Strawberry Kiss Cookies-Easy and Delicious Recipe

Strawberry Kiss Cookies are more than just a delicious baked treat; They are whispers of sweet nostalgia and explosions of pure joy in every particle. Who doesn’t love a cookie that perfectly captures the essence of fresh strawberries and melts on your tongue with a delicate sweetness? These are not your average cookies; These are made from a soft, buttery dough with a delicious strawberry filling that creates a truly magical flavor profile. What makes Strawberry Kiss Cookies so special is their delightful balance of texture and flavor – a crisp edge that gives way to a soft, yielding center, enhanced by the vibrant, natural sweetness of real strawberries. They evoke memories of sunny afternoons, shared laughter and simple pleasures, making them the perfect centerpiece for any gathering or cozy indulgence you enjoy. Get ready to fall in love with these irresistible Strawberry Kiss Cookies!

Material:

1 box (15.25 ounces) strawberry cake mix
8 tablespoons (1/2 cup) butter, melted and slightly cooled
1 large egg
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
Optional: powdered sugar or pink granulated sugar for sprinkling
30 chocolate Hershey’s Kisses, unwrapped

Preparing Strawberry Kiss Cookie Dough

mixing base

To begin preparing these delightful Strawberry Kiss Cookies, the first important step is to make a perfectly cohesive cookie dough. In a medium-sized mixing bowl, you will combine the main dry ingredients. Start by adding the entire box of strawberry cake mix. This cake mix is the secret to our cookies’ vibrant color and distinctive strawberry flavor, providing a wonderfully sweet and slightly tart base. Make sure the cake mix is at room temperature, as this helps it mix more evenly with the wet ingredients.

Next, add melted and slightly cooled butter. It is important that the butter is not too hot when you add it, as this could potentially “cook” the egg or affect the texture of the dough. It is ideal to let it cool for a few minutes after melting. Butter contributes to the richness and softness of the cookie. After the butter, add the large egg. An egg cooked at room temperature will also mix more easily into the mixture, keeping the dough from clumping.

Incorporating Cream Cheese

Now comes the element that really elevates these cookies: cream cheese. Make sure your cream cheese has softened completely. This means taking it out of the refrigerator at least an hour before you plan to start baking. Soft cream cheese should yield easily when applied with gentle pressure. Add 4 ounces of softened cream cheese directly into the bowl along with the cake mix, butter and eggs. Cream cheese is essential in creating a tender, almost cake-like texture in the finished cookie, while also providing a subtle richness that complements the strawberry flavor beautifully. It also helps bind the dough together, making it easier to handle.

preparing the dough

Using a sturdy spoon or rubber spatula, begin mixing all the ingredients together. Begin by gently mixing the wet and dry ingredients. As you stir, you’ll notice the mixture turning from the individual ingredients into a cohesive, slightly sticky dough. Continue mixing until there are no dry streaks of cake mix left and the dough is evenly pink and has a wonderful strawberry aroma. Don’t overmix; Once everything is in place, stop. Overmixing can cause the gluten in the cake mix to develop too much, potentially resulting in tough cookies. The dough should be soft and pliable, suitable for making balls. At this stage, you can cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate the dough for about 30 minutes. This cooling period makes the dough much easier to handle and prevents the cookies from spreading too much during baking.

Shaping and Baking Cookies

Preparing for Baking

Before removing the dough from the refrigerator, preheat your oven to 350 °F (175 °C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Parchment paper is a baker’s best friend; It prevents sticking and cleans up easily. If you don’t have parchment paper, you can lightly grease your baking sheet, but parchment is highly recommended for best results. Have your unwrapped Hershey’s Kisses ready to go, as they need to be pressed into cookies while they are still warm from the oven.

Making Cookie Balls

Once the dough is cool enough, take it out of the refrigerator. Using a small cookie scoop or two teaspoons, scoop out portions of the dough. Aim to make dough balls about 1 inch in diameter. Roll each portion of dough between the palms of your hands and form into smooth, uniform balls. Place rolled dough balls on prepared baking sheet, leaving about 2 inches of space between each. This is important because the cookies will spread slightly as they bake. You should be able to get about 24 cookies from this recipe, which means you’ll have enough dough for two batches of 12 cookies.

baking and kissing insertion

Arrange the dough balls on the baking sheet. Place the baking sheet in the preheated oven. Bake for 9 to 11 minutes, or until the edges of the cookies are set and the centers are slightly soft. Be careful not to overcook it, as this can cause the cookies to become dry. The cookies should still look slightly deflated in the center; They will continue to cook for a bit on the hot baking sheet. As soon as you remove the baking sheet from the oven, immediately press an unwrapped Hershey Kiss into the center of each warm cookie. The heat of the cookie will slowly melt the chocolate, allowing it to soak into the dough and create that distinctive “kiss” shape. Press gently until the kiss is partially submerged.

Cooling and finishing touches

cooling the cookies

After pressing the Hershey Kisses into cookies, let them cool on the baking sheet for at least 5 minutes. This is an important step to allow the cookies to set completely and keep them from falling apart when you shake them. The chocolate melted with the Kisgin extract will also start to harden a little during this time. Once they have rested on the baking sheet for about 5 minutes, carefully transfer the strawberry kiss cookies to a wire cooling rack. Continue to let them cool completely on a wire rack. Cooling on a rack allows air to circulate around the cookies, ensuring they cool evenly and preventing the bottom from getting soggy.

optional decoration

Once the cookies have cooled completely, you have the option to add the final decorative touches. If you like, you can lightly sprinkle the cooled cookies with powdered sugar using a fine mesh strainer for an icy, pretty finish. Alternatively, for added color and shine, you can dip the bottoms of the cooled cookies in pink granulated sugar before serving. This step is completely optional but adds a beautiful visual appeal that perfectly complements the strawberry theme of the cookies. These Strawberry Kiss Cookies are best enjoyed within a few days of baking and stored in an airtight container at room temperature.

conclusion:

There you have it – a joyous journey to create the best Strawberry Kiss Cookies! We’ve figured out the simple but beautiful steps to create these charming, melt-in-your-mouth treats that are as pretty as they are delicious. These cookies are surprisingly versatile, making them ideal for any occasion, from a simple afternoon tea to a celebratory dessert. Remember, the key to their delicate flavor and gentle aroma lies in using fresh ingredients and not over-adding flour. Don’t be afraid to experiment and make them your own!

To submit suggestions, consider creating your own pair Strawberry Kiss Cookies With a cold glass of milk, a cup of Earl Gray tea, or even a delicate pink grapefruit juice. They’re also divine when dusted with a light layer of powdered sugar just before serving, or drizzled with white chocolate for an extra luxurious touch.

When it comes to variety, feel free to add lemon juice to the dough for better flavor, or mix a few drops of almond extract with strawberries to deepen the complexity. For a visual pop, try using a mix of red and pink sanding sugar for the coating. The possibilities are truly endless, and I encourage you to embrace your creativity in the kitchen!

Frequently Asked Questions:

Q: Can I prepare the dough for Strawberry Kiss Cookies ahead of time?

Answer: Absolutely! You can prepare the dough for this Strawberry Kiss Cookies And keep it in the refrigerator for 2-3 days. It may be a little tough, so let it soften a bit at room temperature for about 15-20 minutes before straining and baking. It can really improve the texture and taste.

Q: How should I store leftover Strawberry Kiss Cookies?

Answer: do your storage Strawberry Kiss Cookies Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. If they are flaky, place parchment paper between the layers to keep them from sticking together. For long-term storage, you can freeze them for 2-3 months.