Soft, fudgy chocolate cookies rolled in sugar and topped with a peppermint Hershey’s Kiss.

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There’s something about chocolate and peppermint that just feels like Christmas. These Chocolate Peppermint Kiss Thumbprint Cookies are the kind of treat you can whip up while the kids are decorating the tree, sneaking candy canes, or arguing over who gets to unwrap the next Hershey’s Kiss.

They’re soft, fudgy, and rolled in sparkly sugar that makes a delightful crunch with each bite- we would know, we ate a few 😄

This is an easy, no-chill cookie dough that bakes up beautifully every time — perfect for cookie swaps, teacher gifts, movie nights, or filling your holiday cookie tins. If you want a Christmas cookie that’s simple and Pinterest-pretty, this one’s going straight to the top of your list.

Ingredients

(US + Metric)

Wet Ingredients

¾ cup unsalted butter — 170 g, softened
1 cup granulated sugar — 200 g
2 large egg yolks — about 34–40 g total
1 teaspoon vanilla extract — 5 g

Dry Ingredients

1 ½ cups all-purpose flour — 180 g
½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder — 50 g
1 teaspoon baking soda — 5 g
¼ teaspoon salt — 1.5 g

For Rolling

½ cup granulated sugar — 100 g

Topping

24–28 Peppermint Hershey’s Kisses, unwrapped
(Freeze 20–30 minutes so they keep their shape.)

🎄 Instructions

Prepare

Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
Line baking sheets with parchment paper.

Make the Dough

In a large bowl, beat together butter (170 g) and granulated sugar (200 g) for 2–3 minutes, until light and fluffy.

Add the egg yolks and vanilla; mix until creamy and fully combined.

In a separate bowl, whisk together flour (180 g), cocoa (50 g), baking soda (5 g), and salt (1.5 g).

Add dry ingredients to the wet mixture and mix until a soft dough forms.

Shape

Scoop dough into 1-inch balls (about 20–24 g each).

Roll each ball generously in granulated sugar (100 g) to coat.

Place on prepared baking sheets.

Bake

Bake for 8–10 minutes, until the edges look set but the centers are still soft.
Do not overbake — chocolate cookies firm as they cool.

Add the Peppermint Kiss

Immediately press one frozen peppermint kiss into the center of each cookie.
Let cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling.

Yield: 20-24

Chocolate Peppermint Kiss Thumbprint Cookies

Name: Chocolate Peppermint Kiss Thumbprint Cookies
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 25 min
Yield: 20
Ingredients: ¾ cup unsalted butter — 170 g, softened; 1 cup granulated sugar — 200 g; 2 large egg yolks — about 34–40 g total; 1 teaspoon vanilla extract — 5 g; 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour — 180 g; ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder — 50 g; 1 teaspoon baking soda — 5 g; ¼ teaspoon salt — 1.5 g; ½ cup granulated sugar — 100 g; 24–28 Peppermint Hershey’s Kisses, unwrapped (Freeze 20–30 minutes so they keep their shape.)

Soft, fudgy chocolate cookies rolled in sugar and topped with a peppermint Hershey’s Kiss.

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes

Total Time 25 minutes

Ingredients

Wet Ingredients

¾ cup unsalted butter — 170 g, softened
1 cup granulated sugar — 200 g
2 large egg yolks — about 34–40 g total
1 teaspoon vanilla extract — 5 g

Dry Ingredients

1 ½ cups all-purpose flour — 180 g
½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder — 50 g
1 teaspoon baking soda — 5 g
¼ teaspoon salt — 1.5 g

For Rolling

½ cup granulated sugar — 100 g

Topping

24–28 Peppermint Hershey’s Kisses, unwrapped (Freeze 20–30 minutes so they keep their shape.)

Instructions

Prepare

Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper.

Make the Dough

In a large bowl, beat together butter (170 g) and granulated sugar (200 g) for 2–3 minutes, until light and fluffy.
Add the egg yolks and vanilla; mix until creamy and fully combined.
In a separate bowl, whisk together flour (180 g), cocoa (50 g), baking soda (5 g), and salt (1.5 g).
Add dry ingredients to the wet mixture and mix until a soft dough forms.

Shape

Scoop dough into 1-inch balls (about 20–24 g each). Roll each ball generously in granulated sugar (100 g) to coat. Place on prepared baking sheets.

Bake

Bake for 8–10 minutes, until the edges look set but the centers are still soft. Do not overbake — chocolate cookies firm as they cool.

Add the Peppermint Kiss

Immediately press one frozen peppermint kiss into the center of each cookie. Let cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling.

Notes

Tips for Best Results

Freeze the kisses so they don’t melt or collapse.
Roll the dough thoroughly in sugar for the prettiest crackly finish.
Let cookies cool fully before storing so the kisses firm up again.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 164Total Fat: 7gSaturated Fat: 4gUnsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 32mgSodium: 144mgCarbohydrates: 23gFiber: 1gSugar: 16gProtein: 2g

I hope you and your family love these Chocolate Peppermint Kiss Thumbprint Cookies as much as we do. They’re one of those Christmas recipes that disappear faster than you expect — so you may want to make a double batch! My kids and I each ate a couple right after they were finished- that’s 10 cookies GONE haha!

Bake them for neighbors, bring them to parties, or just keep them on your counter for those cozy December evenings when you’re watching Christmas movies and the house smells like cocoa and peppermint.

If you make them, tag me — I love seeing your Christmas baking! ❤️🎄🍪