Red Velvet Peppermint Kisses
Red Velvet Peppermint Kisses are amazing cookies! They are luscious, chocolatey, decadent red velvet cookies with the addition of peppermint flavoring, rolled in sugar, and then a Hershey’s Peppermint Kiss is added after baking. They are so wonderful. They’re also fairly easy to make. The key is to freeze the peppermint kisses before using them so that they don’t melt after you add them to the cookie.
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I was looking for a way to use up all these candies I used for decoration for the cookies I made for my Christmas Cookie Extravaganza last November and December. I found a couple of recipes I wanted to try but this particular one is from Cooking Classy. The actual source for this great recipe comes from Cuisine at Home.
You will love this fantastic cookie! I made several changes to the recipe (as I do with practically every recipe). The first change was to increase the flour so the cookies didn’t go flat. I also increased the cocoa powder to what the original recipe was because I wanted a deeper, richer chocolate flavor. However, adding the additional cocoa lessens the impact of the red color if the cookie.
In order to get a truer red color you will need to increase the red food coloring from 1 to 2 tablespoons. I deviated from the recipe by rolling the cookies in sugar first. Also I froze the unwrapped candies for several hours before using them. As a result, I only had a two that softened slightly, the remainder held their shape completely.
If you’re looking for a great red velvet cookie with a touch of peppermint in the cookie, and extra peppermint flavor because of the addition of Hershey’s peppermint kisses, this cookie is for you. Your family and friends will love this cookie. This cookie is not only a treat for the holidays but a fabulous cookie for Valentine’s Day parties too. Come on, give these cookies a try soon. You won’t be sorry.
When I initially posted this recipe in January 2013, I was still using an iPhone for a camera so my pictures weren’t particularly sharp and clear as I would have liked. I recently remade this recipe (December 2016) for our Christmas Cookie Extravaganza this year.
This time I added an extra tablespoon of red food coloring so the cookies ended up a lot redder than the original batch. I also froze the kisses for several days before using them.
The key to adding the kisses is to have them ready so that about one minute AFTER the cookies come out of the oven, start placing the peppermint kisses into each cookie. If you put the kisses in right after the cookies come out of the oven, they may start melting.
And, if you wait too long – even two or three minutes – then the cookies will have hardened too much and it will be a lot harder to push the kiss into the cookie. Wait only one minute and then get going! Get those cold peppermint kisses into the centers of the cookies as soon as you can.
Don’t Red Velvet Peppermint Kisses look scrumptious?
Take a plate of Red Velvet Peppermint Kisses along to your Valentine’s Day or other holiday parties. Chocolate lovers will rave over these treats.
Surprise your family with a tray of these festive and beautiful goodies.
Here’s what I did.
I used these ingredients. If possible put the kisses in the freezer for a few days before using. After unwrapping, put them back in the freezer until ready to use.
Place oil in a large mixing bowl. Add cocoa, sugar, egg, white vinegar, vanilla, red food coloring, mint flavoring, salt and baking soda.
Mix all ingredients together with an electric mixer.
Add UNBLEACHED all-purpose flour. Bleached flour toughens cookies. I ended up adding extra red food coloring because I wanted the cookies to look redder.
Stir all ingredients together with a wooden spoon to combine.
Place some sugar in a small bowl. Roll cookie dough in sugar.
Place cookies on a cookie sheet that has been sprayed with cooking spray.
Bake the cookies about 12-15 minutes at 350.
Allow cookies to cool one minute before adding peppermint kisses. Remove the peppermint kisses from freezer (don’t take out of the freezer until just before using). Press a peppermint kiss into the center of each cookie. Reshape cookie a little if you have to in order to keep the round shape.
Red Velvet Peppermint Kisses are rich, decadent, chocolaty, and delightful to any palate!
Here’s a close up so you can see the texture of these Red Velvet Peppermint Kisses. Cracks will appear when you press the peppermint kiss into each cookie.
Here’s the recipe.
RED VELVET PEPPERMINT KISSES
(Recipe adapted from Cooking Classy; source: adapted from Cuisine at Home)
Red Velvet Peppermint Kisses
Equipment
- 2 large 18x26" cookie sheet pans
- 1 large mixing bowl
- 1 electric mixer
- 1 wooden spoon
- measuring cups
- measuring spoons
- 1 spatula
- 1 small bowl
Ingredients
- 36 Hershey’s candy cane kisses kept in your freezer
- 2 1/2 cups UNBLEACHED all-purpose flour bleached flour toughens cookies
- 4 rounded tablespoonfuls cocoa powder probably closer to 1/3 cup rather than 1/4 cup
- 1/2 tsp. baking soda
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 2/3 cup vegetable oil
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 2 tbsp. red food coloring
- 1 tsp. white vinegar
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- 1 tsp. peppermint extract
- 1/3 cup Colored red sugar for garnish or regular sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°.
- Unwrap Hershey’s peppermint kisses and freeze in freezer a minimum of 30 minutes.
- Mix oil, granulated sugar, egg, food coloring, vinegar, vanilla, peppermint extract, salt, baking soda, and cocoa.
- Stir in flour with a wooden spoon until mixture is thoroughly mixed.
- Shape mixture into balls.
- Roll into colored sugar (or regular sugar) and place on cookie sheets that have been sprayed with cooking spray.
- Bake about 12-15 minutes until done.
- Rotate cookie sheets on oven racks half way through baking time.
- Remove cookies from oven and allow to cool 1 minute.
- Place peppermint kiss in center of each cookie.
- Allow cookies to cool completely.
- Remove from pans.
- Store in airtight containers.
Notes
Recipe source: adapted from Cuisine at Home.
© Can’t Stay Out of the Kitchen
Nutrition
- 36 Hershey’s peppermint kisses, kept in your freezer
- 2 ½ cups UNBLEACHED all-purpose flour (bleached flour toughens cookies)
- 4 rounded tbsp. cocoa powder
- ½ tsp. baking soda
- ½ tsp. salt
- 2/3 cup vegetable oil
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 tbsp. red food coloring (use 2 tbsp. if you want the cookies to be redder in color)
- 1 tsp. white vinegar
- 1 tsp. vanilla
- 1 tsp. peppermint extract
- Colored red sugar for garnish, or regular sugar
- Preheat oven to 350°.
- Unwrap Hershey’s peppermint kisses and [u]freeze in freezer[/u] a minimum of 30 minutes.
- Mix oil, sugar, egg, food coloring, vinegar, vanilla, peppermint extract, salt, baking soda, and cocoa.
- Stir in flour with a wooden spoon.
- Shape mixture into balls.
- Roll into colored sugar (or regular cookies) and place on cookie sheets that have been sprayed with cooking spray.
- Bake about 10-13 minutes until done.
- Remove cookies from oven and allow to cool 2-3 minutes.
- Place peppermint kiss in center of each cookie.
- Allow cookies to cool completely.
- Remove from pans.
- Store in airtight containers.
Red Velvet Peppermint Cookies are great with a glass of milk.
Everyone loves these amazing cookies. Your family and company will too.
These are a great treat for Valentine’s Day or holiday baking. Enjoy one of these delectable cookies at your next holiday party.
You may also enjoy these delicious recipes!
Red Velvet Cherry Chocolate Cookies
Red Velvet Peppermint Kisses
Equipment
- 2 large 18×26" cookie sheet pans
- 1 large mixing bowl
- 1 electric mixer
- 1 wooden spoon
- measuring cups
- measuring spoons
- 1 spatula
- 1 small bowl
Ingredients
- 36 Hershey’s candy cane kisses kept in your freezer
- 2 1/2 cups UNBLEACHED all-purpose flour bleached flour toughens cookies
- 4 rounded tablespoonfuls cocoa powder probably closer to 1/3 cup rather than 1/4 cup
- 1/2 tsp. baking soda
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 2/3 cup vegetable oil
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 2 tbsp. red food coloring
- 1 tsp. white vinegar
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- 1 tsp. peppermint extract
- 1/3 cup Colored red sugar for garnish or regular sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°.
- Unwrap Hershey’s peppermint kisses and freeze in freezer a minimum of 30 minutes.
- Mix oil, granulated sugar, egg, food coloring, vinegar, vanilla, peppermint extract, salt, baking soda, and cocoa.
- Stir in flour with a wooden spoon until mixture is thoroughly mixed.
- Shape mixture into balls.
- Roll into colored sugar (or regular sugar) and place on cookie sheets that have been sprayed with cooking spray.
- Bake about 12-15 minutes until done.
- Rotate cookie sheets on oven racks half way through baking time.
- Remove cookies from oven and allow to cool 1 minute.
- Place peppermint kiss in center of each cookie.
- Allow cookies to cool completely.
- Remove from pans.
- Store in airtight containers.