Sugar Cookie Candy Cane Blossoms are peppermint sugar cookies topped with Hershey's Candy Cane Kisses. They are a spin-off of the traditional Peanut Butter Kiss Blossoms. You will love these Candy Cane Blossom cookies because they are easy to make, delicious to eat, and perfect for your Christmas cookie swap!
I'm almost done with my Christmas shopping (thank you, Amazon) and I'm trying hard not to buy anymore Christmas decorations (read: Staying away from Home Goods and Hobby Lobby). We did, however, buy our first blow-up lawn decoration this year at Home Depot. We let the boys choose, and they chose wisely!! They picked a blow-up Santa with his elf and reindeer, and it was the ONLY one on sale that day (50% off)! My kids know how to shop!
Christmas is still more than two weeks away and I cannot begin to tell you how full I am from all the sweets. I've been baking up a storm for y'all so I can share some of my most favorite Christmas cookie recipes, including these Sugar Cookie Candy Cane Blossoms.
If you enjoy peppermint flavored sweets, these are the perfect sugar cookie blossoms for you! You see, Hershey's makes these yummy Candy Cane Kisses that have actual crunchy pieces of candy canes in them. I just found out about them at the grocery store the other day (where have I been)!? Being one who doesn't love minty desserts, I was surprised to find I absolutely love the Candy Cane Kisses!
It's true that the first thing I always think about when seeing Hershey's Kisses are blossom cookies, especially Peanut Butter Blossoms. Well, how about Hershey Kiss cookies with no peanut butter? Better yet, how about Hershey Kiss cookies with sugar cookies? Let's go one more "better yet" and say Hershey Kiss cookies with PEPPERMINT sugar cookies!
That's exactly what we have here. A peppermint flavored sugar cookie as our base because I feel like we need the candy cane taste in the sugar cookies, too. So, I added a little bit of peppermint extract (you can find it in the spice aisle at your grocery store) to the cookie dough.
Tips for Making Candy Cane Blossoms
- Shape smaller cookies than you're used to making. Just a 1-inch dough ball will do or the kisses will look too small and the proportion of Kiss to cookie just won't be right.
- These cookies do not spread much, so flatten each dough ball (just a little!) with your fingers before baking.
- After removing cookies from the oven, wait only 2 minutes before applying the Kiss candy in the center.
- Immediately after placing the kisses on the cookies, transfer the cookies to a cooling rack so the Kisses won't melt from the heat from the pan.
- Try not to touch the Kiss candy after applying to the cookies until cooled.
I started with one of my favorite soft sugar cookie recipes and tweaked it to be a perfect sugar cookie base to these Candy Cane Blossoms. The first time I made these, I made the same size cookie that I typically make for these Soft-Frosted Sugar Cookies. As good as they were, the proportion of cookie to kiss just wasn't right. So, the next trial I cut them down to half the size and they turned out JUST right!
These sugar cookie blossoms are rolled in sugar before baking, similar to peanut butter blossoms. It's totally optional, but I love the added sparkle. I also mixed in red and green sugar crystals to add some festive colors!
Recipe Card
Sugar Cookie Candy Cane Blossoms
Ingredients
- ½ cup unsalted butter at room temperature
- ¾ cup granulated sugar plus additional ½ cup for rolling dough balls
- 2 large eggs
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon peppermint extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon green sugar crystals (optional)
- 1 tablespoon red sugar crystals (optional)
- 46 Hershey's Candy Cane Kisses
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line baking sheet with parchment or silicone mat.
- Cream together the butter and sugar for 1 minute. Mix in the eggs, one at a time. Stir in the vanilla and peppermint extracts.
- In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. Add to the wet ingredients and mix on low speed until just combined. Stir in the sugar crystals (optional).
- Place additional ½ cup of sugar in shallow bowl. Using a small cookie scoop, spoon 1-inch dough balls into bowl of sugar and lightly roll to cover. Place on cookie sheet. Repeat with remaining dough.
- Using your finger, gently press each dough ball to slightly flatten. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes.
- Remove from oven. Wait only 2 minutes, then place one Kiss candy on top of each cookie. Do not touch the Kisses after adding to the cookies. Immediately remove cookies from cookie sheet to wire rack to cool completely.
Suzanne says
These are so tasty and festive. Mine didn’t turn out as green as yours. Did you use more green sugar than red sugar?
Nikki Gladd says
It's possible I did that day, but I'm unsure. It could also be the lighting. 🙂 But, typically mine do turn out more green than red.
Trysh says
I made these using gluten free flour and they were a big hit! 5 stars for sure.
Nikki Gladd says
Thank you for your feedback, Trysh! To help anyone else that may want to try, did you use the same measurement of gf flour? Happy new year!
Joanne says
So easy and delicious!