richly chocolatey while the flavor of peppermint rings true. SO yummy!

This is the type of cookie recipe that is really great to make with little helpers. It’s very easy but hands on.

Each cookie has to be rolled into a ball and rolled in sugar before baking. My kids LOVE helping with baking recipes like this one. Then, after the cookies come out of the oven, a candy cane Hershey’s kiss gets plopped into the center of each one. Again, another kid-friendly job.

I have to admit, I find them just as fun as my kids.

Bonus for me: they’re really pretty simple to make. The dough comes together quickly and with ingredients a baker will likely already have on hand, there’s no chilling of the dough, and the little candy cane kisses make them so festive on their own that no other decorating is really required.

We could all use some easy holiday recipes sprinkled in this time of year.

Ingredients You Need for These Peppermint Cocoa Blossoms:

Unsalted butter
Granulated sugar
Light brown sugar
Egg yolks, at room temperature
Vanilla extract
Pure peppermint extract
All-purpose flour
Unsweetened cocoa powder (this is my favorite – rich, deep chocolate without too much bitterness. The large bag lasts forever, too!)
Instant espresso powder (this does not make the cookies taste like coffee at all; it just enhances the chocolate flavor. This is my favorite.)
Cornstarch
Hosher salt
Candy Cane Hershey kisses

How to Make These Peppermint Cocoa Blossoms:

Preheat the oven to 375°F and line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.
In a large mixing bowl (or in the bowl of a stand mixer), combine the butter and sugars and cream together until smooth and fluffy (using a hand or stand mixer). Beat in the egg yolks, vanilla, and peppermint extract.
In another bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, espresso powder, cornstarch, and salt.
Stir the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients – the dough will be thick and crumbly at first. Keep mixing until it forms a firm dough that holds its shape when pinched between your fingers.
Using a 1-inch cookie scoop, scoop out the dough and roll into smooth balls with your hands. Roll each dough ball in granulated sugar and place on the baking sheets, keeping 2 inches in between the cookies.
Bake for 12-14 minutes or until the cookies are puffed and slightly cracking around the edges – they will not spread much.
Remove the cookies from the oven and immediately press a candy cane Hershey kiss in the center while they are still hot, being gentle as you press. The cookie will spread some and crack around the edges.
Allow the cookies to cool completely on the tray.

FAQs

Can I make these with other flavors of Hershey Kisses?

Absolutely! I went with the peppermint variety for a holiday feel, but you can switch up the flavors as much as you want. If not going with a peppermint flavor, omit the peppermint extract from the dough.

Can I prep the dough ahead?

Yes. This dough can be made ahead, although I do recommend scooping and rolling into balls first. It’s a lot easier to scoop room temperature dough! I would scoop them, roll them, and store them on a cookie sheet or in an airtight container in the fridge for a few days. Remove from fridge, roll in sugar, and bake as directed (adding 1-2 minutes to the cooking time if the dough is still chilled).

You can also freeze the dough before scooping it (or after you scoop it). Just make sure the dough is well-wrapped when freezing. It will keep in the freezer for a few weeks. Defrost frozen cookie dough in a fridge.

How long do these cookies last once baked?

I recommend enjoying these within a day or two of eating them. They are not an overly moist cookie; rather, they’re denser and more crumbly (in a good way!). Because of this, they won’t last as long sitting on the counter for more than a couple days. Otherwise, they’ll get too stale.

Other Recipes You Might Enjoy:

I love these little cuties. Not only are they adorable, but they’re festive, fun, delicious, AND easy to make.

What more could you ask for when it comes to holiday cookies?

@yestoyolks ✨Peppermint Cocoa Blossoms✨ A holiday twist on the classic peanut butter blossom cookies! Richly chocolate and bursting with peppermint flavor, these are as delicious as they are festive and cute! This recipe is no fuss – no chilling of dough or laborious decorating involved. It’s a great recipe to do with kids as well! Happy holiday baking! FULL RECIPE on yestoyolks.com! #foodtiktok #recipes #cookingvideo #cookingtiktok #recipeideas #recipesforyou #christmasrecipes #christmascookies #holidaybaking #holidayrecipes #chocolatemint #cookievideo ♬ It’s Beginning to Look a Lot like Christmas – Michael Bublé

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