Kelly’s Recipe Notes
- Worried about the chocolate melting? I’ve never had issues using room-temperature Hershey’s Chocolate Kisses, but if you want extra insurance, pop them in the freezer while the cookies bake. They’ll hold their shape beautifully.
- If your cookies spread… It almost always comes back to butter that was too soft. Chill the dough for 15–20 minutes to firm it up. (I have a whole YouTube video on why sugar cookies spread, and many of the same tips apply here!)
- Crackly tops = perfection. Those little cracks are your cue that the cookies baked up just right.
- Timing is everything with the Hershey’s Kiss. Let the cookies cool for about 5 minutes before pressing in the chocolate. Press too early and the chocolate melts too much; wait too long and it won’t stick properly.
- This recipe can easily be doubled or tripled. Perfect for big holiday cookie trays or gifting.
Make ‘em Mini!
Roll the dough into 1-teaspoon balls, coat in sugar, and bake for 5 to 7 minutes, or until the tops are puffed. Let the cookies cool for 2 minutes, then press a chocolate chip into the center of each one.
(If you wait too long—like I did on my first batch!—the cookies will crack too much when you try to add the chocolate.)
Freezing and Storage Instructions
This dough freezes beautifully (which is especially handy during the holiday baking rush!). Freeze the sugar-coated dough balls in an airtight container or freezer zip-top bag for up to 2 months. When you’re ready to bake, let the dough balls sit at room temperature while the oven heats, then bake as directed—adding 1 to 2 extra minutes if needed.
Baked peanut butter kiss cookies freeze really well, too! Freeze them in a single layer until solid, then transfer to an airtight container. Thaw at room temperature. (You can freeze them with the chocolate kisses already on, but the chocolate may bloom slightly—totally fine, just not as shiny.)
Store completely cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.
