Sugar Kiss Cookies

These cookies get me into the Christmas mood.

I always like to include a sugar cookie of some sort in my holiday cookie boxes. Usually I make a roll out sugar cookie or sugar cookie sandwich (filled with jam or chocolate hazelnut spread). This year I decided to make a sugar drop cookie instead. I made these sugar cookies two years ago and they were a huge hit so I thought I’d make them again but add a little chocolate twist to them.

Isn’t the sugar coating so fun and festive?! No wonder why these have gotten me into the Christmas spirit. That, and I had Christmas music on while I baked these cuties (which didn’t hurt). These cookies are not just for Christmas though. You can use any sugar colors to coordinate with your holiday or party theme. They make the fancy colored sugar in loads of amusing colors.

These sugar cookies are soft so if that’s your thing then you’ll love these. It’s thanks to the little bit of cream cheese, that gives them that pillow-y texture. Not only does the chocolate kiss on top make it pretty for presentation in the cookie box, they add a touch of chocolaty goodness.

The question you maybe wondering is do I prefer these cookies with or without a chocolate kiss on top? If you know me, then you know the answer to that. Hint, I love chocolate. 😉 My husband prefers these to normal rolled out sugar cookies because they are a nicer texture and he likes the flavor better. He could take or leave the chocolate kiss though.

Sugar Kiss Cookies Recipe
(Makes about 32 cookies)

Note: This recipe requires that the cookie dough be chilled for 1 hour.

Ingredients:

3 cups all-purpose flour (equivalent to 360 grams)
1 and 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup butter (equivalent to 2 sticks), room temperature
2 ounces cream cheese (equivalent to 56 grams), room temperature
1 cup sugar
1 large egg, room temperature
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
3/4 cup colored sugar (I used Betty Crocker green and red sugar.)
32 chocolate kisses (unwrapped) (I used Hershey’s Kisses.)

Directions:

In a large bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt together. Set these dry ingredients aside.
In another large bowl, beat the butter and cream cheese together with a hand or stand mixer on high speed, until it’s smooth (about about 2 minutes).
Add in the sugar and beat until it’s combined and creamy.
Add in the egg and vanilla extract and beat until it’s combined (about 1 minute). This is the bowl of wet ingredients.
Gradually add the dry ingredients into the bowl of wet ingredients and mix on low speed until combined. (Note that the dough will be thick.)
Cover the dough and chill it in the refrigerator for 1 hour.
While the cookie dough is chilling, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare the cookie sheet by laying parchment paper or a silicon mat on it. I use AmazonBasics baking silicon mats.
Pour the colored sugar into a bowl, or separate bowls if you are using more than 1 color.
Take about 1 tablespoon of dough and roll it into a ball. I use a medium Oxo cookie scoop to help portion each cookie consistently.
Roll each ball of cookie in the sugar and coat it evenly.
Ever so slightly flatten the top of the cookie dough balls.
Bake them in the preheated oven for 12 to 13 minutes. They will be soft in the center but will set as they cool. (These took 13 minutes in my oven.)
As soon as you take the cookies out of the oven, gently press a chocolate kiss into the center of each cookie. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for about 5 minutes and then move them to a wire rack to cook completely.