I’m sharing Strawberry Chocolate Cookies that hide a classic chocolate kiss at the center beneath a buttery, melt-in-your-mouth dough dotted with strawberry sweetness and finished with a light dusting of powdered sugar.

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I never thought a cookie could be this flirty until I baked these Strawberry Kiss Cookies. The dough melts in your mouth because I use plenty of unsalted butter, and there’s that tiny thrill when you press a Hershey’s KISSES chocolate candy into each warm center.

They’re dainty but hold up in a tin, and somehow every bite tastes like a little celebration. I’ve even tinkered with a more jiggly take that nods to Strawberry Kiss Cookies With Jello, and I always bring them to gatherings as Valentines Candies.

People always ask for the recipe, even when I try to play it cool.

Ingredients

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Butter: Provides richness and tender texture; mostly fat, adds flavor and helps cookies spread.
Sugar: Main sweetener, adds crisp edges and browning; little nutrition, mostly simple carbs.
Egg yolk: Adds richness, emulsifies dough, provides protein and color; helps binding and chew.
Flour: Gives structure with gluten; mostly carbohydrates, some protein, can make cookies cakey.
Cornstarch: Softens texture, reduces gluten effect; yields crumbly tender bite, mostly starch.
Strawberry jam: Sweet fruity filling; adds sugar and bright berry flavor, little fiber if strained.
Hershey’s KISSES: Chocolate center that melts in oven; adds cocoa richness and a sweet finish.
Vanilla extract: Tiny amount gives aromatic depth; enhances sweetness and rounds flavors.
Salt: Balances sweetness, boosts flavor; tiny salt makes cookie taste less flat.

Ingredient Quantities

1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter softened

1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar

1 large egg yolk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups (240 g) all purpose flour

1/2 cup (60 g) cornstarch

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup (160 g) strawberry jam (seedless if you can)

24 Hershey’s KISSES chocolate candies, unwrapped

1/3 cup (40 g) powdered sugar for dusting

How to Make this

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1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat. Makes about 24 cookies if you use all 24 KISSES.

2. In a large bowl cream 1 cup softened unsalted butter with 1/2 cup granulated sugar until light and a little fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes with a mixer or by hand if you gotta.

3. Beat in 1 large egg yolk and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract until combined. Don’t overmix once the egg goes in.

4. In another bowl whisk together 2 cups all purpose flour, 1/2 cup cornstarch and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Cornstarch is the secret for that melt in your mouth texture.

5. Gradually add the dry mix to the butter mixture and stir until just combined. If the dough feels too soft pop it in the fridge for 20 to 30 minutes so it’s easier to handle.

6. Scoop tablespoon sized portions of dough and roll into balls, place about 2 inches apart on the prepared sheet. Use your thumb or the back of a teaspoon to press a shallow well in the center of each ball. If the wells puff up, chill the tray for 10 minutes before baking.

7. Spoon about 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon seedless strawberry jam into each indent, not too much or it will overflow, then bake for 10 to 12 minutes until the edges are set and the centers still look a touch soft.

8. As soon as the cookies come out of the oven press one unwrapped Hershey’s KISS into the center of each jam filled well so the warm cookie softens the chocolate and it sticks. If a KISS cracks when you press it, warm it 5 to 8 seconds in the microwave and try again.

9. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely so the chocolate can set.

10. Once cooled, dust with 1/3 cup powdered sugar through a fine sieve. Store in an airtight container up to 3 days or freeze the dough for later.

Equipment Needed

1. Oven and a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat
2. Two mixing bowls, one large and one medium — (wait, can’t use that character) one big and one medium for wet and dry stuff
3. Hand mixer or a sturdy wooden spoon if you wanna do it by hand
4. Measuring cups and measuring spoons for accuracy
5. Whisk for the flour, cornstarch and salt mix
6. Rubber spatula for scraping the bowl and folding the dough
7. Tablespoon or small cookie scoop for portioning the dough and a teaspoon or your thumb to press wells
8. Wire cooling rack so the chocolate sets up right
9. Fine mesh sieve for dusting the powdered sugar through nice and even

FAQ

Q: Can I swap the unsalted butter for salted butter or margarine? A: You can, but salted butter will make the cookies a bit saltier so skip or cut back on the 1/4 teaspoon salt. Margarine has more water and can make the cookies spread and feel greasy, so unsalted butter is best if you want the original texture.

Q: I dont have an egg yolk, what can I use instead? A: The yolk adds richness and tenderness. If you must swap, use one whole egg (cookies will be slightly cakier and spread more), or try 1 tablespoon full fat yogurt for a similar richness. For vegan options use 1-2 tablespoons aquafaba or a commercial egg replacer, know the texture will change.

Q: Can I use a different jam or chocolate? A: Yes, strawberry is classic but raspberry or apricot work great. Use seedless jam if you dont want little seeds. You can swap Hershey KISSES for bite sized chocolate drops or dark chocolate if you like a less sweet finish.

Q: My cookies spread too flat, how do I fix that? A: Chill the dough 30 to 60 minutes before baking, dont overcream the butter and sugar, and bake on a cool baking sheet. If your kitchen is warm, refrigerate the scooped dough balls before popping them in the oven.

Q: Can I freeze the dough or finished cookies? A: Yes. Freeze scooped dough balls on a tray then transfer to a bag, bake from frozen adding 1-2 minutes to the time. Baked cookies freeze well too, store in an airtight container up to 3 months. Thaw at room temp or warm briefly in a low oven.

Q: How should I store them and how long do they last? A: Keep in an airtight container at room temp for 3 to 4 days, but they're best eaten within 2 days. If you've dusted with powdered sugar wait to dust until just before serving or the sugar will absorb moisture and fade.

Strawberry Kiss Cookies Recipe Substitutions and Variations

Unsalted butter (1 cup / 226 g): swap 1:1 with a plant based stick margarine for a vegan version, same measure works. Or use 1 cup solid coconut oil packed, but chill the dough before baking since coconut oil softens at room temp.
Granulated sugar (1/2 cup / 100 g): swap 1:1 with light brown sugar for a chewier cookie and a little caramel flavor. Or use superfine (caster) sugar same amount for a finer crumb.
All purpose flour (2 cups / 240 g): use a 1:1 gluten free flour blend (with xanthan gum included) for gluten free cookies, expect a slightly crumbly bite. Or try whole wheat pastry flour 1:1 for a nuttier, denser result.
Strawberry jam (1/2 cup / 160 g): swap with seedless raspberry or apricot jam same amount for a different fruit note. Or use about 1/2 cup fresh strawberries finely chopped and simmered briefly with 1 tbsp sugar to thicken for a fresher filling.

Pro Tips

1) Chill the dough if it feels soft. Cold dough holds its shape better so the wells stay put and the jam wont run everywhere. If the wells puff up, stick the whole tray in the fridge for 10 minutes before baking.

2) Measure flour the right way. Spoon it into the cup and level it off instead of scooping, or you’ll end up with dry tough cookies. Also cream the butter and sugar until light but dont overmix once you add the yolk or you’ll lose that tender texture.

3) Use a piping bag or a tiny spoon for the jam and dont overfill the wells. Seedless jam spreads nicer, and if it seems too thick warm it a few seconds in the microwave so it goes in cleanly. Less is usually more here.

4) Press the chocolate into the cookies as soon as they come out of the oven so it melts and sticks. If a KISS cracks when you press it, zap it 5 to 8 seconds, then try again. Let cookies cool fully before dusting with powdered sugar, and store in an airtight container up to a few days or freeze the dough for later.

Strawberry Kiss Cookies Recipe

Recipe by Nicky Smith

0.0 from 0 votes

Servings

servings

Calories

180

kcal

Equipment: 1. Oven and a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat
2. Two mixing bowls, one large and one medium — (wait, can’t use that character) one big and one medium for wet and dry stuff
3. Hand mixer or a sturdy wooden spoon if you wanna do it by hand
4. Measuring cups and measuring spoons for accuracy
5. Whisk for the flour, cornstarch and salt mix
6. Rubber spatula for scraping the bowl and folding the dough
7. Tablespoon or small cookie scoop for portioning the dough and a teaspoon or your thumb to press wells
8. Wire cooling rack so the chocolate sets up right
9. Fine mesh sieve for dusting the powdered sugar through nice and even

Ingredients

1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter softened
1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar
1 large egg yolk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups (240 g) all purpose flour
1/2 cup (60 g) cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (160 g) strawberry jam (seedless if you can)
24 Hershey's KISSES chocolate candies, unwrapped
1/3 cup (40 g) powdered sugar for dusting

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat. Makes about 24 cookies if you use all 24 KISSES.
In a large bowl cream 1 cup softened unsalted butter with 1/2 cup granulated sugar until light and a little fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes with a mixer or by hand if you gotta.
Beat in 1 large egg yolk and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract until combined. Don’t overmix once the egg goes in.
In another bowl whisk together 2 cups all purpose flour, 1/2 cup cornstarch and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Cornstarch is the secret for that melt in your mouth texture.
Gradually add the dry mix to the butter mixture and stir until just combined. If the dough feels too soft pop it in the fridge for 20 to 30 minutes so it’s easier to handle.
Scoop tablespoon sized portions of dough and roll into balls, place about 2 inches apart on the prepared sheet. Use your thumb or the back of a teaspoon to press a shallow well in the center of each ball. If the wells puff up, chill the tray for 10 minutes before baking.
Spoon about 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon seedless strawberry jam into each indent, not too much or it will overflow, then bake for 10 to 12 minutes until the edges are set and the centers still look a touch soft.
As soon as the cookies come out of the oven press one unwrapped Hershey's KISS into the center of each jam filled well so the warm cookie softens the chocolate and it sticks. If a KISS cracks when you press it, warm it 5 to 8 seconds in the microwave and try again.
Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely so the chocolate can set.
Once cooled, dust with 1/3 cup powdered sugar through a fine sieve. Store in an airtight container up to 3 days or freeze the dough for later.

Notes

Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.