Hershey’s Red Velvet Blossoms Cookies Recipe delivers soft, cocoa-kissed red cookies with a melty chocolate kiss in the center. Bakers who want a festive cookie in about 30 minutes will love this simple, kid-friendly treat. I baked a test batch during a Tuesday lunch break and had neighbors knocking by 3 p.m.
Hershey’s Red Velvet Blossoms Cookies Recipe
Hershey’s Red Velvet Blossoms Cookies Recipe gives you bakery-level flavor with minimal effort. The cookie tastes like classic red velvet, light cocoa, a hint of vanilla, and a gentle tang that balances the sweetness of the Hershey’s Kiss. The color pops on any dessert table, and the texture stays soft for days.
You can use standard Kisses or Hugs for a candy-cane swirl look. The dough comes together fast, and you skip fussy chill times. The hardest part might be not snacking on the Kisses while you unwrap them.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- 36 Hershey’s Kisses or Hugs, unwrapped and chilled
- 1.5 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons unsweetened natural cocoa powder, not Dutch process for a brighter red
- 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch, optional for extra softness
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 1 tablespoon milk, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon distilled white vinegar, classic red velvet tang
- 1 to 1.5 teaspoons red gel food color, add to reach your preferred shade, brands like Americolor or Wilton work well
- 1/2 cup sanding sugar or granulated sugar, for rolling
Pantry shortcuts and swaps:
- Use store-bought pre-rolled red sugar for a sparkly finish.
- Swap Hugs for Kisses if you want a vanilla-chocolate top.
- If you only have liquid food color, add more to reach a deep red, though gel gives the best color without thinning the dough.
Equipment:
- Mixing bowls
- Hand mixer or stand mixer
- Measuring cups and spoons or a kitchen scale
- Parchment-lined sheet pans
- 1 tablespoon cookie scoop
- Wire rack
How to Make Hershey’s Red Velvet Blossoms Cookies
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 9 to 10 minutes per batch
- Total Time: about 30 minutes
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment. Chill the unwrapped Kisses so they hold their shape.
- Whisk flour, cocoa, baking soda, salt, and cornstarch in a medium bowl. Set the dry mix aside.
- Beat butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar in a large bowl until creamy and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
- Add the egg, milk, vanilla, and vinegar. Beat until smooth. Scrape the bowl.
- Mix in the red gel food color until the dough looks deep red. Start with 1 teaspoon and add more if needed.
- Add the dry mix to the wet mix. Beat on low until the dough comes together. The dough should feel soft but not sticky.
- Scoop dough into 1 tablespoon portions. Roll each ball in sanding sugar or granulated sugar.
- Arrange on prepared sheets, spacing 2 inches apart. Bake 9 to 10 minutes, until edges look set and tops look puffed. The centers should still look soft.
- Press a chilled Kiss into the center of each cookie right after the tray leaves the oven. The cookie will crack slightly around the edges.
- Move cookies to a wire rack after 2 minutes. Cool until the chocolate sets. If the chocolate softens too much, slide the tray into the fridge for 5 minutes to set.
Tips & Tricks
- Keep the Kisses in the fridge so they hold a neat peak when you press them in.
- Use gel food color to get a bold red without thinning the dough.
- Measure flour with the scoop and level method, or use 190 grams for accuracy.
- Pull cookies when edges set and centers look soft to keep that tender chew.
- If the dough feels sticky, chill it for 10 minutes and proceed.
- Choose natural cocoa, not Dutch process, to keep the red vibrant.
- Roll in red sanding sugar for sparkle, or use powdered sugar for a crinkle look.
- Swap in peppermint or almond extract for a seasonal twist, use 1/4 teaspoon and reduce vanilla to 3/4 teaspoon.
Make-Ahead and Storage
Store baked cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for 4 days. Refrigerate for up to 1 week. Freeze baked cookies for 2 months, though the chocolate may bloom, so for the cleanest look, freeze the baked cookies without the Kisses and add them to warm cookies later.
Chill the dough for up to 48 hours if you plan ahead. Freeze portioned dough balls for 2 months and bake from frozen, add 1 to 2 minutes to the bake time. To refresh a cookie, warm it in the microwave for 5 to 7 seconds to soften the chocolate.
Nutrition Information
Approximate per cookie, based on 36 cookies: 110 calories, 5 g fat, 15 g carbs, 10 g sugar, 1 g protein, 80 mg sodium. Fiber: about 0.5 g. Numbers are estimates and vary by brand and cookie size.
Hershey's Red Velvet Blossoms Cookies
Ingredients
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, beat together the butter, 1/2 cup granulated sugar, and brown sugar until light and fluffy.
- Add the egg, milk, vanilla extract, and red food coloring. Mix well.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing just until combined.
- Shape the dough into 1-inch balls. Roll each ball in the 1/3 cup granulated sugar and place them 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets.
- Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until the cookies are set.
- Remove from the oven and immediately press a HERSHEY'S KISS into the center of each cookie.
- Cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.