Chocolate Kiss Cookies - Peppermint, Hugs & Kisses

I first made this recipe about a year ago, for Valentine's Day - Hugs and Kisses Cookies.  Instead of a peanut butter cookie with a Hershey's Kiss on it, this is a delicious chocolate cookie.   The chocolate cookie is much more versatile than peanut butter.  The Hershey's Hugs and Kisses both tasted great.   A few weeks ago I made them with Peppermint Kisses - so yummy.  The chocolate cookies even taste wonderful by themselves.  Both times I have made them, I have frozen half of the dough and it works out quite well.   I think mini peanut butter cups would be good on these too!  Santa brought a lot of those, so I may try it when I bake the 2nd half of the batch.

Click here for the original recipe that I found on allrecipes.com.

I baked mine on cookie sheets lined with parchment paper, for 8 minutes.  I added the kisses and removed from the pan immediately.  Warning! - it's too tempting to not try one right away - just beware that the kiss is super soft and will go everywhere if you are not careful.  I think this is the best way to eat them - within a few minutes or an hour of baking them, while the kiss is still soft.  It's worth the mess!   And, to avoid destroying the beautiful cookies, store them in single layers.

This is a perfect way to start the transition from Christmas to Valentine's Day!

Peppermint Kiss Cookies

Hugs and Kisses Cookies

Peppermint Crunch Marshmallows

One of my favorite flavors....peppermint!
I made Peppermint Marshmallows for our Christmas party and then for Little C to take to school for her classmates for their Christmas "penny presents exchange."

This recipe is from King Arthur Flour.  I think I like these marshmallows better than the ones I made a couple years ago.  These are perfectly fluffy!  Of course, the others were plain and I coated them in sugar sprinkles rather than powdered sugar.  The powdered sugar lasts longer and doesn't affect the flavor of the marshmallows.  These are great by themselves or in hot chocolate!

Marshmallows are not a last minute whip-up as they need time to cure before cutting.  They are fun to make and it helps if you play Marshmallow World while putting them together, and then while cutting and tossing in the sugar! :-)

Click here for the recipe link.

Peppermint Crunch Marshmallows

Peppermint Crunch Marshmallows

Peppermint Crunch Marshmallows

Peppermint Crunch Marshmallows for Classmates